In the wrong hands, dubstep can sound like the antithesis of music. Dan Stephens and Joe Ray, of UK duo Nero, are not the owners of those hands. The best beats on Welcome Reality, Nero’s new full-length debut, are both radio-friendly and stadium worthy. Hell, Hollywood might even come calling. As you might’ve already deduced, this is not an album for dubstep purists. Stephens and Ray refuse to confine themselves to 140 beats per minute, and they aren’t afraid of a good hook. Still, consider Reality‘s most saccharine moment, a remake of The Jets’ “Crush on You” that’s occasionally obliterated by a blistering drop. Nero obviously knows how to wield the genre as a tool to its serious advantage.
George Peele enjoys strapping on height enhancers and aurally ambushing strangers. He is Music Features Editor for 303’s print edition. Keep your eyes peeled for December interviews with dance music twosome Manufactured Superstars and Times Square NYE guru Dante Dunlap. Follow him on Twitter: @Orangepeelmoses. Avatar image courtesy Jonathan Shoup.