As with any other genre of music, a little too much popularity can stagnate new releases to the point where producers are solely concerned with conforming to the stereotype in order to become a) famous and b) rich. Words: Will Jobbins

Dubstep's very much in danger of moving in that direction too, as an endless stream of releases, which sound dangerously alike, hit the stores. But all is not lost, as Vaetxh - aka Rob Clouth - brings a very fresh, exploratory vibe to the proceedings.

His beats are aggressive, off-kilter and smack of slow-mo breakcore and it is beyond a mere mortal like me to work out even what time signature he's using, while the sounds are glitchy, random and abstract and the rhythm structures extremely complex. Vaetxh's music demands a certain level of attention from the listener to fully understand, but if that listener is furnished with a decent bass box or an immense set of headphones then they'll be rewarded with some of the most out-there conceptual dubstep (and I use that pigeon-hole reluctantly) around.


Vaetxh - Clipper/Mass
Soon to be released on Acidic Records, 2009
http://www.acidicrecords.co.uk/signed-artists/vaetxh.htmlOne imagines that if Richard D. James, aka the Aphex Twin, decided to have a go at dubstep it'd sound something like this. It ain't dance music so much as an original style of experimental electronica which pushes the bounds of possibility further than ever before. Clever stuff.