Artist Spotlight | Dirt Monkey – Dubstep is What?

Sadly, due to various circumstances, one of which includes an increase in the accessibility of production related materials (DAWs, plug-ins, YouTube training videos, etc.) and thusly a spike in the number of unqualified producers flooding the scene, we now find the unfortunate phrase “dubstep is dead” appearing in much higher frequencies, from all corners of the EDM-o-sphere. With an over-saturated market producing less that average tunes, we certainly understand the frustration coming from current and former fans of this perhaps “endangered” production method.

Despite the fact that I will unabashedly admit to being a tremendous fan of this particular genre, in all honestly, dubstep has assuredly lost part of its former attractive luster that had previously captivated me so. When Skrillex infused his own concoction of punk-rocking, face-melting bass modulation into the originally underground, 2-step garage motif, and introduced it to America, it was a goddamn fucking revolution.

Sorry for the language ladies and Ned Flanders, but it emphasizes my point.

Okalie dokalie Ragerrinos?

Now, four years and about a trillion releases later, dubstep has all but exhausted the transient stranglehold and warm welcome it had once possessed in the American electronic dance music market. On the other, more positive hand however, the genre has indeed given rise to a panoply of increasingly popular spinoff styles like drumstep, melodic dubstep, and lovestep, spawning game-changing producers like Figure, Seven Lions and Kill Paris.

Personally, I firmly believe that instead of immediately writing off any future attempts at dubstep production, we as fans must re-think the way we find and critique music in general. Dig deeper. The good stuff, the original stuff, is usually at the bottom, or in the last place you’d think to find it. And sure, we’ve heard a lot of the same samples and instrumental arrangements over and over, but lets focus more so on the talent involved in developing a song’s chord progression or the crispness, vividness and fullness obtained in an artist’s mastering of their work.

However, setting all cynical premonitions aside, to this day we still manage to find dubstep producers creating unique, mind-blowing music that raises a similar set of goose bumps on our skin to the ones initially produced by our knight in shining armor, the champion of “brostep,” Sonny Moore.

Holy shit, I was supposed to introduce this next artist wasn’t I?

Whoops.

Dirt Monkey, his name says it all frankly. As usual, below we have included a smattering of the dankness from this Boulder, Colorado-based rager named Patrick Megeath. It will be all you need.

Want more? You got eyeballs, a mouse and half a brain right?

SoundCloud: @dirtmonkey
FB: www.facebook.com/dirtmonkeymusic
Twitter: twitter.com/dirtmonkeymusic

 

 

 

 

Pyramyth – Pharaoh EP [DUSTLA]

Well howdy there folks. Can’t rightly say I heard you fellas come in, shucks.

Welcome.

Today, we here at Rager Onions proudly present to you another release that’s fresh off the presses over at DUSTLA. And for the last god damn time, no. We are assuredly NOT talking about OWSLA. We heard the new Skrillex ok? We’re just trying to talk about something else here. So just drop it.

Moving on, D-U-S-T-L-A, who is definitely not owned by Sonny Moore, does indeed share a few common musical threads with its similarly monikered mega-label from LA. Besides offering listeners uncanny EDM jams with “massive drops and rough, fat basslines,” DUSTLA prides itself on how their repertoire of producers follow these intensely clamorous pieces of electronic psychosis.

Utilizing their superior production knowhow, the lineup over at DUSTLA, which includes artists like: Karetus, ak9, Spag Heddy, I.Y.F.F.E., Alex Mind and Shirobon, elegantly and almost effortlessly laces “melodic” and “innocent breakdowns” with other intensely complex, filthier sections to amalgamate a style truly unique to this up-and-coming label. Promising prospective listeners “fresh talent” and “unique new styles”, DUSLTA will keep that infectious, thunder-like euphony rolling out of your speakers with each and every release.

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Recently, I was turned onto this next electronic dance musician, William Gonzalez, or Pyramyth, by a buddy of mine working over at the label (D to the USTLA). When I was informed that Mr. Gonzalez would be releasing a 4 track EP (which dropped about a week ago now) titled “Pharaoh” on DUSLTA, I was nothing short of ecstatic in anticipation. Then, after I actually got a chance to listen to this piece of art, it was all smiles for the rest of that day.

I mean fuck, I’m still smiling.

Employing a hefty portfolio of both modern and classic electronic techniques, Pyramyth applies his own brand of nostalgic, chip-tune influenced, glitch style to opening track, “The Pharaoh.” This has got to be our favorite of the quartet. From here, this Mexican producer delves into the more macabre side of the electric spectrum with “Gravity Gun”, an Electro House banger on par with any of the beats from the geniuses over at Knife Party, and “Taco Bass”, an enigmatically erratic yet melodic dubstep production.

Lastly, Pyramyth steps into a more unfamiliar territory in terms of production methods with his final song on the EP, “Miami Borderline Syndrome.” The result is a beautifully diverse, trap-resemblant jam with hints of complextro Nu Disco funk.

Check it out. Hell, while you’re at it, check them out!

SoundCloud: @pyramyth | Facebook: www.facebook.com/DUSTLA | Twitter: twitter.com/WeAreDustla

SoundCloud: @dustla | Facebook: www.facebook.com/Pyramyth |Twitter: twitter.com/pyramythmusic

BUY BUY BUY:  Beatport: dust.la/PharaohBP | iTunes: dust.la/PharaohiTunes | Spotify: dust.la/PharaohSpotify