Skream

Skream is the stage name of Ollie Jones, a UK producer and DJ from West Wickham, in South London. Born in 1986, he is associated with dubstep, house, grime, dub, drum and bass, disco and bass-heavy electronic music. He is also a member of Magnetic Man.

Career

Skream is one of the first and most prominent dubstep producers, and is often described as one of the genre’s key figures. He begins making music at school age in Croydon, where he builds an early connection with Benga and later with Hatcha, both of whom play an important role in the development of the Croydon dubstep scene. Around 2000, Skream and Benga work on the darker garage-influenced sounds heard on pirate radio in the area, contributing to the early shape of dubstep.

His style is initially known for dark, clipped and minimal production, and he later broadens into a wider range of sounds. He is noted as a prolific producer, with a very large number of tracks to his name, and his work spans hard-edged dubstep, deeper bass music and more melodic or rhythmic material.

Key releases and labels

Skream’s crossover track Midnight Request Line is released in 2005 on Tempa and becomes his best-known tune beyond the dubstep scene. It features electro-style arpeggios and heavy sub-bass, and its flip side, I, is a deep dub-influenced track with shifting cinematic textures. He also releases material through Tempa’s Skreamizm vinyl series and issues a self-titled album on the same label.

He releases tracks on other labels including Big Apple and Tectonic. Big Apple is tied to the early dubstep environment in Croydon, while Tectonic is the Bristol label run by Pinch, a long-time dubstep advocate. In 2008 he launches his own label, Disfigured Dubz, which introduces artists including Kulture and Late. He is also associated with IFEEL and Of Unsound Mind.

Style and influence

Skream begins by focusing on dark dubstep, but his music later incorporates other influences, including reggae, dancehall, Asian musical textures and house. His output helps shape the wider direction of UK urban music as dubstep develops from a local underground style into a broader scene. He is also known for working within the bass-heavy club sound that links dubstep with grime and other forms of UK electronic music.