From Dubstep to Melodic House/Techno: The Story of Spencer Brown
Every musician has their own unique journey on the path of discovery. How each individual first discovers a passion for music, begins creating, and evolves their sound over time is never the same.
For Spencer Brown, the gift of a mini drum set at age three is what started everything. He quickly became obsessed with playing and practicing daily. The precocious youngster began producing hip-hop at the age of ten and, after a few years, discovered pre-2010 dubstep.
"Early dubstep really inspired me to make electronic music," Brown told Gray Area. The beat patterns of dubstep were similar to hip-hop, and the fact that the music was being created entirely on a computer was inherently attractive to the budding producer. After a few years of experimenting with bass music, though, Spencer came across progressive house through the likes of Axwell and Eric Prydz.
After listening to these larger-than-life legends, Spencer quickly began honing in on his sound and soon started sending out demos. Then, lo and behold, he gained traction with the help of the late Avicii. The Swedish powerhouse signed his debut effort, the Chalice / Double Down EP, and brought him on tour in 2013-2014.
As the door opened for Spencer, his relentless appetite for growth accelerated. He was quickly discovered by Anjunabeats, releasing almost exclusively on the label until 2018. As he has openly discussed, despite his penchant for progressive house, he refuses to stick to one sound.
In 2018 he caught the eye of another legendary producer, deadmau5. After bouncing some music back and forth, Spencer had his single "Windows 95 on Acid" released on mau5trap. The track marked a new, heavier, and darker style for Spencer Brown.
He continues to release on Anjunabeats and mau5trap, as well as playing shows all over the world for both brands. 2021 saw him release multiple records on Insomniac's Factory 93 imprint, bringing a heavy acid techno sound to the label.
In 2022, he announced his label, diviine. Although it is still in a fledgling state, it is clear this will be the breeding ground for all of Spencer's unique creations. His ability to float seamlessly between deep house, techno, and melodic house is truly amazing, making him one of dance music's most talented producers.
Although he has been building his career for many years now, we are entering a new phase of Spencer Brown's dominance in the charts that will continue to take him across stages worldwide.
