Darktremor's favorite dubstep tracks

Submitted by darktremor on Mon, 03/30/2009 - 03:29
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  1. I plan to eventually break this into subgenres. Although I think breaking dubstep into sub-styles is unneccessarily hairsplitting, and I don't believe dubstep DJs should start playing any of these variants exclusively, they provide a nice general descriptor for what one might hear in a particular track.

  3. I've so far come across the following subgenres:
  4. Classic dubstep (classic, meaning, the original genre, with no sub-style applied)
  5. Wonky [ie: Joker - Digidesign]
  6. Funky
  7. Sqweee [ie: Quarta 330 - Sunset dub]
  8. 2-step
  9. "Minimal dubstep" (there isn't yet consensus on what to call this style. I therefore use the most basic, self-explanatory name.) [Shackleton - Death is not Final]

  11. Let me know if I missed any!


  14. Burial - Archangel [2007]
  15. Shackleton - Death is not Final [2008]
  16. Kode 9 ft. The Spaceape - Kingstown [2005]
  17. DJ Zinc - 138 Trek [1999]
  18. The "Age of Love" of dubstep. The genre didn't even exist at this point, but it lays down the elements with style.
  19. Skream - Midnight Request Line [2005]
  20. Kode 9 - Black Sun [2009]
  21. Pinch ft. Yolanda - Get Up [2007]
  22. Peverelist & Appleblim - Circling [2008]
  23. Darkstar - Need You [2008]
  24. Toastyboy - Splash [2006]
  25. Burial - Southern Comfort [2005]
  26. Milanese vs. Virus Syndicate - Deadman Walking [2006]
  27. The Bug ft. Tippa Irie - Angry [2008]
  28. Toasty - The Knowledge [2004]
  29. Martyn - Suburbia [2008]
  30. D1 - Chocolate Orange [2008]
  31. Conquest - Forever [2007]
  32. Digital Mystikz - Neverland [2005]
  33. Joker - Digidesign [2009]
  34. D1 - I Believe [2005]
  35. Benga & Coki - Night [2007]
  36. Untold - Discipline [2008]
  37. Distance - Confined [2007]
  38. 2562 - Moog Dub [2008]
  39. The Bug - Poison Dart [2007]
  40. Martyn - Velvet [2007]
  41. Peverelist - Gather [2008]
  42. Kode 9 - Nine Samurai [2006]
  43. Mount Kimbie - Vertical [2009]
  44. Loefah - Mud V.I.P. [2006]
  45. Shonx - Canton [2008]
  46. Komonazmuk vs Whiteboi - Shankstep [2007]
  47. Vex'd - Angels [2005]
  48. Caspa - Cockney Violin [2006]
  49. Rusko - Mr Chips [2008]
  50. Skream - I [2005]
  51. Quarta 330 - Sunset Dub [2007]
  52. Dusk + Blackdown - dis/East [2008]
  53. Pangaea - Mosaix [2009]
  54. Rephrase - Mink (Roska mix) [2008]
  55. D1 - Crack Bong (Loefah remix) [2004]
  56. Kode 9 ft. LD - Bad [2008]
  57. Narcossist - Brothel Creeper [2009]
  58. Kuma - Dawn Stepped Outside (Horsepower mix) [2008]
  59. TRG - Feel For You [2008]
  60. Dusk - Focus [2008]
  61. Pinch ft. Juakall - Brighter Day [2008]
  62. Hijak - Tears [2007]
  63. Komonazkuk - Bad Apple [2008]
  64. The Bug - Jah War [2007]
  65. Burial - Distant Lights [2005]
  66. Kode 9 & The Spaceape - Curious [2008]
  67. Crazy Cousinz & Kyla - Do You Mind (L.D. remix) [2009]
  68. TRG - Broken Heart (Martyn's DCM remix) [2008]
  69. Zomby - Spliff Dub (Rustie remix) [2008]
  70. Skream - Tapped [2006]
  71. Digital Mystikz - Ancient memories [2006]
  72. Bar 9 - One [2008]
  73. Loefah - Midnight [2005]
  74. South3rn - This is Floating [2008]
  75. L-Wiz - Sub [2007]
  76. Shut Up & Dance - Epileptic (Martyn's No Strobe mix) [2008]
  77. Distance - Radical [2007]
  78. Bar 9 - Submerged [2008]
  79. Caspa - Floor Dem [2008]
  80. Skream - Dutch Flowerz [2006]
  81. D1 - Bamboo [2006]
  82. Distance - Tuning [2007]
  83. Peverelist - Infinity is Now [2008]
  84. Various - Thunnk [2006]
  85. Ikonika - Please [2008]
  86. Headhunter - Quantum [2007]
  87. N Type - Way of the Dub [2006]
  88. Stenchman - Signs [2008]
  89. Skream - Simple City [2008]
  90. Ikonika - Simulacrum [2008]
  91. Dusk + Blackdown - Darker Than East [2008]
  92. L-Wiz - Girlfriend [2006]
  93. Loefah - Goat Stare [2005]
  94. L.D. - Swing Dat Skirt [2007]
  95. Benga - Drumz West [2007]
  96. D1 - Mind & Soul [2007]
  97. Magnetic Man - Alright, What's Happening? [2007]
  98. I'm glad I'm not the only one who has the vocals from that Harry Choo Choo Romero track run through their head at least once a week. I can't think of any other explanation for the sample. Not to knock it or anything: I now feel less alone in my kitsch induced misery.
  99. I would name the original track (which is admittedly not bad), but that annoying sample will remain in your head and torment you long after the joy of hearing a fairly decent house tune has disappeared. It's like a fishhook, and I'd be an asshole to tell you to bite at the only moderately tasty worm.
  100. Also, Magnetic Man's beats are awesome.
  101. Digital Mystikz - Heartless Ninja [2006]
  102. Bar 9 - Distant Roots [2008]
  103. Kode 9 - 9 Samurai (Quarta 330 remix) [2007]
  104. Yes, this appears above without the remix, and yes, that version is superior. However, this is so retooled that it's essentially a different track, and a fascinating one at that (albeit one that doesn't quite reach the glory of its masterful ancestor). Chiptune-influenced dubstep. Yeah, apparently that's what skweee is, but this track reveals its origins to a greater degree than most examples of the style. I have mixed feelings about this, but I admire Quarta 330's creativity nonetheless, and its an enjoyable track. Enjoyable like playing Duck Hunt.
  105. Rusko - Jahova [2007]
  106. Skream - Monsoon (Loefah mix) [2005]
  107. TRG - Decisions [2008]
  108. Quest - Eden [2008]
  109. Komonazmuk & Gatekeeper - Cheeky Herbert [2008]
  110. 2562 - Enforcers [2008]
  111. Pinch - Airlock [2008]
  112. D1 - Higher State [2005]
  113. Phaeleh ft. Ngaio - Fire [2008]
  114. DJ Krave - Minor Skank [2006]
  115. Skream - One for the Heads who Remember [2008]
  116. Juju - Youthman Dub [2006]
  117. Benga - Electric [2007]
  118. Cotti vs. Cluekid - Sensi Dub [2007]
  119. Zomby - Memories (Darkstar mix) [2007]
  120. Forensix - 1st Dynasty [2006]
  121. Random Trio - Haunted remix [2006]
  122. Various - Hater [2005]
  124. Still in progress...
Author Comments: 

I am quite open to suggestions. In fact, I appreciate recommendations.

Menindrag03/30/2009

I think you are my favourite person right now. Dubstep is such an inventive and creative genre. I thought it was the future of EDM when I first heard it a couple of years ago, now it's expanded into such a rich and diverse genre. I really love the way the minimal producers like Villalobos have started playing it. Have you heard his remix of Shackleton's "Blood on my Hands"?

darktremor03/30/2009

I have. And I love it. There's a good chance it will go on here as I complete this list. I plan to eventually expand it to "Top *** dubstep tracks of all time", but I've only heard about 1400 tracks at this point. Plus, there's only 2 months of intensive listening behind this (well, plus 3-4 years of very passing interest and an occasional track or mix), and it takes time for classics to float to the surface.

Thanks for the kind words :D - I'm glad you're a fan. I wouldn't bother doing a mass download on it though - yet. It's going to be shaken up and added to quite a bit as I go - both adding tracks and refining my ordering. Also, I notice I have a bit of a (totally unintentional) bias for recent tracks, which is usually a sign of having not dug deep enough, or of being overly fond of some recently surfaced subgenre, to the neglect of older - and just as worthy - variants. I'll let you know when the list has stabilized a little more.

Hypnotic04/02/2009

I like those wobbly basslines myself. Tracks like Skream - Chestboxin and High Deaf (DZ & Threesixty) "Good Music" ... See if you like it.

darktremor04/09/2009

Yep, same here. That's a great sound. I'll check those two tracks out (and probably love them).

Hypnotic05/04/2009

My favourite current dubstep track is Endah - I'm The Stranger. It's unlike anything i've heard

sljiva04/09/2009

Hehe, another addict here, although I can't say I'm as obsessed with it as you are. But yeah, dubstep is extremely fresh these days (although I can see how hyper production could kill that soon) and has a huge potential, because it's not limited as some other styles such as minimal techno or electro house. Basically dubstep can sound however it wants - it can be slow and atmospheric, fast, almost drum&bass-ey, IDM-ish, techno-ish, wonky, funky, jazzy... options are unlimited. I wouldn't be surprised if some more popular variant of it in a couple of years replaces mainstream hip hop in clubs or on TV.

Here's what's on my playlist lately (among others things):
Reso - Engram
L.D. - Traumatic Times
Martyn - Yet
Bar 9 - The Gun Slinger
Instra:mental - Futurist
Skream - Rimz
Sines - Mala Suerte
Breakage - Together

I believe all of them are from this year and they all sound fantastic. And you really want to check out Pinch - Teleport when it comes out (it should be soon). That is one monster of a tune, very futuristic and progressive, I've heard Mary Anne Hobbs play it both in her show and when I saw her live back in December. It was still called Teleportation back then.

There are also a couple of really cool albums out right now, you should check out these three:
Kromestar - My Sound - these guy really has its own sound, very serious and atmospheric, even jazzy at times. No vocals and really interesting beats on some tracks. What's even more interesting, every track sounds completely different from each other. That's an amazing accomplishment, considering some producers can't even release a 3 track EP without tracks sounding way too similar.
Caspa - Everybody's Talking, Nobody's Listening! - this is completely different, danceable and pretty heavy on vocals. Still amazing though.
El-B - The Roots Of El-B - pretty interesting compilation of early productions and remixes by EL-B which perfectly shows from where exactly dubstep emerged.

BTW, Moderat (Modeselektor+Apparat) have just released an awesome album which flirts with dubstep (among other styles) and I highly recommend it. You'll at least love the track called Seamonkey from it.

Hope you'll find something interesting from this!

darktremor04/09/2009

Thanks, I'll check out your suggestions.

It apparently already is blowing up in mainstream clubs in the UK in a form called "funky," which is basically funky house dubstep. Funky so far hasn't impressed me to the extent the other subgenres have, but I haven't explored it too much yet.

spinmedown1604/22/2009

I am REALLY fuckin' diggin nonote if you haven't heard of the artist yet. I came across him and cannot stop listening. Just thought I might mention him :).

darktremor05/15/2009

Not bad, I'll consider a few of his tracks once I listen to them a bit more.

neptune08/20/2009

Dubstep is awesome. Kudos for once again bringing another canon list to this website!

My favourite artists so far are Skream and Burial, and I'm loving Kode9 too.

neptune08/31/2009

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VHaCSMJfGUA