WAVEDASH Redefines Dubstep "By Any Means"

Article by: Vassili Makavos

Having become known for its unique style of sound design, the Texas-based production and songwriting trio made up of Luke, Michael, and Gavin, came together as WAVEDASH. They arrived on the music scene in 2016, and have since defied expectations and pushed the boundaries for producing electronic music. Their newest track “By Any Means,” out now on the label Gud Vibrations, breaks the standard norm for dubstep and brings an original and inspiring spin on the EDM genre.

As an avid EDM lover, there are certain sounds and styles that are sensitive to my aural palette. What caught my ear about “By Any Means” was that it was a type of dubstep track I have never heard or experienced before. That being said, generally dubstep has always been one of those genres that fits the old adage “If you’ve heard one, you’ve heard them all.” WAVEDASH brilliantly destroys this mindset and brings a freshly polished new gem to expand the genre of dubstep. Typically I notice the signature rhythm featured in almost every dubstep track I’ve heard, yet WAVEDASH has found a way to stay within the genre without having to utilize this universally accepted dubstep signature rhythm.

“By Any Means” has such a moving and inspiring sound from start to finish, with perhaps a slight twist in philosophical meaning at the end. The intro seems to be about 20 measures, introducing an arpeggiated spiral of sound over a synth pad of strings. By the 9th measure what sounds like some form of filtered vocals are brought to full capacity, as a larger sweeping crescendo ascends and descends over the sustained vocals with a beautiful chord progression underneath. This 20 bar intro seamlessly elides into the first part of the build up, which is about another 20 bars.

The first part of the build up is marked, and distinctly heard, by the electronic arpeggio of the chord progression first introduced in the intro; creatively reminiscent of spiccato strings in an orchestra building up intensity. The second part of the build up continues to maintain the spiccato strings, as a new lead synth is introduced with a leading melody soaring over the crescendo, leading to the full force of the song. Following the full rush of melodies and themes, a kicked-back groove is newly introduced and transitions the listener into the outro, which holds the key to the suspected philosophical twist at the end. The sample says “Compromised for what? When you fall in love… what is that compromise about?” which leads one to suspect the title of the song “By Any Means” is possibly what, why, or how the said “compromise” exists - when one falls in love.

This single is incredible! Whether or not it was WAVEDASH’s intention for the ending statements in the outro to connect to the title, or be obscure in a Pink-Floydian fashion is unknown, but between the clearly crafted sound design and multiple thematic build-ups, leads the listener to wonder - “is this love?” Be sure to give this song a listen, don’t miss out on experiencing its meticulously exquisite composure.

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