Review: Magnetic Man – S/T
Magnetic Man - S/T (2010) [Columbia] // Grade: A-
If there is a dubstep act with the potential to guide the genre into the ears of the mainstream, win them over and become a bonafide name blasted through suburban car speakers and begged for by request in city nightclubs it is Magnetic Man. The trio of dubstep pioneers, Benga, Skream and Artwork have made that goal their mission with the formation of supergroup Magnetic Man. The right timing, heaps of talent and a clearly defined direction position the group’s self-titled, full-length debut as a tipping point for the genre.
Indie rock has seen no shortage of supergroups, with Dead Weather and Gayngs recent additions to the company of longtime collaborative career acts like Broken Social Scene. Magnetic Man’s formation arrives on trend and well-timed. Over the past couple years dubstep has emerged a dominating music force, its tentacles extending further and influencing a new cache of genres.
Magnetic Man is an album that will charm the public and frustrate purists. The trio take basic dubstep sound structures, water down the bass and create a kind of dubstep pop, calling on a list of vocal collaborators including the young, poised to explode Katy B, Ms. Dynamite, Sam Frank, Angela Hunte and John Legend. Led by Katy B’s crystalline range, “Crossover” would be a straightforward track of R&B-tinged electronic pop, were it not for the cloud of low-hanging bass. “Boiling Water” looks to jungle and drum & bass for inspiration, the quick-paced rhythmic cadence almost making you forget the slight autotune filter applied to Sam Frank’s voice. John Legend’s expressive croon closes out the album on “Getting Nowhere”, his voice the star of an otherwise basic composition.
The lack of any compositional invention is a moot argument. The real invention with Magnetic Man lies in their ability to craft an album that transcends previously comfortable notions. The production work is as glossy as anything in the Top 40, studio sheen coated basslines meet vocals wherein every level has been meticulously tweaked. The more you grip onto Magnetic Man as a trio of dubstep names, the harder you will find the album to enjoy. As Magnetic Man, Benga, Skream and Artwork become a production powerhouse, utilizing dubstep sounds to push the face of pop music forward.
