Excision bringing dubstep to House of Blues

Excision embraces dubstep’s black sheep status on his full-length debut, “X Rated.”

Electronic dance music dominates clubs more than concert halls here in Vegas.

So why is Excision (DJ-producer Jeff Abel) performing at a venue like the House of Blues?

Part of the reason is the sound he specializes in: dubstep.

With a few exceptions, namely Skrillex, dubstep artists don’t receive the critical acclaim or in-crowd cachet of some other forms of EDM.

With its signature herky-jerky rhythms, which approximate the concussive impact of a head-on collision, and gut-roiling bass drops, dubstep is loud, rancorous and largely devoid of nuance.

As such, it tends to attract a younger fan base — another reason why Excision isn’t performing in a club, where teens can’t attend — and has swiftly become EDM’s barely tolerated stepchild.

Excision embraces dubstep’s black sheep status on his full-length debut, “X Rated,” an album where the inhibitions are as low as the frequencies.

Contact reporter Jason Bracelin at
jbracelin@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0476.