It’s only so often that you come across an album that foreshadows major change in the direction a genre will take. After my first run through of Magnetic Man‘s freshly released, debut self-titled album, it all became clear. They’ve given dubstep the last shove it needed into the mainstream spotlight. Kick out the negative connotation of “mainstream.” This is a good thing.
Magnetic Man consists of a team of the most influential dubstep producers in the game: Skream, Benga, and Artwork. All from the U.K., where dubstep is just as important as the top40 bullshit we hear on the radio every day, and all prominent acts in the advancement of the genre. Individually successful, but together groundbreaking.
This album is as revolutionary to dubstep as Justice‘s Cross was to electronic, and I stand by this 100%. Cross was right there for me as I made the leap into electronic music. Every song on the album was very different and amazing in its own way. All of the songs showed every aspect of what electronic had to offer, so there was something in there for everyone. DANCE, Phantom Pt. 1 & 2, Valentine, and Genesis all brought something different to the table, much like the songs off of Magnetic Man‘s self-titled.
The album contains a lot of the traditional, more ambient, and mellow sides of dubstep. Yet, it still manages to have songs with the heavy, hard hitting sound of more modern dubstep (that I love). For my trance fans out there, the vocals are very comparable to what you’re used to hearing, laid gently atop a dubstep beat. Some of the songs, like the ones featuring Katy B and John Legend, are pretty poppy which makes for a great listen at any time. Study to this album, dance to this album, chill to this album, sleep to it..whatever. It’s got the sound and vibe that will ease the masses into the oddly fantastic genre that is dubstep, and it’s about time.
Tracklist
8.3/10
1. Flying Into Tokyo
2. Fire (Ft. Ms. Dynamite)
3. I Need Air (Ft. Angela Hunte)
4. Anthemic
5. The Bug
6. Ping Pong
7. Perfect Stranger (Ft. Katy B)
8. Mad
9. Boiling Water (Ft. Sam Frank)
10. K Dance
11. Crossover (Ft. Katy B)
12. Box of Ghosts
13. Karma Crazy
14. Getting Nowhere (Ft. John Legend)
