Dubstep is Good for you: MiMOSA’s Sanctuary & Fillmore Concert
November 1, 2011 5 comments
Castle In The Sky by TigranMiMoSA
Alright dubstep fans and haters alike. It’s time to Re:Generate that discussion from a couple weeks ago. In case you missed it, clink the link to read about some of the issues a couple of fellow MJF writers have with dubstep music: Womp Womp: Our Issues with Dubstep. The comments are particularly interesting, and it definitely gets a little heated. I’m not here to change your taste in music, but I want to use MiMOSA’s concert at the Fillmore Auditorium to respond to some arguments and put out the other side. Frankly, I agree with a plenty of the arguments against dubstep, but there is a lot of hate being thrown on the genre as a whole, and I think a lot of naysayers are failing to distinguish the subtle and not-so-subtle differences between those artists whose music gets classified in the incredibly broad category of dubstep. Tigran-MiMOSA, on tour to promote his most recent album drop, Sanctuary, dropped by Denver to sell out the legendary Fillmore Auditorium on Saturday night. I checked it out, and I encourage you to hit the jump and read about the potential for GOOD dubstep music; music that even the staunchest Skrillex haters can enjoy. All you people who hate dubstep because you don’t like some of the more excessive or eccentric artists within the genre, please check out a show by an artist whose music is not so simply defined. As MiMOSA himself notes, “I’m steering away from aggressive tones, but at the same time trying to find different avenues to get the same crowd response that a big bass drop would get.” And while the outcome of the work is still being defined as new listeners begin to check out this west-coast export, it’s clear that his versatility as an artist goes hand in hand with his refusal to be tied down by any particular sound or style, and certainly spans the genre spectrum way beyond just “dubstep.”
Here’s what you’re gonna get at a dubstep show:
1) Bass (Whooooomp)
2) Lights
3) People
4) Original compositions and beats as well as mashups/remixes of popular songs spanning multiple genres
5) Illicit substances
Here’s what you’re gonna get at an OF show, or De La Soul show, or Gucci Mane, or any other artist we bump on MJF:
1) Holy shit… The list is exactly the same (maybe less lights/bass)
Many of the arguments that critics of dubstep music spout revolve around the notion that the sounds these artists mix into their tracks are abrasive and irritating. That may be true in some instances… but so are plenty of beats in rap and plenty of guitar solos, bass riffs, drum sequences… you get the picture. This argument holds no merit with regards MiMOSA. MiMOSA’s show held true to the list, and I assure you that he brought down the house in a way that did not hold true to the conventional “dubstep” norms. Yes there was bass. Yes there were lights. Yes, the atmosphere was incredibly friendly and potentially ridden with substance abuse (an aspect of the genre that I absolutely do not condone). But it was also fun. It was exciting. It was ear-phoric. Like I’ve said a number of times, there is a very fine line between good dubstep music and bad dubstep music. Some artists perpetually straddle that line and the result is a million critics who hate on the genre despite never expanding their knowledge beyond a handful of artists. MiMOSA is no straddler. His music spans genres, which is why his fan base is so diverse and populous. He’s been mixing music since he was 17, and the amount of energy and enthusiasm he puts into his music is obvious. It is a thrill to watch him work! This is the second time I’ve seen him – the first was at Red Rocks in July. It was awesome and inspiring to me to see how much he has progressed as an artist in just a few short months. His sounds aren’t dulcid by any means, but they incite the listener to let loose and have a fun, and make you go “Whoa! How’d he do that?”
One of my favorite tracks off MiMOSA’s new album is called Castle in the Sky. Check it out at the top of this post. It strikes me as a little Ratatat-y. It’s really mellow and gets me in a groove. I love the synth. After each listen I like the album more and more. And here’s the title single for you to listen to:
Sanctuary by TigranMiMoSA
Though he broke the mold over and over while still hyping the crowd, MiMOSA did hold true to some genre stereotypes as he dropped 1,000 tons of bass on the crowd a couple of times. Most memorable was the wildly popular track, Fluorescence, off the new album. We got a little teaser of The Next Episode (I like it a lot better when dubstep artists mix rap than the other way around… Can we talk about Lupe’s Fiasco for a second?). And the other highlight of the night for me was during the encore when MiMOSA dropped his remix of Days Go By, by Dirty Vegas.
Fluorescence (Moombahton Remix) by TigranMiMoSA
DAYS GO BY (MiMOSA REMiXXX)- DiRTY VEGAS by TigranMiMoSA
Again, I encourage fans and critics alike to check out some music by an up-and-coming artist who breaks the mold and redefines dubstep. Leave a comment, let me know what you think of these tracks and the album as a whole.
Check out MiMOSA’s False Idols Mix for September 2011 at www.falseidolmusik.com/SeptemberMix.zip. Just plug it into your browser address. Track List:
1) Jamie XX – Far Nearer (MiM0SA’s Last Night iN Town Remix)
2) Addison Groove – It’s Got Me
3) LDFD – Twerk It
4) Brandy – FM Fox’s Nature Boy Rerub
5) MiM0SA – Stupid Rhydm
6) Pixelord – Iron and Cream Part 2
7) Wiz – Straitjacket
8.) Chris Brown – Look At Me Now (RL Grime Remix)
9) Hudson Mohawk – Cbat
10) SexyTime – BadMothafucka (Next Episode Acapella)
11) DZ – In The Cut (Original Mix)
12) Rustie – Unknown (MiM0SA Glitch)
13) John Blu ft. Gucci Mane and Twista – Cologne Instrumental (Too Short – Shake That Monkey Acapella)
14) Redinho – Edge Off
Upcoming Tour Dates:
November 4 Royal Oak Music Theatre Royal Oak, MI
November 5 Midland by AMC Kansas City, MO
November 8 Soundstage Baltimore, MD
November 9 Theatre of Living Arts Philadelphia, PA
November 10 Royale Boston, MA
November 11 Webster Hall New York, NY
November 12 Pearl Street Northampton, MA
November 13 Higher Ground Burlington, VT
November 14 Westcott Theater Syracuse, NY
November 16 Newport Music Hall Columbus, OH
November 17 Bluebird Nightclub Bloomington, IN
November 19 Barrymore Theatre Madison, WI
November 20 Headliners Louisville, KY
November 22 The Ritz Tampa, FL
November 23 The Fillmore Miami Beach Miami, FL
November 24 Firestone Live Orlando, FL
November 25 The Masquerade Atlanta, GA
November 26 Orange Peel Asheville, NC
November 29 The Varsity Theatre Baton Rouge, LA
November 30 Warehouse Live Houston, TX
December 1 Texas Music Theater San Marcos, TX
December 2 La Zona Rosa Austin, TX
December 3 Cain’s Ballroom Tulsa, OK
