Figure

Known for his zany and erratic drumstep, Figure (real name Josh Gard) is a prominent American electronic music producer widely known on the dubstep and electro-bass scene. Hailing from the city of Evansville, Indiana, Gard began learning how to scratch, mix, and create beats when he was 16. By the time he was 20, he had become interested in heavy bass tracks and classic drum’n’bass dance mixes from the ’90s and early 2000s. He made his first appearance on the scene with a number of EPs that he began putting out in early 2009; In & Out of Brooklyn first arrived via Dirty Fabric Digital, with House on the Hill following a few months later. Figure dropped more EPs over the years, and by 2013′s Horns of the Apocalypse, it had become clear that the producer was moving down a road with a particular sound, style, and overall aesthetic. He quickly became known on the ever-popular dubstep scene for his frequent use of dialogue samples and themes from classic horror films incorporated into his bass-heavy mixes. This proved to be a popular choice among dubstep and drumstep fans, and Gard began a new mixtape series titled Monsters, beginning with Monsters of Drumstep, Vol. 1 in 2011. Its stylistic theme was even evident through track titles such as “Aliens,” “Vampires,” and “Zombies.” Six more Monsters releases followed, with a number of selected remix collections interspersed in between, which featured reworkings from the likes of Zardonic, Downlink, and Twofold. Figure also began to make waves on the live touring scene as well. Having achieved some prominence over the years, the young DJ graduated from club nights to arenas. Opting for an equal setup of hardware and digital, his show consisted of creating beats and drops on-stage using turntables and the Serato DJ software. In 2015, the young producer put out his first official full-length effort, Gravity. The album was an example of some of Gard’s other ideas; whereas the Monsters series had solidified him as the drumstep artist with a penchant for the horror genre, Gravity was solely focused on electronic arrangements and production techniques as opposed to a strong and evident aesthetic throughout. This didn’t stop him continuing the Monsters of Drumstep series, though. In October 2016 he put out Monsters 7, which charted high on the Billboard Electronic Chart. ~ Rob Wacey