Versatility as an artist...

[Sykes]

What are people's opinions on the versatility of artists?

I would say I have a very broad taste in dubstep. One day I will listen to Koan Sound, Mojo, Phaeleh, Kryptic Minds, the next I will switch it up and listen to Downlink, Girl Unit, Jakes, Jamie XX etc... Just to give you an idea...I tend to find this comes across in my productions - sometimes I make deeper or melodic tunes, sometimes I just want to make a tear out tune. However, I find people are often surprised when they hear an example of my work from one end of the spectrum and then hear something completely different.

A friend of mine recently passed on one of my tunes to a label boss. I was told that although the boss enjoyed the tune sent to him (a dark, dungeon style track), but that my other dancefloor-orientated tunes, which although were well produced, sent mixed messages about the direction I was going as an artist.

I personally feel that being pigeon-holed to one side of the genre is limiting to the creativity of an artist, and can be somewhat stifling, with the music ultimately becoming formulaic and unable to develop.

With only a small handful of names from the genre (who I can think of...Skream, Redlight/Clipz etc...) who can claim to have made good tunes in a variety of different styles of the genre, do people think its possible for an artist to maintain credibility, and more importantly to actually be capable of producing radically different styles?

[topmo3]

tes la rok is a prime example for a versatile producer. from tear out tunes to roots vibes, the man delievers. also i find that several producers tend to have multiple monikers on which they produce different styles on. i haven't heard your tune but if it was more on the downlink/excision type of tear out rather than what kromestar, sukh knight and such have made, the sound might have been bit too much.

[1point5]

I think Truth also spans different styles pretty well as well, but they still seem to be amazing at everything they do!

Teknian is another, not that well known yet but he has gone from making the craziest brostep type stuff to much darker deep tracks. I like to think my music is pretty well varied, there's stuff like my sig but also stuff signed to betamorph which is pretty much the polar opposite in dubstep

[incnic]

congratuklations on liking multiple sub genres mate.

[skimpi]

congratuklations on liking multiple sub genres mate.

[fractal]

It's a good thing! Fuck that label boss!

[soapdodgers]

make whatever you feel like making, dont limit yourself.

[wilson]

That label boss was a pillock.

[skimpi]

i dont get that label bosses angle here. if you can produce good tracks in the 'dungeon' style whatever then what matters if you produce hard hitting bro stuff too, what does your direction as an artist matter. he should be releasing tunes that he likes and wnats to release, if you make those tunes, but also make tunes he doesnt like whats the problem he can just release the ones he likes. its not like your signing a deal with him so that you only ever release with him and he is worried you will start making tunes he dont like!

i do think versatility is good though, but on the other hand it can be hard to build a fanbase if every one of yours tunes is different because then you start to alienate people as they may like your one tune, then not many of the others. but like i spose if you like to make bro and dungeon stuff then like you could have 2 fanbases that like either side. like i mean its good to be versatile if you make several tunes under a certain style and several under another, but its hard if every tune starts to turn out different.

i think mosca is a very versatile producer though, like square one and nike were both kind of funky/uk bass tunes but then his t.williams remix is alot different its very soulful, and then his CRST remix is like a grime tune, his next hype remix is like baltimore, bax and done me wrong is like uk garage and he has some techno kind stuff coming on 3024 soon. and how could i forget tilt shift, thats like 100 bpm hip hop/house kinda stuff. very versatile he just make whatever the hell he wants.

[incnic]

mosca is zomg
then again some producers that amke only 1 kind of song are zomg

[rorz9992]

Kromestar can be good at both being chill or melting your face

[skwiggo]

+1 for mosca. pretty talented guy. I think martyn is also pretty varied. he's made dubstep (with techno, garage and house influences), dnb, techno on ostgut ton and now his new album on brainfeeder looks like it'll be mostly 4x4 style too. I love artists who don't just stick to one style.

However for my own stuff I think im gonna try and use different aliases for different sounds. maybe the OP should look at that option if they want the freedom to make what you want without being stigmatized with one sound.

[Shum]

.

[pulsar]

Kromestar is always amazing at both being chill or melting your face

fixed

[BASED]

Martyn is amazing in this regard

[Sykes]

Really I've never heard anything other than deep and mellow tunes from Martyn? Care to point out something you have in mind?

And yer I agree with what you guys are saying. And I wasnt at all being disrespectful to the label boss in question. The label he represents releases some of the finest music I have heard in its respective sub genre, and I wouldn't expect that label to be interested in the heavier stuff that I make...

It was just the feedback that I received got me thinking as to whether an artist can maintain credibility in several styles at once... Definitely food for thought

[skimpi]

Really I've never heard anything other than deep and mellow tunes from Martyn? Care to point out something you have in mind?

And yer I agree with what you guys are saying. And I wasnt at all being disrespectful to the label boss in question. The label he represents releases some of the finest music I have heard in its respective sub genre, and I wouldn't expect that label to be interested in the heavier stuff that I make...

It was just the feedback that I received got me thinking as to whether an artist can maintain credibility in several styles at once... Definitely food for thought

theres not just deep and hard styles of music haha. he means he is versatile cos he uses alot of sounds in his music, and like his newer stuff is more housey, but he has done techno, techno and garage influenced dubstep, dnb.

[rorz9992]

Kromestar is always amazing at both being chill or melting your face

fixed

haha fairy muff bro

[Teknicyde]

The labels boss was concerned because 99% of the people online hating filth WOULD look different on a chill track if it came from someone known for pure tearout. Theres a bias.

And tearout kids would say 'lolwutsdis?'

I.E. why I would never mix my acoustic/tape stuff with this.