grime and dubstep had loads in common but dubstep was basically like dad-garage/jungle. so you still had things like bass weight, but instead of getting you hype, it was there for you to 'meditate' on. pretty new agey (funny, and this might just be me, but for all the weight, i cant think of many great dubstep basslines, though thats also just cos no one does basslines much anymore). to me dubstep was always trying to show how deep and grown up it was (even loefah still talks about putting out stuff that isnt 'just for kids'). its pretty precious, po-faced, self-serious. obv grime was also serious, but in a diff way, more obsessed with proving how 'real' it was. but even when the mcs were ott, the beats didnt have dubsteps self consciousness. dubstep it seemed to be about trying to sort of dub/space/chill out uk dance music, basically make dance music without danceability (grime was still dancey, or energetic at least, imo), cos you know, dancing is silly (though ok, grime didnt exactly want people to dance either, cos it wanted to be listened to properly), and dance music gets dated, and dubstep guys aim for timelessness and warmth and musicality etc etc. the best dubstep imo was the stuff that didnt aim for naturalism and was happy just to be punishing, cold, heavy, etc (though not necess in the vex'd sort of vein). grime basically wanted to be appreciated like hip hop, dubstep basically wanted to be appreciated like dub.
all the emo shit in post dubstep where producers talk about wanting to make you bawl your eyes out on the dancefloor (or whatever), that was already there in old dubstep, its just that where before it was more meditative, now it goes a bit overkill with it. theyve teased that one idea/theme out a bit too much. and it sounds a bit silly (same way as when grime mcs try too hard to show their vulnerable side). i read one thing where ikonika talked about madonnas into the groove and how it was danceable but still had emotion which is right but most of this lot only seem to think 'emotion' as meaning 'sadness' whereas something like into the groove had shades of sadness, but also a lot of longing, sexiness, and yearning along with it. they should perhaps just have a good cry before they turn their macs on so they can get it out their system.