Brrrap! Magazine

Multiverse is a studio based in Bristol that in the last 5 years or so has been responsible for a out pouring of sick bass music. In honor of this, on July 5th, Tectonic is releasing a double CD compiling a range of dubstep tunes that have come out of Multiverse studios over this time (2004 -2009). The music begins at a time when dubstep was called “dark garage” and was uncommercial, bare, minimal, and had loads of bass pressure and no wobble. Bristol is known for its chest destroying tunes and sound systems, and this release is a nice look back at the earlier style of the dubstep sound, and also a look at how those from the scene have advanced that sound.

Here’s a track list so you know what i’m talking about:

Disc One
1. Vex’d – Lion
2. Circuit Breaker – Phonque (October remix)
3. Moving Ninja – Witchdokta
4. Pinch & P Dutty – War Dub
5. S.N.O – Disturbance
6. Skream – Bahl Fwd
7. Joker – Stuck in the System
8. The Body snatchers – Big Ass Mini Skirt
9. 2562 – Techno Dread
10. Joker & Ginz – Purple City
11. Pinch ft. Yolanda – Get Up (RSD remix)
12. Baobinga & ID – Tongue Riddim

Disc Two
1. Vex’d – Pop Pop
2. Loefah & Skream – 28 Grams
3. Cyrus – Indian Stomp
4. Pinch – Qawwali / Brighter Day
5. Loefah – System
6. Moving Ninja – Uranium
7. October – Three Drops
8. Joker – Psychedelic Runway
9. October – Euro Dance Hit
10. Emptyset – Gate 4
11. 2562 – Unbalance
12. Emptyset – Demian

Tunes like “Disturbance” by S.N.O. and “Bahl Fwd” by Skream just really take me back to when dubstep was less energetic, less hype and very much about what the bass could rattle. Sick to hear again, since most sets nowadays don’t contain anything more than 6 months old. And then you also see the progression, as new guys like Joker got into things, and added they’re own vibe, but with obvious influences from the sound before them (“Purple City” can really be seen in context here, it was a nod to the past, a step to the future).

This double CD is not for DJs, it is for fans of bass music. Its a great look back at a sound that changed/blewup/divided very quickly and how that process carried out in a certain studio in Bristol, UK.