Pinch

Bristol, U.K. resident Pinch (Robert Ellis) is one of the key figures in the development of dubstep, both as a recording artist and as the founder of the Tectonic imprint and the Multiverse family of labels. His deep, spacious, subtle productions have always maintained a reverential connection to dubstep's reggae and dub roots, and he's collaborated with genre pioneers Scientist and Adrian Sherwood as well as younger dancehall vocalists such as New York-based MC Juakali. In addition to numerous 12" singles, he released one of dubstep's first notable full-lengths, 2007's Underwater Dancehall, along with several well-regarded collaboration albums and mix CDs. His dubplate-centric DJ sets have also received much fanfare. ~ Paul Simpson