1. Nero – Guilt
Label: MTA Records
Genre: Dubstep
I wanted to kick things off with a track on the commercial side, which makes it even more odd that I ended up choosing a dubstep track... But if you know anything about my tastes, you'll quickly find out why this was one of my favourite tracks of the year, and why Nero is probably my favourite dubstep act. One thing you will hear me talk about a lot in these writeups is contrast. I simply can't get enough of it, and this track is a perfect example of what I look for in electronic music – the hard, with the soft. Trancy synths, haunting vocals and some ****ing filthy drops.
I'm not sure that I have ever heard a single track mix elements of two distinct genres so well. This track satisfies everyone. The breakdown is beautiful without being overdramatic, and I can't see fans of bass music complaining about a lack of punch in the drops. After listening to electronic music for a while, you learn to ignore lyrical content, because most of it is just ****ing terrible, but this song is also an exception to that rule, which is always greatly appreciated.
While I must admit that I generally do not enjoy bass music, I can dig anything that has some good melodies or just an interesting style of production. Nero seems to deliver on all fronts, this won't be the last that you see of them on this list.
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http://soundcloud.com/thundersheep/lunatic-asylum
http://soundcloud.com/thundersheep/summer-rain