Dubstep is opening new doors for electronic music listeners. The sound of extremely low bass, irregular drum patterns, clipped samples and occasional vocals influences the audience to dance with high energized body movements.

But skepticism lingers among most of the electronic music scene. Head-banging and floor-stomping isn’t what many consider to be the most common dance moves you find at social events.

For a first-time listener, these sounds would drive someone crazy. It seems as though we are listening to a head-on collision with a beat.

Nowadays, this branch of electronic music is more commercialized and remixed by several artists such as Britney Spears and Skrillex.

“Today, dubstep is even heard on the radio as different forms of EDM (electronic dance music),” said Brandon Chai, Sacramento disc jockey and promoter.  

“It is produced for top-40 and hip-hop artists and are now being heard on air more than ever before.”

But, there are complaints on what is considered true dubstep. Most of the songs someone downloads within this genre lack originality. After all, it did start off with two-step garage mixes with a twist of reggae.

“There’s a lot of terrible dubstep and dubstep remixes that I just can’t stand,” said Laura Smith, the music director for Sacramento State Student-run radio station KSSU. “That’s why I think dubstep got so popular because they remixed original songs.”

Besides the weird noises, I find it really hard to dance to. I first heard of it going to “Insomniac’s: Escape From Wonderland” event this fall at San Bernardino, Calif.

While stepping into one of the dance rooms, the DJ played Drum and Bass. Then two hours later, he played dubstep. At first, I got both genres confused until my cousin briefly explained to me the differences. Of course, I find it awkward watching people jump around and fist pump. It was just too much noise and movement going on for me.

While observing dancers of house music, there is more of a free-spirit type of style. They can go in a dance circle and create a series of fancy moves. On the other hand, a person who dances the same way to dubstep doesn’t have much style at all. As a matter of fact, I don’t consider that dancing in general. “I do prefer house music over dubstep,” said Matt Martinez, another local DJ. “I say this because for most of my life, I have been listening to hip-hop and pop music and all that top-40 stuff. Those types of music have an easier rhythm to dance to rather than dubstep.”

Most DJs are cautious of balancing their set when playing house or dubstep at their gigs.

“For house, it’s more accepted by the audience,” said Paul Hillenbrand, a 20-year-old business major and electronic music DJ. “With Dubstep, people often don’t want to dance to this. I tend to stay away from it unless I am doing a Dubstep set. Most of the time, I stick to house.”

Most of my life, I listened to house and freestyle beats. DJs such as Deadmau5, Donald Glaude and Laidback Luke fit more with my interests. To me, dubstep is nothing but scattered noises put together.

Chris Barbosa can be reached at [email protected]