Deadbeat Roots and Wire
The techno-dub subgenre seemingly peaked between 2001-2005 with the Burial Mix label’s 10” vinyl series. […]
The techno-dub subgenre seemingly peaked between 2001-2005 with the Burial Mix label’s 10” vinyl series. But artists have continued to add their own etchings to the basic draft of transparent sub-bass pulses, compressed, clicky drum programming, and echoing synth stabs. Scott Monteith’s Deadbeat project has consistently tweaked and tempered minimal-dub bass motifs into expressive and spacious creations. He experiments rhythmically throughout, particularly on the percussion-driven tribal-house track “Groundation.” If you think you know Deadbeat’s shtick, you’ve never heard him sound like this. Monteith unleashes weighty dubstep tunes (“Roots and Wire”), deep roots reggae (“Babylon Correction,” “Rise Again,” both with Paul St. Hilaire), and dreamy techno steppers (“Xberg Ghosts,” “Deep Structure”). On his most compelling release to date, Deadbeat’s roots and wires are intimately connected.