Modestep is back, and he’s not playing around. After a decade-long gap since his last full-length project, the UK electronic pioneer just dropped “Bodybag,” a face-melting single that kicks off the campaign for his upcoming album Give Up The Ghost.
And let’s just say, this new era? It’s loud, dark, and absolutely feral in the best way.
“Bodybag” doesn’t just reintroduce Modestep, it rips open the gates to a bass-drenched world where synthwave collides with classic dubstep and finishes with a brutal drum & bass finale. Clocking in at a driving 140BPM, the track throws down with wailing leads, gritty analog textures, and drums so heavy they might just knock your speakers out. It’s a nod to his roots while giving a giant middle finger to genre rules.
Modestep said it best: “I had been trying to make 140bpm music that moves into new territory while also maintaining the vibe of dubstep that I first fell in love with.” And “Bodybag” does just that. It keeps the heart of early Modestep, the deep, wobbly basslines and strong vocal melodies, but injects it with a darker, more cinematic twist. Everything from the sound design to the pacing feels like a deliberate evolution, not just nostalgia bait.
But the track is just the beginning. Along with the release, Modestep has finally confirmed what fans have been dying to hear: Give Up The Ghost, his first full-length album in 10 years, is officially on the way. The record dives headfirst into a concept rooted in the rise of AI and how it’s reshaping creativity. Picture a world where artificial intelligence replaces human artists, and the emotional chaos that follows. Now wrap that theme in a mix of dubstep, drum & bass, rock, and live instruments, and you’ve got a taste of what this album promises to be.
What’s even better? Modestep isn’t keeping this new sound to himself. He’s hitting the road hard this summer with a packed tour schedule that’ll take him across Europe and the US. Fans can catch him doing both DJ sets and full live band performances, with stops at major festivals like Download, Rampage Open Air, and Blacklist Festival.
Here’s where you can catch him live: May 30 in Tilburg for Rampage, June 14 at Download Festival in Donington where he headlines District X, and July 5 for Rampage Open Air in Belgium, headlining the dubstep stage. He’s also set to perform on August 8 at Rockowizna Festival in Poland, followed by another show on August 21 at Fajer Festival, and finally closing out with Blacklist Festival in Germany on October 11.
So yeah, Modestep isn’t just back, he’s back with a vengeance. “Bodybag” is the perfect way to kick off this new era, blending everything that made fans fall in love with his sound a decade ago with the energy and storytelling of today. Give Up The Ghost sounds like it’s going to be one of the most daring and imaginative records to hit the bass scene in a long time.
And if “Bodybag” is any sign of what’s coming next, then brace yourself. Modestep isn’t just revisiting his past, he’s dragging it into the future, setting it on fire, and blasting it through a wall of distortion.
