RUSKO – SONGS

English producer Rusko is often held responsible for the general change in definition of ‘dubstep’. His 2010 debut album O.M.G. built on the beats-and-bass sparseness of acts such as Skream and Burial, but paved the way for the more aggressive and far more popular sounds of Skrillex, Nero and countless others. O.M.G.’s appeal lies in its shamelessly addictive hooks and drops, but Songs seems to be harking back to the earlier, more subtle stylings from which Rusko originally took his cues. This isn’t to say that Songs is a subtle album, though – tracks such as Somebody to Love, Skanker and Opium will leave even the most impatient drop-desiring fans more than satisfied. However, the spaciousness and various vocal cameos on tracks like Mek More Green, Be Free and Roll da Beats (Old School Edition) are definitely a throwback to dub, reggae and earlier dubstep sounds. Additionally, the sing-along choruses of Pressure and Dirty Sexy assure that Rusko is as much about the songs as a whole rather than just the bowel-loosening sounds they consist of. Obviously, dubstep isn’t everybody’s cup of tea, but as an album which appeals to fans of old and new – and isn’t as disposable or one-dimensional as a lot of dubstep albums out there – Songs rarely falls out of step. *** ½