Mr Mark R J Higgins

My AHRC funded research project explores the evolution of dubstep, a musical movement that emerged in south London in the late-2000s and, in a profoundly mutated musical form, went on to have a measurable impact on the American mainstream. I am interested primarily in the ecology surrounding dubstep’s evolution, with a particular emphasis on technology. To this end my research – supported by a partnership with the record label Artikal Music UK – examines musical responses to the shifting dynamics of dubstep’s habitat. Using artist interviews, media archaeology, discourse analysis and case studies, I chart the manifold shape of the dubstep object, mapping its encounters with different musical cultures and technologies. I have presented my work at the BFE-RMA Research Student Conference 2020 and the IASPM UK and Ireland Annual Conference 2020.