Truth is the stage name of the

Christchurch Christchurch (; ) is the largest city in the South Island and the List of cities in New Zealand, second-largest city by urban area population in New Zealand. Christchurch has an urban population of , and a metropolitan population of over hal ...

, New Zealand

dubstep Dubstep is a genre of electronic dance music that originated in South London in the early 2000s. The style emerged as a UK garage offshoot that blended 2-step rhythms and sparse dub production, as well as incorporating elements of broken ...

duo composed of Andre Fernandez and Tristan Roake. Truth have made significant strides in the dubstep scene since their formation in 2007, gaining recognition for their signature deep, dark, and heavy sound characterized by intricate basslines and powerful drops. Their music often blends influences from dub,

reggae Reggae () is a music genre that originated in Jamaica during the late 1960s. The term also denotes the modern popular music of Jamaica and its Jamaican diaspora, diaspora. A 1968 single by Toots and the Maytals, "Do the Reggay", was the first ...

, drum & bass and

hip-hop Hip-hop or hip hop (originally disco rap) is a popular music genre that emerged in the early 1970s from the African-American community of New York City. The style is characterized by its synthesis of a wide range of musical techniques. Hi ...

. Truth are known for their live performances & DJing, and have toured extensively since the mid-2000s, including numerous tours of North America, UK/EU & NZ/AUS, a tour of Latin America, and marquee festivals all around the world including

Shambhala Shambhala (, ),Śambhala m. (also written Sambhala): Name of a town (situated between the Rathaprā and Ganges, and identified by some with Sambhal in Moradabad; the town or district of Śambhala is fabled to be the place where Kalki, the last ...

Outlook Outlook or The Outlook may refer to: Computing * Microsoft Outlook, also referred to as ''the classic Outlook'' an e-mail client and personal information management software product from Microsoft * Outlook for Windows, also referred to as ''the ...

Electric Daisy Carnival Electric Daisy Carnival, commonly known as EDC, is an electronic dance music festival organized by promoter and distributor Insomniac. The annual flagship event, EDC Las Vegas, is held in May at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway, and is the largest e ...

Electric Forest Electric Forest is a multi-genre music festival produced by Madison House Presents and Insomniac Events, with a focus on electronic music and jam band genres. Originally named Rothbury Festival in 2008, it is held in Rothbury, Michigan at ...

Boomtown A boomtown is a community that undergoes sudden and rapid population and economic growth, or that is started from scratch. The growth is normally attributed to the nearby discovery of a precious resource such as gold, silver, or oil, although t ...

, Earth Frequency, Rabbits Eat Lettuce and more. Now based in

Portland, Oregon Portland ( ) is the List of cities in Oregon, most populous city in the U.S. state of Oregon, located in the Pacific Northwest region. Situated close to northwest Oregon at the confluence of the Willamette River, Willamette and Columbia River, ...

and

, NZ, Truth remain active in the global dubstep circuit, regularly performing and releasing new music, continuing to evolve their sound while staying true to their deep roots in the genre.

Career

Establishment and Early Years (2007-2010)

Initial Breakthrough: Truth emerged onto the international dubstep scene in late 2007, when Mala of

Digital Mystikz Digital Mystikz are a dubstep production duo consisting of Mala (born Mark Lawrence), and Coki (born Dean Harris, 26 August 1980) from the South London suburb of Norwood. Along with Loefah and SGT Pokes, who make up the group ASBO (All Soundbw ...

signed their debut single ''The Fatman / Stolen Children'', and released it in 2009 on his prestigious label, DEEP MEDi Musik. Described by Boomkat as "dark and immaculately executed”, the single (released as MEDi13x on 12" vinyl format.) established their reputation for producing dark, heavy, and meticulously crafted bass music. Early Beginning: Following their initial success, Truth went on to release several EPs and singles that further solidified their standing within the dubstep world. Notable early tracks include ''The Future'', ''Terror Planet'', ''Amnesia'', ''Wednesday'', ''Stay'', ''International'', ''Revelation'', ''Timeshift'', and ''Hackerz'' to name a few. Debut Album: In September 2010, Truth released their debut album, ''Puppets'', through Sydney-based Aquatic Lab Records. The album received widespread critical acclaim, including a nomination for Best Dubstep Album at the 2011 DubstepForum Awards. ''Puppets'' was praised for its authentic dubstep sound, with reviews from outlets like ''Knowledge Magazine'', who lauded the album for its representation of "dubstep in its purest form" and characterized it as "spacious, sub-heavy and forward-thinking". Music Week described it as "an expansive listen that works as well on headphones as in a club"., while ''

The New Zealand Herald ''The New Zealand Herald'' is a daily newspaper published in Auckland, New Zealand, owned by New Zealand Media and Entertainment, and considered a newspaper of record for New Zealand. It has the largest newspaper circulation in New Zealand, ...

'' branded ''Puppets'' "sinister yet soulful" praising its "beautifully brutal bass-laden beats". In April 2011, Truth released a New Zealand-only double-CD version of ''Puppets''. It included a bonus disc of remixes, previously unreleased material and a 35-minute mix of music from the album. The group stated that all proceeds from sales would go directly to charities involved with rebuilding

following the earthquake of February 2011. In early 2011, Julian Van Auden left the group and now performs solo under the

moniker A nickname, in some circumstances also known as a sobriquet, or informally a "moniker", is an informal substitute for the proper name of a person, place, or thing, used to express affection, playfulness, contempt, or a particular character trait ...

Gamble.

Expanding Influence and Discography (2011-2016)

The period between 2011 and 2016 was pivotal for Truth, as it marked a time of significant growth, both in terms of their music releases & touring - as well as the birth of their label. The duo cemented their reputation as key figures in the genre, and their work during these years has had a lasting impact on both their career and the broader bass music landscape. Sophomore Album: Following debut album ''Puppets'' in 2010, Truth released their second full-length album ''Love’s Shadow'' in 2012. Singles and EP's: During this period, Truth released a series of singles and EPs that maintained their presence & momentum in the scene. Notable releases include: * ''The Emperor'' (2011): Released on N-Type's Wheel & Deal Records. * ''Redlight (2012):'' Released on J:Kenzo's seminal Artikal Music imprint. * ''Devil’s Hands'' ''EP'' (2013): Released on iconic dubstep label ''Tempa'', ''Devil’s Hand'' was a standout track that emphasized Truth’s mastery of dark, brooding dubstep, and quickly became a key release in their catalog. Seeing broader commercial success, ''Devil's Hands'' went on to be featured in cable network FX's wildly successful ''

American Horror Story ''American Horror Story'' (''AHS'') is an American horror film, horror anthology series, anthology television series created by Ryan Murphy (producer), Ryan Murphy and Brad Falchuk for the Cable television, cable network FX (TV channel), FX. Th ...

'' series. * ''30,000 Ft EP'' (2014): Released on Mala's Deep Medi Musik label. * ''How Strange'' ''EP'' (2014): Released on Tempa Recordings, the EP presented some of Truth's most haunting offerings, with title track ''How Strange'' opening with eerie, ethereal vocals layered over dark, brooding sub-bass. Hypnotic, haunting atmosphere. * ''Undeniable'' ''EP'' (2014): ''Undeniable'' was the debut EP on Truth's newly formed label, Deep, Dark & Dangerous, marking the beginning of a new chapter in their career as label heads. The EP showcased their signature deep, atmospheric sound, blending minimalistic production with heavy basslines. The immersive, subtle nature of ''Undeniable'' helped set the tone for the label, which would go on to become a prominent platform for dark, experimental dubstep. * ''The Ark EP'' (2015): Released in 2015 on Firepower Records, this EP represented a unique blend of Truth's deep dubstep sound with broader musical experimentation. The EP received critical acclaim for its ability to balance dark, atmospheric dubstep with more diverse influences, such as house and beat-driven tracks.

VICE A vice is a practice, behaviour, Habit (psychology), habit or item generally considered morally wrong in the associated society. In more minor usage, vice can refer to a fault, a negative character trait, a defect, an infirmity, or a bad or unhe ...

's THUMP commented, that “Berlin,” for example, is an Ibiza-ready house tune, whereas “Come to Mind” featuring Lelijveld is a beat scene classic that wouldn’t seem out of sorts at

Low End Theory Low End Theory was a weekly experimental hip hop and electronic music club night that took place every Wednesday from 2006 to 2018 at The Airliner in Lincoln Heights, Los Angeles, California. History Low End Theory was founded in 2006 by produ ...

. * ''Devils Game'' EP (2015): Released on their own Deep, Dark & Dangerous label imprint, this EP further explored their signature dark and minimal sound.

Deep, Dark & Dangerous Label

In 2014, Truth established the record label Deep, Dark & Dangerous. The label primarily includes dubstep artists and releases.

Growth and Continued Evolution (2017-Present)

As of 2024, Truth remains an active force in dubstep, both as artists and curators of their label. They continue to tour internationally, release new music, and support long-standing & emerging talent through DDD. Their legacy in the dubstep community is well-established, with a reputation for consistency, innovation, and dedication to the genre.

Discography

References

External links

* *{{discogs artist, 1350224, Truth New Zealand electronic music groups Remixers Dubstep music groups 2007 establishments in New Zealand Musical groups established in 2007 Musical groups from Christchurch