Not so long ago, the European dubstep community was very far away. The ocean separating our continents wasn’t so easily bridged by a Skype call or a SoundCloud link. The UK sound made its way to America, but America was inherently distant from the UK scene. Today, American artists are receiving more and more attention in the newly-formed international community. This is no coincidence. The distance between America’s relatively small cohort of producers allowed space for creativity. In a time when music aficionados are in constant pursuit of something new, artists like Saule deliver it.
Saule’s digital releases date back to 2009. The California-based producer’s experience is more extensive than that of most artists rising onto the radar today, and his expertise is apparent in his music. Saule’s tracks display a creative edge that is unconventional without being shocking. His deviations from dubstep’s recognizable structure aren’t a deliberately striking rejection of the norm – a jarring brand of experimentation that often feels forced. Instead, Saule’s surprises take the form of twinkling melodies that complement a track’s dark vibe rather than convolute it, or vocal samples manipulated in cleverly musical ways. In true dubstep fashion, it is the subtleties that sparkle. There is the sense that Saule doesn’t make a conscious effort to do something different, because that’s what he’s done all along.
Such is the amorphous quality that characterizes the allure of many American artists. Producers like Malleus, Mesck, EshOne, Subtle Mind, and Saule aren’t “new”, although their heightened exposure is. In fact, these artists have been working together for years before any international market truly congealed. Collaborations between American artists – notably Malleus and Saule – reveal the stylistic shimmer that defines their growing role in the dubstep community. Due to the geographic space that once kept stateside producers at an arm’s length from the heart of their scene, their artistry was never explicitly directed toward a market. The result is, perhaps, a creative freedom that now attracts the market to them.
The vocal sampled in Saule’s premiere vinyl release – a collaborative EP with Malleus – encompasses the concept. The assertion- “With a big label, if you don’t sell a certain amount, you’re really gonna be in trouble”- followed by some musings about not sticking to a particular sound- are fitting commentary on the blossoming Gourmetbeats label as well. Saule and Malleus’s Bad Kids EP (forthcoming June 3) is yet another testament to Joe Nice’s legendary ear. The two artists will join the label head to represent Gourmetbeats on this summer’s tour. The only way to truly know what the trio will bring to the dance floor is to find out firsthand by booking the tour in your city.
Follow Saule on SoundCloud and Facebook. Click here for booking information and more on the artist, and email emma.ceaglske@subdotmission.com with inquiries about the Gourmetbeats summer tour.
Amye Koziel