Gospel vocalists singing soulful house records is a perfect fit, but did you ever wonder if it would work with dubstep?? Listening to MONSTA’s new track “Messiah,” the answer is a solid yes.? Listening to the intro, you would think you were in a Southern church listening to choir leader starting an uplifting spiritual hymn.? The surprise comes a minute in when instead of the choir, a massive dubstep beat kick in, produced by Rocky and Rufio.? It isn’t grating or harsh, yet the contrast to the vocals elevates the song (and the genre) to a new level. In every subgenre, there comes a time when artists need to take the rudimentary sounds and use them in new ways.? “Messiah” is a continuation of the sonic journey of their buzz hit “Holdin On” that featured a remix by Skrillex and Nero.? Upon first listen to the track, the voice of singer Skaar (no doubt named for the powerful offspring of superhero Hulk), I knew that I recognized the singer as his voice was so unique. As an obsessed Wideboys fan, I was singing a song in my head and realized that I was referencing their mix of “Smilin” by Bryn Christopher.?? A quick wiki search confirmed my thoughts, and it makes perfect sense.? EDM and dubstep tracks benefit from strong and unique vocalists.? The powerful gospel-infused timbre of Bryn’s voice is a perfect contrast to the aggressive dubstep beats.?? Here’s hoping the success of MONSTA inspires more of our genre’s finest producers to collaborate with equally strong singers.??
Image Courtesy of Interscope / OWSLA.