Exron’s Best Dubstep Albums & EPs of 2021 – [Read]

This year we were blessed with the opportunity to return to the crowds, and experience dubstep the way it was intended, live. The following list includes our picks for the five most ambitious, and cohesive releases of 2021, in no particular order.

1.) Visions Of The Leo EP – Leotrix

The young Australian kicked the year off strongly with his signature blend of meticulously-processed vocal chops and multilayered basses. Leotrix notes that the EP was inspired by visions he saw in dreams, which explains the ethereal and hazy sound design featured throughout the release.

Visions Of The Leo EP features tunes that make us want to simultaneously dance, finger-gun and sing. With four EPs under his belt during this year alone and an incoming Ultra Music Festival debut, there’s no stopping the imaginative artist.

2.) CRISIS VISION – MUST DIE!

CRISIS VISION marks MUST DIE!’s first album since 2014, and the culmination of an artistic vision years in the making. This 13-track behemoth showcases some of the best hard dance and bass music crossovers of all time.

The album’s greatest strength is how well MUST DIE! adapts his screeching basses and gritty growls, to various contrasting styles of electronic music. CRISIS VISION is a testament to how heavy dubstep can get, without losing its musicality. There’s no one else who can open an album with an explosive tearout track, and end it on a melancholic chiptune-infused anthem.

To say that MUST DIE! is years ahead of the game is putting it lightly.

3.) Revolving Eclipse EP – DDD

2021 served as this rising star’s breakout year, which yielded highly-acclaimed EPs on two of dubstep’s premier labels — Cyclops Recordings and Halcyon. Upon listening to Revolving Eclipse EP it’s easy to see why DDD is shaking up the underground and beyond.

From start to finish this four-track release sustains an unrivaled bounce and playfulness, fueled by snappy drums and roaring synths. However, DDD’s shining quality is how well they are at creating memorable melodies and midsections.

Dubstep isn’t just about the drop, it’s also about getting there — Revolving Eclipse is an essential listen for all future riddim heads.

4.) Perceiver Pt.2 Reality Simulator – Oolacile

“Dubstep album” is a loose term. Oolacile‘s 12-track experience contains a fair share of dubstep, complemented by a few volatile drum ‘n’ bass, garage and electro house songs.

Perceiver Pt.2 is as complex as it is captivating. The follow-up to the first Perceiver release is both a conceptual album, and masterful homage to the various styles of bass-driven music that directly and indirectly lead to the creation of the dubstep.

The album conjures up paradoxical feelings of enigma, wonder and dread — all framed within a dystopian technologically-advanced backdrop. There isn’t an all-encompassing term that defines this release because it’s so many things all at once — Perceiver Pt.2 Reality Simulator is truly one-of-a-kind.

5.) The Lee Jenningsest EP – Neonix (Lee Jennings)

The third and final installment in the Lee Jennings EP series showcases Mr.Jennings’ distinct knack for crafting tunes that are both trailblazing and accessible. The Lee Jenningsest EP contains 17 minutes of the grooviest dubstep one can find.

Neonix‘s latest offering opens with a frantic banger, which makes use of warbled loops and arpeggiated synthesizers. A classic riddim flow drives the tune, while several vocal chops and one-hits maintain the energy at an all-time high. As impressive as this is, the EP’s standout moment is definitely “Pornograffiti.”

This evolving song fuses traditional house music percussion with deep-cutting dubstep bass. The end result is a dynamic track that shifts mood from section to section. Neonix’s ingenuity and production chops throughout the EP are second to none, cementing this as a must listen for all bassheads.