Nine materials that form the framework of our civilization: Cement, Petroleum, Plastic, Coal, Coltan, Steel, Smoke, Dust, Iron. Stepper Sons from Bordeaux have released their album “What We're Made Of“(No Chief Records) presenting such a tracklist isn't a decorative gimmick, but rather a deliberate statement. Coltan, for example—that rare mineral indispensable for smartphones and electronics, whose extraction in the Congo is linked to civil war, environmental destruction, and humanitarian disasters—simply appears in the track listing. No explanatory text, no footnote. The name is enough. Anyone listening knows what it's about. This is the self-conception of a band that, through its very name, has declared itself a child of the stepper and releases its music on a young, militantly independent French label: music as a stance.”
And the sound? Hypnotic steppers-DubSonically close to techno – Kanka would be the obvious comparison. But what distinguishes Stepper Sons from bad Steppers is that the hypnotic quality isn't achieved at the expense of boredom. A well-constructed Steppers track relies on the power of repetition – and therein lies the danger. Those who rely on the pattern without shaping it produce a metronome. Stepper Sons produce music.
The bass is overwhelmingly dominant. Extremely immersive, warm, hypnotic – listening at home, the dishes on the shelf rattle. This is no accident, but the result of a production decision: bass not as a foundation, but as the main voice. Here, nothing is overpowered.dubbt with bass in the background – here the bass is the event itself.
SKP DubA long-time collaborator from the same Bordeaux scene, appears on "Coltan"; the opening track "Cement" is remixed by Owl Trackers from the Paris area. The album demonstrates the network Stepper Sons operate within: a young, interconnected, self-organized French scene. DubCollective. Definitely a name to keep an eye on.
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Stepper Sons: What We're Made of
2 replies to “Stepper Sons: What We're Made of”
Well, our world is pretty messed up. There's no way to sugarcoat it anymore. Over 40 degrees Celsius in the shade isn't exactly pleasant. France even reached 46°C, if I'm not mistaken. You'd practically have to play music on fruit crates and cracked coconuts to keep things from getting even worse. But this music doesn't sound like that at all. I'm afraid I have to say that this music sounds to me like it's made from exactly the materials mentioned: cement, petrol, plastic, coal, coltan, steel, smoke, dust, and iron. I'm really missing the smoke and dust, though. "It" is made of materials and is therefore already spiritually distinct from intangible cultural heritage. Everything I loved so much about intangible cultural heritage is trampled underfoot here. And that is, above all, charming and magical bias lines, as well as real drums and diverse percussion. Bass melodies (!) and no bass commands that sound and – even worse – feel like you're about to go to war. Sorry, but I can't find anything positive about it. I get depressed and feel absolutely no "uplift." The thumping bass feels neither beautiful nor magical in any way. I suspect these guys haven't even downloaded a few King Tubby albums, because otherwise – in my opinion – they wouldn't have missed the mark so completely. Either I have zero feeling for "what we're made of," or these guys have zero feeling for world cultural heritage.
I feel bad now. Firstly, because I'm here a little bit
On the one hand, I've engaged in "hate speech," and on the other hand, the feeling conveyed really overwhelmed me. I'd much rather watch something else.
"Les Bleus" are on. They play football the way we all wish it were possible. The Spanish, of course, and the Argentinians play as well as their fans sing. The only explanation I can come up with is that our team simply listened to too much Steppas on those long flights. They marched in place beautifully and were bursting with flair. Just like you'd expect from Steppas. (Sorry, man. Sometimes I can be a real little jerk.) What goes around comes around.
Bad Lemmi Vibes Coming Out of Bad Steppa-dub-vibes. Winston Rodney coming out of Saint Ann's Bay!
Allez les Bleus! …………………. lemmi
Best regards, dear Dubheads!
Yesterday I had a garden party, and my new Bluetooth speaker showed what it could do. The music wafted across the lawn and through the bushes and shrubs – it was playing Frenk. Dublin, Another Channel, Babe Roots, Dubamine, Vibronics, Om Unit, Drew Id, Bishop, City1, Dubbing Sun, Tubby Isiah, Mystic State, Adam Prescott, Dougie Conscious... and also Abudub, Zion I Kings, Acoustic Vibes, Dubmasters, Dub Propulsion, Sinky Beatz, Akae Beka, Nat Birchall, The Dubnill, Al Breadwinner, Jah Myhrakle, Khokhmah and Roots Inspiration; just to name the DUB part. It all fit together very nicely, especially since further DUB Nerds were present. The discerning listener will recognize that Steppa was also there. DUB Techno music and, in my opinion, outstanding handmade items from recent years shared the garden. DUBThe one that comes across as “immersive, warm, hypnotic” (yes, René!) was the most popular.
And Stepper Sons would have been a perfect fit, because the bass in their music not only makes my subwoofer (a brilliant invention!) shine, but also fills the garden with a pleasant thumping sound. Yes, a completely different sound design, a completely different approach to the "values" of DUBA completely different approach to the ear, a different technical method. And yet… I think it's all awesome! Welcome to the multiverse of… DUB.
PS Slightly hungover, I listened to our old favorites with a friend at breakfast this morning – Tubby's, Augustus Pablo, Roots Radics. DUBfrom the early 80s, Keith Hudson, Ranking Barnabas, Revolutionaries, Dub Syndicate with and without Lee 'Scratch' Perry, Black Ark Players... This love never dies...