UK hardcore
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UK Hardcore is a broad term to describe the evolved United Kingdom rave hardcore lineage 4/4-kick drum and breakbeat fueled sound, which emerged there around the start of the 1990s and grew in strength during the 21st century. Encompassing numerous styles and influences, UK Hardcore has a fresh, modern edge to it, often using the latest synthesizers and equipment. Be it a vocal track or an instrumental this current style is a difficult sound to categorise as each of the key DJs and record labels have developed their own sound and approach to this genre.
Early Hardcore producers such as the Prodigy, Hyper-On Experience and Sonz of a Loop da Loop Era evolved in a period where Techno was developing a harder edge, exploring the complex breakbeats that would later manifest themselves as Drum and Bass. The stylistic influence of techno including the movie, cartoon and media samples, and powerful synthesizer based breakdowns was clear in this earlier form of UK Hardcore, which some believed to hit its first peak in 1992. For example, some websites proclaim in hyperbolic terms "1992 was the best year for music, EVER!"
With the diversity in sound available to producers, due to the onset of progressively more advanced computer and music production systems, electronic music was evolving at a rapid pace during this period. Hardcore, techno, and Drum and Bass split, during this intense period of creativity, spinning off the styles of Ragga and Darkside.
The United Kingdom based rave hardcore scene of the 1990s encompassed several native based styles through the years, specifically techno and hardcore being the dominant styles north and south respectively in the country for much of this period.
Simultaneously, the Dutch were eyeing the content of the UK Hardcore scene, and morphing it into their own variation, some would say, with a focus on cheese. Towards the mid to late 90s, DJs like Paul Elstak, and Performers like Scooter, were generating a style of 4-beat music that was heavily vocal, and lacked the depth of intensity of that produced by the British producers. This style was also produced by a minority of British producers such as Force and Styles. This is in contrast to much of the other content being produced by Rotterdam hardcore labels, or Gabba producers, who maintained their intensity. This style adopted the name of Happy Hardcore--a different genre from UK hardcore, which within the UK is otherwise known plainly as Hardcore.
Through a combination of factors, hardcore had taken a new musical direction towards the latter 1990s. It now had little musical resemblance to its origins, generally becoming more vocal based and at times being cover versions of popular songs. This sound attracted a younger audience in the UK. Elsewhere at this time, this particular sound had found a new worldwide audience in places such as Australia, Canada, Japan ,France and United States.
Producers looked to regenerate the United Kingdom based rave hardcore music scene towards the end of the 20th century, taking influence from many different styles whilst trying to leave the late 1990s happy hardcore image behind. UK Hardcore is the result and has seen new producers enter the scene. This current sound similarly has also found followers from all corners of the globe.
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[edit] Artists
[edit] Noted DJs and producers
- Gammer
- Hixxy
- Scott Brown
- CLSM
- Luna-C
- Ham
- Dougal
- Force
- Darren Styles
- Storm
- Euphony
- Tuna
- UFO
- Sy
- Unknown
- V.A.G.A.B.O.N.D (Euphoria, Dreadhed)
- Vibes
- Oli G
- Breeze
- Brisk
- Kevin Energy
- Sharkey
- Seduction
- Kurt
- Ramos
- Stompy
- Storm
- Marc Smith
- Re-Con
- Impact
- Slipmatt
- Cube::Hard
- K-Complex
- Ephexis
- Mark Ashley
- Marc Smith
- Impact & Resist
- Frisky & Hujib
[edit] MCs
- Storm
- Whizzkid
- Fugitive
- Ribbz
- Nice and Easy
- Wotsee
- Odyssey
- The SFX
- RizlaDizla
- Marley
- Smiley
- Rude
- Spenno
- Stevie B
- Stompin
- XXX
- MC D
[edit] Vocalists
- DMO (Donna Marie Onions)
- Jenna
- Jo James
- Lisa Abbott
- Lisa Marie
- Lou Lou
- Louise Lamb (vocalist in many 2004 Euphoria songs)
- L. Foster
- Jennifer Bolton
- Kelly C
- Vicky Fee (vocalist Heaven 7)
[edit] Labels
- Addictive Vinyl
- All around the world (AATW)
- Blatant Beats
- Camel
- CLSM
- Definitive Dance
- DFM Records
- Electrik Euphoria
- Essential Platinum
- Evolution
- Evolution Plus
- Evolved
- FBI Recordings
- Hardcore Collections
- Helter Skelter
- Higher State Music
- Infinity Recordings
- Jelly Baby
- Just Another Label (JAL)
- KFA
- Kniteforce
- Lethal Theory
- MasterWax
- Maximum Impact
- Next Generation
- Nu Energy
- Nukleuz
- Quosh
- Raver Baby
- Raw Elements
- Remix Reloaded
- RFUGrey
- Slammin' Vinyl
- Ufology
- Underground Recordings
- Warped Science
[edit] External links
- http://www.happyhardcore.com News and discussion on all types of hardcore, mostly UK Hardcore
- http://www.ush.net Popular UK Hardcore website with a lively forum.
- http://www.happystation.eu UK HARDCORE RADIO SHOW
| Hardcore |
|---|
| Bouncy techno - Breakbeat - Breakcore - Darkcore - Freeform - Gabber - Happy - Hardcore Breaks - Industrial - Makina - Speedbass - Speedcore - Terrorcore - UK |
| Other electronic music genres |
| Ambient | Breakbeat | Dance | Drum and bass | Electronica | Electronic Art Music | Hard Dance | Hardcore | House | Industrial | Synthpop | Techno | Trance |
