Best Dubstep, Grime and Bassline in London

Best Dubstep, Grime and Bassline in London

Lachie Gordon picks out all the best spots to find Bass music in London.

Over the last few years a disturbing addiction has emerged in the new generation of Britian's ravers – artists such as Skream, Benga, Caspa and Rusko have been pushing the dubstep sound to the world and the innocent ears of inexperienced club-goers are being exposed to face-melting levels of bass.

When you experience your chest vibrating like some sort of macabre skeleton bass bin you're instantly hooked. Simple beats, synths and gentle bass lines are no longer enough, and now you roam the city searching for sound systems big enough to feed the habit.

Luckily you live in a city where giants of the scene like Andy C, DJ Hype, Plastician and Burial walk and play amongst mere mortals. And even more luckily, we at Spoonfed have put together a guide explaining where in London you are able to get your next hit. So be ashamed no more, it is time to feed your habit.

So what type of music are we talking about here? Well, UK bass music is a very broad umbrella term for the bassier end of the multiple genres of UK dance music. The veteran of the scene is dnb. Having morphed out of jungle in the 1990s, dnb has now been around in one form or another for the best part of twenty years. Some claim dnb is dead, and although it has been very inward-looking for a long time, dnb's high bpm broken beat still remains one of the most 'get up and dance' bases of any genre. More recently the influence of dubstep has had some very interesting effects.

Another development has been that of UK garage, which in the last decade or so began to splinter into distinct branches. During the naughties it's given us grime, dubstep and bassline, along with many indistinct offshoots and influences. In the last five years grime has been slightly sidelined as many of its biggest stars (Dizzee Rascal, Skepta, Kano, Wiley et al) have moved into the mainstream. This has confined the scene to smaller promoters in outer city boroughs and amateur mix-tapes. Bassline merges somewhat into electro type nights but is distinguished by a driving, wobbly bass, hence its inclusion in bass music. Dubstep on the other hand, has exploded and is gracing clubs from Croydon to Cockfosters, not to mention the rest of the world!

Right, you've heard what all the fuss is about. Now where can you find these musical delicacies?

Fabriclive
One of the safest bets if you're out on a Friday and hungry for some bass is the world famous Fabric and their exceptional 'bodysonic' sound system. There will inevitably be some big name dnb or dubstep DJs on the bill and with the occasional raucous dubstep night from Caspa's Dub Police along with other sporadic label promotions such as RAM, Hospital and Playaz, this is always an immense party.

FWD
Another occasional dubstep promoter at Fabric is FWD. This legendary club night works closely with Rinse FM and was where dubstep was forged - it now happens every Thursday in the unassuming Plastic People. It draws a great mix of established acts such as Skream, Caspa and Geeneus as well as emerging talents. If UK funky ain't your thing check out the line-up before going as they occasionally sneak some in.

DMZ
In the same category is DMZ, another pioneering dubstep night run by Mala, Coki and Leofah, three of the most influential producers on the scene. It happens every now and then at Brixton's Mass and although it's perhaps lost some of its shine it still has massive line-ups and its founders are always a privilege to see. This is also a great place to hear some exclusive dubplates months before they're unleashed onto the unsuspecting public.

Chew the Fat
Chew the Fat are one of the longest running promoters in town, having started way back in 1997. Since The End closed they have had their parties all over the shop, from Corisca Studios to Cable. This is where you'll get your fill of dirty electo/bassline, sometimes with smatterings of dubstep and techno.

We Fear Silence
Run by a couple of guys from The End's promotion team the We Fear Silence music policy is fairly eclectic within the genres in question, if slightly dnb tipped, the only connecting factor being the consistently high quality. Every Saturday at Cable they run label promotions such as Shogun (Friction), Metalheadz (Goldie) and Hyperdub(Kode 9) as well as teaming up with other promoters such as Chew the Fat and Buzzin' Fly, turning them into a sort of super promoter.

Urban Nerds
Another eclectic one. Rusko, Shy FX and Tinchy Stryder have all graced the stage at one point or another. This is one of the better places to get a bit of a grime fix and although you aren't going to find a night of pure grime there are often artists who are a little bit more that way inclined. The Nerds are also known for pushing unknowns up through the ranks into notoriety so this is a good place to catch the next big thing.

Vagabondz
In the same vein are the Vagabondz who over the years have booked the Foreigner Beggars, A1 Bassline and El-B amongst others. Originally started in Leeds they are now perhaps the most nationally recognisable bass promoter, having spread to several other cites as well as running the immense Outlook festival in Croatia. They run S.O.M.E at The Den every Wednesday night and manage to programme some superb line-ups easily worthy of a Friday night slot.

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Robin