Australian dubtechno and dubstep from Westernsynthetics and friends
February 27, 2012 10:58 AM Subscribe
"Rhyece O’Neill is an intense young man. A polemical folk singer, a producer of bass-heavy dance music, a protester, and a digital media worker for a major record label. He’s unlike anyone else in Australia’s dubstep landscape." Cyclic Defrost interviews O'Neill, aka electronic/dub/dubstep producer Westernsynthetics, and head of the Sub Continental Dub label. You can skip the rest and hear two streaming mixes from Westernsynthetics, 19 tracks from the Sub Continental Dub label, plus the label's first three singles, or continue inside for background, context, and even more music.
Raised on Bob Dylan, Pink Floyd, The Doors, Hendrix, and Zappa, O'Neill joined a punk band with strong political views, then shifted to the electro and drum'n'bass scenes in the early 2000s, through which he found dubstep in 2005. All the while, he kept busking for money, playing covers of Dylan and Neil Young, and even wrote his own folk music, including a song about the Yorta Yorta people.
New Fuse was one of Westernsynthetics first songs, written in 2006 and sent to various DJs for support, but only released online in the last year. In the next few years, he formed his own small label to promote like-minded Australian musicians, including Josh Lamaro aka Spherix (SUBDUB001), Rick Bull aka Deepchild (SUBDUB 003). Both of those singles, plus Westernsynthetics Engine No.999, which was nominated in the 'Best Instrumental Composition' category in the Australian Songwriters Association Awards, are streaming on an archived view of the label's discography page.
Westernsynthetics' debut album was released on 10.10.10, entitled May Day Radio, a mix of dubstep, techno, and downtempo hi-hop. The album is streaming on Soundcloud, and the first single from the album, The Machine, has a murky, abstract video (YouTube; also on Vimeo). The track features samples of Mario Savio, from his speech on the steps Sprout Hall as part of the Free Speech Movement from 1964-65 (previously).
If you still want more of the dub techno/dubstep sound, here's two hours of mixes, and here's the tracklist for the Void live mix (the .ZIP download link is dead, though).
If you're looking for something else, Rhyece interviewed b.i.n.t., (scroll down past the bit on sampling drums), and linked to a streaming track and a free breakcore album to download. If you keep scrolling down past the interview, you'll get to the free electrical storm breaks that Rhyece recorded in Germany (Free Sound Project previously, twice).
But if breakcore isn't your thing, you can stream postrock-type tracks and mixes from Gentleforce Soundcloud, or his album POWWOW Nine on Bandcamp, which Rhyece supports.
Raised on Bob Dylan, Pink Floyd, The Doors, Hendrix, and Zappa, O'Neill joined a punk band with strong political views, then shifted to the electro and drum'n'bass scenes in the early 2000s, through which he found dubstep in 2005. All the while, he kept busking for money, playing covers of Dylan and Neil Young, and even wrote his own folk music, including a song about the Yorta Yorta people.
New Fuse was one of Westernsynthetics first songs, written in 2006 and sent to various DJs for support, but only released online in the last year. In the next few years, he formed his own small label to promote like-minded Australian musicians, including Josh Lamaro aka Spherix (SUBDUB001), Rick Bull aka Deepchild (SUBDUB 003). Both of those singles, plus Westernsynthetics Engine No.999, which was nominated in the 'Best Instrumental Composition' category in the Australian Songwriters Association Awards, are streaming on an archived view of the label's discography page.
Westernsynthetics' debut album was released on 10.10.10, entitled May Day Radio, a mix of dubstep, techno, and downtempo hi-hop. The album is streaming on Soundcloud, and the first single from the album, The Machine, has a murky, abstract video (YouTube; also on Vimeo). The track features samples of Mario Savio, from his speech on the steps Sprout Hall as part of the Free Speech Movement from 1964-65 (previously).
If you still want more of the dub techno/dubstep sound, here's two hours of mixes, and here's the tracklist for the Void live mix (the .ZIP download link is dead, though).
If you're looking for something else, Rhyece interviewed b.i.n.t., (scroll down past the bit on sampling drums), and linked to a streaming track and a free breakcore album to download. If you keep scrolling down past the interview, you'll get to the free electrical storm breaks that Rhyece recorded in Germany (Free Sound Project previously, twice).
But if breakcore isn't your thing, you can stream postrock-type tracks and mixes from Gentleforce Soundcloud, or his album POWWOW Nine on Bandcamp, which Rhyece supports.
You're welcome. I enjoy listening to music and sharing information about such music.
posted by filthy light thief at 3:26 PM on February 27, 2012
posted by filthy light thief at 3:26 PM on February 27, 2012
Before I went on This Is My Jam I had no idea what "haunted dubstep" meant. Or dubstep for that matter.
I still don't. But it turns out that I rather like it, whatever it means.
posted by philipy at 4:28 PM on February 27, 2012
I still don't. But it turns out that I rather like it, whatever it means.
posted by philipy at 4:28 PM on February 27, 2012
Oh dear. Oh dear oh dear oh dear. I must then warn you, and in case anyone is concerned (or looking forward to) Skrillex-like wubwubwub dubstep (or brostep), there is none of that here. The early Spherix stuff is more electronic in sound, and brushes the modern club/pop dubstep sound, but there is nothing of the sort from Westernsynthetics.
b.i.n.t.'s breakcore is, well, breakcore - blending hardcore techno, drum'n'bass and IDM, plus hip-hop (samples) for good measure. I kind of glossed over Gentleforce before posting this, but I am loving his New Landscapes mix. It's soft, sweeping, ambient/post-rock stuff. Great background music for my afternoon.
posted by filthy light thief at 4:32 PM on February 27, 2012
b.i.n.t.'s breakcore is, well, breakcore - blending hardcore techno, drum'n'bass and IDM, plus hip-hop (samples) for good measure. I kind of glossed over Gentleforce before posting this, but I am loving his New Landscapes mix. It's soft, sweeping, ambient/post-rock stuff. Great background music for my afternoon.
posted by filthy light thief at 4:32 PM on February 27, 2012
(And for posterity, or anyone wondering about the reference to "haunted dubstep," that was my description for Emika's track '3 Hours')
posted by filthy light thief at 4:44 PM on February 27, 2012
posted by filthy light thief at 4:44 PM on February 27, 2012
Not a fan of the genre, but wanted to comment on a great post chock full of content.
Also, I think electronic music in general could do with a few more genres. No, wait....
posted by jasmus at 10:02 PM on February 27, 2012
Also, I think electronic music in general could do with a few more genres. No, wait....
posted by jasmus at 10:02 PM on February 27, 2012
For more dubtechno goodness, check out Andy Stott, Demdike Stare, or Deepchord. FWIW, I think dubtechno is pretty distinct from dubstep.
posted by HumanComplex at 8:40 AM on February 28, 2012 [1 favorite]
posted by HumanComplex at 8:40 AM on February 28, 2012 [1 favorite]
also, great post.
posted by HumanComplex at 8:41 AM on February 28, 2012
posted by HumanComplex at 8:41 AM on February 28, 2012
Wow, filthy light thief. Do you ever make posts that aren't amazing?
posted by mullingitover at 10:12 PM on March 3, 2012
posted by mullingitover at 10:12 PM on March 3, 2012
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posted by J0 at 1:24 PM on February 27, 2012