- Skream's Disfigured Dubz imprint has been a confusion of straight up, poignant and wobbly dubstep over the years—with predictably mixed results. The sparklers from its discography have often come via its non-dubstep roster; the two Autonomic efforts from Instra:mental and dBridge, and Youandewan's Hotflushy Youandme EP. The latest release is its biggest curveball yet, with—you guessed it—mixed results.
"Fiber Optic" is a sun-soaked and sugarcoated debut from Brian Gibbs, AKA Gunjack. Allegedly provoked by tragedy and ill health into making "real songs," the LA-born beatsmith has turned his back on the decade's worth of brutal technoid dubstep for something lighter. The boogie pop sing-along has "made for radio" written all over it—and indeed has frequented Radio 1 to Rinse. It's in the same vein as Tensnake's anthemic "Coma Cat," but "Fiber Optic" somehow hasn't quite got the formula right. It's more poppy than cheesy, and distinctly lacks Tensnake's hooky seasoning. Nonetheless, it's pleasant and thoroughly listenable without necessarily being "clubby."
Jon Covex's remix, on the other hand, is made for the floor, stepping up the BPM a little and applying the Instra:mental "Voyeur" voiceover. The original comes through in saccharine flashes, diffusing the grumbling acid undertones to make the overall sound more rolling dark house than his usual techno offerings. LA duo 12th Planet & Finch go the other way, delivering some soggy US brostep, and quite possibly the worst track to (dis)grace Disfigured Dubz to date.
Tracklist A1 Fiber Optic
A2 Fiber Optic (Jon Convex Love Transmission Remix)
B Fiber Optic (12th Planet & Finch Remix)