Post-dubstep is a loose umbrella term for bass-influenced club music that resists single-genre definition

‘Post-dubstep’ (also called ‘UK bass’ or ‘bass music’) emerged in early 2011 to describe club music influenced by dubstep without being dubstep itself. It references earlier dubstep, UK garage, 2-step, ambient music, and early R&B. Its tempo is approximately 130 BPM. Pitchfork writer Martin Clark noted the term was ‘somewhat futile’ because the styles encompassed are too diverse to define as a genre, yet ‘you can’t dismiss all these acts as unrelated.’ Artists include Mount Kimbie, James Blake, Fantastic Mr Fox, and Jamie xx. The term illustrates how genre labels become sociological pointers once a sound expands beyond its founding community.

Examples

James Blake’s ‘CMYK’: deep vocal processing, 2-step-derived, ambient R&B influence. Mount Kimbie’s ‘Crooks & Lovers’: fragmented pitched vocals, half-time rhythms, ambience. Jamie xx remixes of Gil Scott-Heron.

Assessment

Describe two production features shared by post-dubstep artists that connect to dubstep’s origins. Why did Martin Clark argue that post-dubstep could not be called ‘one genre’?