Drumstep is a subgenre of Drum and Bass primarily distinguished by its half-time rhythms and its basslines inspired by heavier kinds of Dubstep. It maintains the fast feel of Drum & Bass by using the hihat prominently to move the beat along. Although it has gained popularity in the last couple of years riding dubstep's success, half-time beats have existed in drum & bass since the days of Jungle. Drumstep can be compared to a heavier form of Jump Up Drum and Bass.
A quick rule of thumb when distinguishing dubstep from drumstep is that dubstep has roughly the same tempo as House, Techno and Trance (around 140 bpm) while drumstep has more in common with the tempo and beat structure in Hip Hop (80-100 bpm) or obviously, the tempo in Drum & Bass (160-180 bpm).
Artists such as Crissy Criss, Heist, Taxman, DJ Hazard, Rollz, Dub Foundation and Bonkrooger have incorporated it into their sound. Other artists like dBridge and instra:mental produce a more minimal kind of drumstep. .
