Today’s tip-off is the latest from dubstep electronica artist BassDbler.
Editor’s Note – BassDbler is the musical persona of regular site contributor JD Short (check his writing here). We have reviewed this release as objectively as possible, dealing with the fact that we love JD and everything he does. If that bothers you, we invite you to “suck it.”
I thought that reviewing an album of Dune themed electronica dubstep – when I have never read Dune, and Sting’s glistening chest being the only thing I remember from the movie – and with dubstep not in my usual musical consumption might be tricky. Are there direct Dune related moments that I’m going to miss? Will I enjoy the album regardless? Well, if you’re like me and your taste in sci-fi gravitated more towards the Hitchhiker’s Guide series, never fear – Slow Blade Penetrates the Shield stands on it’s own as a swirling and intoxicating slice of cinematic dubstep. But even calling it dubstep is not entirely correct. The same skittering beats are there, sure, but with synth melodies that favor long epic movements and the addition of the bass guitar – sometimes simple and in the groove, and sometimes bursting with Short’s virtuosity on the instrument – the sound of the album is, quite appropriately, that of the score to a gritty future world. It’s a fun soundtrack to make your more routine activities seem of galactic importance, and we think you should check it out.
Stream the first single “The Scattering” here, and purchase the tape (oh did we forget to mention it’s a tape only release? yeah – it is, but it comes with a download code for best of both worlds) from Aquarius Records here.
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