SBTRKT at Wrongbar, Friday, July 8. Rating: NNNN
About a third of the Wrongbar crowd were likely only there because of the rumour that hometown hip-hop superstar Drake was stopping by to deliver his verse from his remix of SBTRKT’s Wildfire. But even without a celebrity guest appearance, the show would have been impressive on its own.
The hyped-up R&B-influenced post-dubstep producer is on a major roll, and with help from vocalist collaborator Sampha, SBTRKT easily won over the room long before his famous friend took the stage to deafening applause. Often compared to James Blake, SBTRKT is less electronic-piano-ballad and more futuristic deconstructions of soul music, although both acts share a knack for reconfiguring the less abrasive elements of dubstep into a sound that bridges pop, experimental and dance music.
Drake’s injection of hip-hop rounded out the vibes nicely. Between this collaboration, the one with Jamie Smith of The xx and his early endorsement of the Weeknd, we’re getting curious to hear what Drizzy’s got up his sleeve for his upcoming album.
Watch SBTRKT and Drake perform their Wildfire remix.