Zed Bias Essentials

With his rugged beats and rude bass lines, Zed Bias was instrumental in transforming U.K. garage into dubstep in the early '00s, toning down the R&B influences and doubling down on hip-hop and dancehall elements. At the same time, Bias' work as Maddslinky and Phuturistix drew from house, breaks, and Afro-Latin music to expand broken beat's jagged footprint. After recording LPs for Hospital and Tru Thoughts, he signed to Boddika's Swamp 81 for '13's Boss, a tough-but-tender club-ready fusion of house, electro, and bass music.