Where's my step at?

Of course 2008 was a year of immense evolution in the world of dubstep. From the early treat of 2562's 'Aerial' LP on Tectonic to the final crushing moments of Skull Disco, from Martyn sprinkling his midas touch all over bumping beats to the emergence of Hessle Audio, the bassweight sound finally moved out from under the over-bearing slow D&B womp to become a truly diverse and exciting genre.

Anyway, here's a round-up of some hot cuts that have been wobbling me recently:

Pangaea - You & I / Router (Hessle Audio) - sublimely deep 2-step shenanigans from one of the hottest stables in the UK. The vocal is the perfect dose of soul amidst the icy rhythmic vibrations. Exciting and singular music from a producer that hasn't released nearly enough music yet.

Spatial - 70810 / 80207 (Infrasonics) - Taking the principles laid out by the Hessle Audio crew and running with them, this late entry into 2008 came out of nowhere and surprised everyone. Ultra-minimal (to the point where if it was techno it would be dull as f*ck) beats criss-cross each other to devastating effect with funky 2-step as the weapon of choice. Some carefully plotted Detroitian chords nip in and out of ear shot but this is all about the riddim. Watch out for more seismic movements from this stealthy producer.

Ramadanman - Dayrider / Core (Soul Jazz) - With a sound that seems to be ever-broadening, you could half expect David Kennedy's production identity to be getting lost somewhere along the way, but this is undoubtedly the work of the man. Keeping the same considered beats but letting a little colour seep into the two sides of this 12", the emotion pours out of the speakers without ever over-stating it's presence. A glittering example of electronic soul.

P.S You'd be mad to miss the impending Ramadan' release on Appleblim's Applepips label. 'Humber' is an absolute doozy of a tune, all skipping beats and sumptuous notes. If that wasn't enough it comes backed with a Sven Weisemann remix as well.

Kontext - Falling To Weightlessness (Immerse) - A truly encouraging release on the increasingly unmissable Immerse imprint (one of the less championed exports of Bristol). Made up of two 12"s, there is a wider scope than just techy-dubstep or dubby-techno at work here. While these elements may drive the vibe of the EP, the feeling of classic ambient electronica a la Boards of Canada is prevalent throughout the release. Broader horizons can only ever be a good thing as this past year has shown the dubstep scene, which brings us neatly to the next choice...

Mount Kimbie - Maybes (Hot Flush) - I've always loved Hot Flush for keeping the dubstep deep and emotive long before people considered using downtempo chords instead of distorted bass, but this release sees them completely eschew the dancehall for some moving introspections that are nothing if not unique. A real organic heart palpitates at the centre of the four tracks, with the air of mystery and intrigue that only the best electronic music can offer.

Forsaken - Hypnotised / Fighting Spirit (Immerse) - Another hit for Immerse, which has admittedly been around for a while but only now comes to my attention. Another hit for Bristol too, as Forsaken shows the path to spirituality in bass music doesn't have to be complex. Gentle use of live instrumentation here, a soulful vocal hook there, and you get some truly anthemic stuff.

Other notable movements come from the likes of Telegraph. While you'd never expect the French micro-house institution to be tapping into dubstep, nevertheless you can hear a bona-fide bin-busting workout on the end of an impending S-Max EP. I posted here before about the German freak-tech maestro's new found love for the bass (see the Dubsquared Radio post) but now he's gone and slipped an absolute belter underneath the 4/4 communitys nose. Keep your eyes peeled for 'BOOM_paraSD' on the 'Ep part. 2' release, which makes up a double pack of prime time S-Max funk.

Another stealthy (or, as a friend would describe him, slippery) operative is Sutekh. Never one to play ball when it comes to his output, you'll never be sure whether you're getting twisted sound sculpture studies or grooving glitch-house. Upon returning to his mighty 'Elephant & Obelisk' EP (released at the end of 2007 on Orac) I was surprised to discover an absolute belter of a dubstep tune in the shape of 'Ubu Rex'. Chucking a whole lot into the blender (doesn't he always) you get rich electro synth stabs, broken rhythm and some tasty bass.

And lastly there's a remix about to pop up on the Sideshow EP 'If Alone' (Aus Music). The original is a respectful take on classic reggae soul, with Rhythm & Sound legend Paul St. Hilaire crooning his honey-coated lyrics straight into your head and lodging them there. Appleblim and Komonazmuk join forces for a remix of epic proportions, kicking off with an energising 4/4 thud and plenty of reverb and delay at play like any good dub techno. Capturing the essence of loved up dance music that got so tainted throughout the nineties, the vibe is one of unity and positivity, before the guitar led breakdown cools your heels, only to see them snapped back into action with a break so hefty as to make you weep. A beautifully simplistic remix that just knows where to aim for a direct hit.