Space Bass

As dubstep spreads vehemently worldwide, producers have moved away from the early intentions of the music to create stomping dance floor anthems. The early use of the music was to create a dark mood of deep effect. “Deep dubstep” became the nominal term to describe these musicians as the genre transgressed toward the dance scene. Burial, a pioneer who launched dubstep to massive notoriety in 2006, would fall under the guise of deep dubstep; albeit the reclusive producer is without a doubt in his own tripped out musical realm. Some people might also call it “ambient dubstep,” but I dislike that term for the false implications “ambient” can induce upon a genre, especially an inherently movable, dance style like dubstep.

When DJ Distance was selected to choose his replacement for last summer’s Generation Bass, he epitomized this transitional sentiment perfectly: “The reason I picked Cyrus for 2008 is because of his production style really. It’s original; it just stands amongst the stuff at the moment which is all kind of dance floor. His stuff to me just creates a space, and like an environment, which is what dubstep is all about to start out with.”

Whatever surrounding deep dubstep seems to create, that notion of building an environment with the music, similar to minimal techno, is the hallmark of that original dubstep quality. To note, these hybridized subgenre labeling for dubstep, are highly arguable. Dubstep is barley definable in its own right, still being at a relatively infantile, and extremely innovative and experimental stage. My personal use of such terms is simply to express a most universally precise assertion of my experience, in regards to these sounds, in hoping you can share my elation for what is currently being developed underneath the global barrage of bass-weight bangers.

Lately I’ve been listening to a similar sect of such environmental-shifting tunes, what I like to call “Space Bass.” I contrived the term to describe those ultramodern, cosmic auras being created within the scene. I first noticed it with Starkey’s Ephemeral Exhibits, released late last year. The Philadelphia-based producer demonstrates a rare ethereal side of his abilities, with a celestial journey into Low-Earth Orbit that would bring any astronaut on the International Space Station to a zero-gravity boogey. The outro-track, appropriately titled Spacewalk, would be a prime choice for a NASA selectah’s closing track to reload as the sunrises over the Earth, signaling the astronomical tomorrow has arrived and thus ending a literal ‘out-of-this-world’ party.

Veteran electro producer Anthony Rother’s just released, double-CD debut for the German-based Telekraft label, takes us further into the deep void of space bass. Staying true to his German roots, he maintains the 4/4 pace. The album, entitled My Name Is Beuys Von Telekraft, also seems to introduce us to an extraterrestrial alter-ego representing the dark side of Rother. Man takes advantage of lo-fi technique and mechanized vocals to create an extraordinary futurist, outer space environment. His relentless basslines release a cascade of high energy particles through the deep, empty ambiances like solar flares in the magnetosphere. That’s a serious warning for the biochemical damage your body may incur when this guy hits the set on an 800-Watt sub-system.

As technology continues to expand our knowledge of the universe, there’s sure to be more sonic output of cosmic expression, as music remains a primary outlet for the inquisitive questions and conditions of tomorrow. Today, deep dubstep is one of the few genres with the innate ability to encapsulate that vibe. So rock on, Earthlings. “Space Bass” has landed and comes in P.E.A.C.E.

Link: www.starkey-music.com
Link: www.datapunk.de

Starkey - Spacewalk

Conversations With St. Paul's Prophet...

Sitting down with the often hypnotizing Brother Ali in a dark green room, lit from above, at the House of Blues in Boston is undoubtedly an intimidating proposition. And not exactly another day at the office... What follows is my two part interview on KarmaloopTV with the self-proclaimed "street preacher" (also the title of Ali's next full length record due to drop this fall -- this part didn't make the cut, but apparently it was Sage who first gave him the name... interesting, I'd say between the two of them, they have enough oratory power to establish a new religion, maybe even found a new genre of hip-hop. In any event, check out the interview if you're in the mood for a little Ali-nlightenment.

Part 2


Part 1



Also check out Brother Ali's new music video "Good Lord" just released yesterday. Dope.



I'll post a follow up article in the next couple days, hopefully accompanied by a rebelelite.com exclusive "Part 3"... stay tuned!

American Memoriam

Picture: U.S. Capt. Alfonso Johnson. Afghanistan, 2009.

Today marks Memorial Day in America, a day when people openly face the reality of war. Whether remembering those who died yesterday for our freedoms or those facing the looming threats of tomorrow, your dedication and discipline will always be remembered and respected. Today the AP featured an uplifting article, with some hip-hop thrown in for excess elevation.

U.S. Capt. Alfonso Johnson, stationed in Afghanistan at the moment, keeps a synthesizer linked up to his computer to make hip-hop beats in his free time. His son Xavier, living in New York, used one of his father's tracks to rap a poem he had written when he was 11, expressing the bottled up feelings about his family’s wartime circumstance; an emotionalism shared by many families well beyond America’s borders. Capt. Johnson often views with pride the homemade video he and Xavier made together knowing that the music helps his son channel the emotions he feels at such a critical age in adolescence, when they can better sense the mortal risk they're parents are taking in combat than younger children. He said the ability of music "can help other kids express themselves, say things that they wouldn't say normally."

Regardless of the diverse opinions we hold about the current wars America's engaged in overseas, let's take this day to remember those who do their honorable duty to protect us from external threats. We also must not forget the numerous Afghan and Iraqi security forces who are confronted with these same issues everyday. These men have lost exponentially more personnel than our forces, yet we often perceive the burden as being on our shoulders alone. We must come together in this accelerating world of complexity and stop irrationally perceiving this deep situation as "us" v. "them." We need to properly analyze our actions independent of bias, ignorance or special interest to move our world forward. Change is inevitable, progress is not. It’s our world to grasp, all of us. The key is reaching out together. P.E.A.C.E.

Code Red - Give Me A Reason