Ethnostep 3: A Genre-Bending Journey That’ll Mess With Your Head (In a Good Way)
Yo, let’s talk about Ethnostep 3. Released in 2013 by SUBBASS outta Germany, this album is like someone threw folk instruments into an electronic blender and hit puree. The genres? Folk, World, & Country meets Electronic. Styles? Tribal vibes, dubstep wobbles, basslines that slap, and breaks that keep you on your toes. It's wild, man. Like, “what even is this?” kind of wild—but in the best way possible.
First off, kudos to whoever curated this thing because it doesn’t feel forced. Tracks like Bairavi Art Beat and Diving In Dreams stuck with me for totally different reasons. Let’s start with Bairavi Art Beat. This track hits hard right out the gate—there’s this hypnotic flute riff layered over pounding tribal drums that just grabs you by the soul. You can almost picture some ancient ritual going down while lasers flash overhead at a rave. Yeah, it sounds weird when I say it like that, but trust me, it works. By the time the bass drops, you’re not sure if you should be dancing or meditating. Maybe both?
Then there’s Diving In Dreams. Oh man, this one feels like floating underwater but also flying through space. It’s chill yet intense, with these lush ambient pads creeping up behind crisp breakbeat rhythms. Around the halfway mark, something happens—I don’t know what exactly—but suddenly you're not listening anymore; you're living inside the music. Feels like dreaming awake. Honestly, it made me forget where I was for a sec, which ain’t easy to pull off.
Other tracks like Orientika bring those Middle Eastern vibes mixed with heavy subs that rattle your chest, while Silent Spirits leans more introspective, almost haunting. And then boom—you’ve got bangers like Thunderbolt, which straight-up slaps. Every song adds its own flavor, keeping things unpredictable. It’s like flipping channels between worlds, except every channel is dope as hell.
What really stands out about Ethnostep 3 is how seamless it all feels despite being so diverse. Like, yeah, it’s a collab album (Various Artists, duh), but it doesn’t sound disjointed. Instead, it’s like each artist brought their A-game without stepping on anyone else’s vibe. The whole thing flows like a journey rather than just a playlist.
Here’s the kicker though—this album kinda makes you think. Not in a pretentious way, but more like, “Damn, why don’t we hear stuff like this more often?” Like, imagine hearing Smoke Riddim blast in a club while sipping chai tea. Or zoning out to The Center (Dub Vortex Mix) during yoga class. These songs defy context, y’know? They exist somewhere between cultures, genres, and moods, and that’s rare.
So yeah, Ethnostep 3 might not be everyone’s cuppa tea, especially if you’re stuck in the mainstream lane. But if you’re into experimental sounds that challenge your ears and make you go “huh,” this one’s worth checking out. Just don’t blame me if you end up lost in thought halfway through.
Oh, random thought before I bounce: If this album were food, it’d probably be currywurst—spicy, unexpected, and totally German. Cool, right?
