| 2-step garage | |
|---|---|
| Stylistic origins | |
| Cultural origins | Mid-1990s,London, England |
| Typical instruments | |
| Derivative forms | |
| Fusion genres | |
| Techstep | |
2-step garage, or simply2-step, is a genre ofelectronic music and a subgenre ofUK garage.[1] One of the primary characteristics of the 2-step sound – the term being coined to describe "a general rubric for all kinds of jittery, irregular rhythms that don't conform to garage's traditionalfour-on-the-floor pulse"[1] – is that therhythm lacks thekick drum pattern found in many other styles of electronic music with a regularfour-on-the-floor beat.[citation needed]
A typical 2-step drum pattern features syncopated kick drums that skip a beat, withshuffled rhythm ortriplets applied to other elements of the percussion, resulting in a sound noticeably distinct to those present in otherhouse ortechno music. Although rhythms with two kicks to a bar may be considered less energetic than thefour on the floor pattern, 2-step rhythms maintain the listener's interest with off-beatsnare placements andaccents in the drumlines, scatteredrimshots andwoodblocks,syncopatedbasslines, and the percussive use of other instruments such as pads or strings.[citation needed]
Instrumentation usually includeskeyboards,synthesizers, anddrum machines. Other instruments are added to expand the musical palette, often in the form of acoustic recordings, which may besampled.[citation needed] The primary synth basslines used in 2-step are similar to those in the style's progenitors such as UK garage, drum and bass, andjungle. Influences fromfunk andsoul can also be heard.Vocals in 2-step garage are usually female, and similar in style to those prevalent inhouse music andcontemporary R&B.[2][3] Some 2-step producers alsoprocess and cut up elements ofa cappella vocals and use it as an element of the track. Much like other genres derived from UK garage,MCs are often featured, particularly in a live context, with a vocal style reminiscent ofold school jungle.[1]
Influences fromhip hop[2] anddrum and bass, particularly as a reaction to the "melody-and-vocal-devoid bombast" of thetechstep[1] subgenre, have been noted by critics. The fact that the scene had a significantly different atmosphere to those that surrounded precursors with lessaggression at live events was also noted by some critics.[citation needed]
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2-step rose to prominence[when?] as a genre on jungle and garage-basedpirate radio stations in London as an evolution of, and perhaps reaction to developments in contemporary genres such asspeed garage, with early 2-step shows often airing at "mellow moments in the weekend" such as Saturday morning or Sunday afternoon. DJs would mix UK garage productions with those of American house andUS garage producers such asMasters at Work andTodd Edwards, pitching up the imports to around 130 BPM to aidbeatmatching. DJs favoured theinstrumental (or 'dub') versions of these tracks, because it was possible to play these versions faster without the vocal element of the track sounding odd. The sound of these pitched-up, imported records was quickly imitated by UK producers in their own music.[1]
As the popularity of the sound spread, nights dedicated to it began to crop up, especially in London and Southampton. Label owner and dubstep musicianSteve Goodman commented on theHyperdub website on the debut of Forward>>, a highly influential nightclub in 2-step and later derivatives of the "UK hardcore continuum" – a phrase coined by Goodman to sum up the constant evolution in the hardcore/jungle/garage sound,[4] and later adopted by other writers documenting the scene, such as Martin Clark.[5] Arguably one of the earliest examples of a 2-step track is the 1997 Kelly G remix of "Never Gonna Let You Go" byTina Moore, which was a No. 7 hit on theUK Singles Chart. Other notable 2-step hits released in 1997 include "Destiny" byDem 2 and "The Theme" by theDreem Teem.
Between 1999 and 2001, 2-step reached the peak of the genre's commercial success. Some critics noted that party organizers favoured 2-step events over nights themed aroundjungle, drum and bass or other musical precursors because the 2-step nights invited a larger female attendance, and a less aggressive crowd.[citation needed] Much like drum and bass before it, 2-step started to garner crossover appeal, with a collaboration between 2-step producersArtful Dodger and R&B vocalistCraig David reaching #2 in theUK Singles Chart in late 1999 with the song "Re-Rewind". GroupDJ Pied Piper and the Masters of Ceremonies had a number-one hit with "Do You Really Like It? in June 2001.
After 2001, 2-step as a genre experienced a decline in popularity,[6] but the more experimental releases in the genre from artists such asHorsepower Productions,Zed Bias,Wookie and Steve Gurley[7][8] stripped away much of theR&B influence of the genre. This style took on a number of names including "dark 2-step", "new dark swing",[9] and the more general term, "dark garage". This style became a major influence on later styles of UK garage influenced music, such asgrime, as well as becoming a direct precursor todubstep, which took the emphasis on bass and the instrumental nature of later 2-step compositions to their logical conclusion.[7][10][11][12] In 2006, this latter, more experimental style experienced a resurgence in interest, due to the release of theRoots of Dubstep compilation onTempa, and producers wishing to revisit the roots of the dubstep sound.[5]
Canadian singerThe Weeknd's 2016 song "Rockin'" makes use of 2-step sounds.[13]