Modestep — Best Of 2016
Dubstep · 1h 07m · analysed 24 Aug 2026 · source: soundcloud.com
Public mix analysis — no affiliation or endorsement. This report measures a publicly available recording hosted on soundcloud.com. The scores are produced by SOONOS and do not imply any partnership with, or approval by, Modestep.
In short
Best Of 2016 by Modestep scores 67/100 in the SOONOS analysis (developing). The strongest dimension is TECHNIQUE (83/100) and the weakest is SURPRISE (65/100).
The DJ masters the 'festival peak' energy but could benefit from the restraint and storytelling found in more underground styles.
Key takeaways
What weakened the set
- Recurring mid-frequency clash (2×) — Mid-range buildup muddies the soundstage and washes out vocals/synths during transitions. Detected 2× (16:42, 28:04).
- Repeated volume jumps (2×) — Gain-staging mismatches break perceived continuity and force the crowd to readjust. Detected 2× (16:42, 28:04).
- Long static loops (6×) — Sections sitting on the same loop without layering, EQ moves or tension shifts (4:00, 8:00, 30:45, 37:00, 45:00, 64:00). Long loops kill dancefloor momentum.
What to try next
- Experiment with more complex harmonic mixing to add emotional depth.
- Use creative FX (delays/reverbs) during transitions to create more atmosphere.
- Vary the transition lengths to keep the listener guessing.
- Consider a mid-set genre switch to add a surprise element.
Timestamped insights
Each moment below is tagged with how it was produced: “measured” comes from the DSP pass on the audio, “listening” comes from the multi-agent listening pass.
Seamless transition between bass house tracks, maintaining energy perfectly.
Effective energy handoff using frequency isolation.
Smooth transition between two high-energy tracks, maintaining the groove perfectly.
A slightly abrupt transition that works for the genre but feels a bit rushed.
Excellent layering of two melodic elements that creates a new harmonic texture.
Smooth transition into a trap-influenced track, maintaining energy.
Perfectly timed swap on the downbeat, seamless energy transfer.
Slightly abrupt vibe shift, though beatmatched correctly.
About this dubstep set
Best Of 2016 is a dubstep DJ set by Modestep, running 1h 07m. It was measured by the SOONOS multi-agent engine and scores 67/100 overall — developing.
The engine files this performance as “Promising”.
The DJ masters the 'festival peak' energy but could benefit from the restraint and storytelling found in more underground styles.
How the score breaks down
SOONOS scores this set across 5 weighted categories. The strongest is TECHNIQUE at 83/100; the weakest is SURPRISE at 65/100.
Analysis coverage for this file is 100% — the share of the set the engine could measure with full confidence.
Energy and structure
The energy curve was sampled at 33 points, moving between 20 and 95 on the SOONOS energy scale — a wide dynamic range across the set.
8 transitions were detected and scored individually.
Beat-grid measurement (DSP) reports 756.1 grid breaks per hour, with a median beat offset of 22 ms.
How this score is built
Measured layer (DSP): the audio file is analysed directly — beat grid, tempo stability, loudness and energy. These values are measurements, not opinions.
Listening layer: a multi-agent pass reads musical intent — programming, storytelling, coherence and crowd effect. This layer interprets, it does not measure.
Fusion and ceilings: the two layers are merged, and the measured layer always wins on execution. When the DSP hears an execution problem, it caps the final score even if the listening layer is positive.
Measured coverage for this file is 100% of the set.
Full SOONOS analysis
The DJ masters the 'festival peak' energy but could benefit from the restraint and storytelling found in more underground styles.
The 8 dimensions
Not available — the 8-dimension profile was not measured for this set.
Score breakdown
TECHNIQUE
How well did you execute?
25%83
TECHNIQUE
How well did you execute?
STORYTELLING
Did the mix go somewhere?
25%77
STORYTELLING
Did the mix go somewhere?
ENERGY
Did you control the room?
20%73
ENERGY
Did you control the room?
SURPRISE
Did you remain unpredictable?
15%65
SURPRISE
Did you remain unpredictable?
IDENTITY
Did the mix sound like you?
15%75
IDENTITY
Did the mix sound like you?
Energy arc
Transitions analysed (8)
32-bar EQ blend, low swap on phrase
Seamless transition between bass house tracks, maintaining energy perfectly.
Drop swap with high-pass filter sweep
Effective energy handoff using frequency isolation.
EQ-balanced blend on the drop
Smooth transition between two high-energy tracks, maintaining the groove perfectly.
Quick cut on the 1
A slightly abrupt transition that works for the genre but feels a bit rushed.
Long melodic blend
Excellent layering of two melodic elements that creates a new harmonic texture.
8-bar EQ blend
Smooth transition into a trap-influenced track, maintaining energy.
Phrase-aligned low-end swap
Perfectly timed swap on the downbeat, seamless energy transfer.
Quick cut on the drop
Slightly abrupt vibe shift, though beatmatched correctly.
Technical subscores
80
EQ balance
88
Beat alignment
83
Energy control
92
Tempo stability
76
Loudness control
73
Musical coherence
80
Harmonic compatibility
82
Transition cleanliness
Measured (DSP)
22 ms
Beat-grid drift (median)
Typical gap between the two tracks' beats while they play together. Lower is tighter.
197 ms
Drift p95
Worst-case drift: 95% of the set stays tighter than this value.
4,015
Boundaries detected
Points where the audio changes track or section.
45
Hard cuts / h
Abrupt track changes per hour, with no blend between the two records.
1021
Clipping events
Moments where the recording hits the ceiling and distorts.
246
Level jumps
Sudden volume steps between tracks.
Measurement confidence 100% · analysed on the full audio.
Recurring patterns
Recurring mid-frequency clash
Mid-range buildup muddies the soundstage and washes out vocals/synths during transitions. Detected 2× (16:42, 28:04).
Repeated volume jumps
Gain-staging mismatches break perceived continuity and force the crowd to readjust. Detected 2× (16:42, 28:04).
Long static loops (6×)
Sections sitting on the same loop without layering, EQ moves or tension shifts (4:00, 8:00, 30:45, 37:00, 45:00, 64:00). Long loops kill dancefloor momentum.
Timeline
- 0:05Thematic Hook
- 5:45Energy Plateau
- 14:50Energy Peak
- 18:20Momentum Sag
- 16:42Risky pressure or vibe dip
- 28:04Trap Peak Drop
- 26:30Energy Plateau
Coaching notes
- Experiment with more complex harmonic mixing to add emotional depth.
- Use creative FX (delays/reverbs) during transitions to create more atmosphere.
- Vary the transition lengths to keep the listener guessing.
- Consider a mid-set genre switch to add a surprise element.
- Incorporate more dynamic range by allowing for quieter breakdowns between high-energy drops.
- Experiment with harmonic mixing to create smoother transitions between melodic tracks.
- Use more varied transition techniques, such as loop-based layering, to add creative flair.
- Focus on building a more distinct narrative arc rather than a series of high-energy peaks.
- Incorporate more rhythmic variation in the build-ups to keep the energy unpredictable.
- Experiment with creative FX (reverb/delay) during transitions to add a unique signature.
- Introduce a brief melodic 'breather' before the final track to enhance the emotional payoff.
Curious how your own set scores?
Methodology and limitations
This report is produced automatically from the published recording. It measures what is present in the audio file: a bad source encoding, a partial upload or a heavily processed broadcast version can change the measured values. Nothing here reflects the room, the crowd or the night itself.
Read the full SOONOS methodology →Questions about this analysis
- What score does Modestep's Best Of 2016 get?
- Best Of 2016 scores 67/100 in the SOONOS Mix Database (developing), based on audio measurement plus multi-agent listening.
- How long is Best Of 2016?
- The analysed recording runs 1h 07m.
- Which part of the mix scores best?
- TECHNIQUE is the strongest category at 83/100, while SURPRISE is the lowest at 65/100.
- How is this score calculated?
- SOONOS measures the audio with a DSP pass (beat grid, loudness, tempo, energy) and runs a multi-agent listening pass on top. Measured axes always override the listening layer, so an execution issue heard in the file caps the final score.
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Test how a set like this one would land in a club, a beach club or a festival.
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