Happy hardcore
| Happy Hardcore | |
|---|---|
| Stylistic origins: | Rave, Acid house, Bouncy techno, Gabber, Eurodance |
| Cultural origins: | United Kingdom, Netherlands, Germany |
| Typical instruments: | Synthesizer – Drum machine – Sequencer – Keyboard – Sampler |
| Mainstream popularity: | 1996 Large 1999 Small 2006 Large |
| Subgenres | |
| Freeform, UK Hardcore | |
| Fusion genres | |
| none | |
| Other topics | |
| Electronic musical instrument – Computer music | |
Happy hardcore is a form of dance music typified by a very fast tempo (usually around 165-180 BPM), often coupled with male or female vocals, and saccharine lyrics. Its characteristically 4/4 beat "happy" sound distinguishes it from most other forms of breakbeat hardcore, which tend to be "darker". In its original incarnation, it was often characterized by piano riffs, synth stabs and spacey effects. This genre of music is closely related to the typically Dutch genre of Gabber. Happy hardcore evolved from rave music around 1991–1993, as the original house music-based rave became faster and began to include breakbeats, evolving into breakbeat hardcore.
In the UK, happy hardcore was at its peak between 1994 and 1997. In the more recent past happy hardcore has made a large re-emergence into the mainstream, more specifically it has received coverage in Mixmag. It has spawned various new record labels in the United States, Canada, the UK, and Japan and continues to grow in popularity. In 2002, the compilation series Bonkers was relaunched after a 3 year hiatus and have proved to be successful, releasing eight compilations between 2002 and 2005. The 21st century sound of the genre is notable by the lack of the bouncy synths and piano lines that were trademarks of the genre in the 90s. The genre now has a more euphoric trance feel to it not too dissimilar to the sound of the late 90s trance that was popular in Ibiza at the time, albeit at a higher tempo.
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[edit] Development of happy hardcore
By mid-to-late 1992, hardcore breakbeat was shifting to its darker elements. The "cheesier" elements of the hardcore scene (sped up vocals (sometimes pitched up), choruses, rolling piano lines, synth stabs, 'bouncy' kicks with slight distortion etc.), which were being blamed by the purists for the commercialization of the music, had started to be eliminated by the new breed of ravers, who wanted to take the music back to the underground with darker, more minimal tracks.
Some producers (Luna-C (who was one of the men behind the Smart E's), Slipmatt (of SL2), Red Alert & Mike Slammer, Brisk, DJ Vibes, Wishdokta, etc.), however, utilized these elements for their own sound. This pushed forward the genre so that there were now polyrhythmic breakbeats, half-speed dub-bass and no 4/4 kick drum (which attracted many black ravers, who promptly introduced MCs into the scene). But, apart from this, the E-rush of hardcore continued for quite some time, just as the music was still getting faster and faster. Dark side and the happier tunes were being played together at the same raves, the same pirate stations, etc.
Slipmatt's "SMD #1" was quite a culture shock to most of the ravers. It was not euphoric and it was most definitely not dark. It increased the intensity of the happiest, cheesiest treble elements of rave and was loved by some and hated by many. It also reintroduced the 4/4 kick drum, had fewer snare breaks and a more techno-influenced bassline. It had a profound influence on the whole of the hardcore scene. After several months, the darker tunes were dying and being replaced by the bittersweet nature of ambient jungle/drum'n'bass. Some of the once happier tunes had darkened up a bit and turned the bass right up and ragga jungle and jump-up jungle itself had arrived. The other happy ravers (still using the jungle-style rhythms for a while) gradually took Slipmatt's lead and happy hardcore was born.
By late 1994, happy hardcore had broken away from Jungle (which was now accepted by the mainstream) and had its own network of DJs (Slipmatt, DJ Force & Styles, Vibes & Wishdokta, DJ CJ, Hixxy, Brisk, Clarkee, SadSack, etc.) labels (Kniteforce, Slammin Vinyl) and clubs/raves (Die Hard, United Dance, Southern Exposure, Dreamscape, etc.) It was rejected by the dance mainstream and had its own media and pirate radio.
In this course of time 1995–1997 the music was still evolving. There were now almost no breakbeats and the music had become faster and stompy, with a progressive rhythm. The scene was now set for the genre's merge with bouncy techno and 4-beat. Around 1999 various UK rave culture publications started announcing the largely mistaken "death" of Hardcore; many would argue that it had instead just gone back to its underground roots.
Also around this time the UK Happy Hardcore had started taking influences from the mainstream trance tunes heard virtually everywhere. While this move attracted new listeners it also began to alienate some of its long time producers, many of which switched to producing Hard house or simply retired. It was this merging of trance influences with hardcore that caused the birth of a new genre Freeform Hardcore. This style of music blended the earlier dark influences, the breakbeats, as well as various trance influences. Freeform also created its own network of DJs and producers most noticeably CLSM, Sharkey, AMS, Kevin Energy.
Hardcore also received its own special in 2004 on BBC Radio 1 entitled John Peel Is Not Enough named after a CLSM track of the same name.
[edit] The Change
Happy Hardcore had a slow period of growth and popularity from 1998-2001 which can be seen in the number of happy hardcore artists and producers leaving happy hardcore for other genres of music and some record labels stopping production.
One possible contributing factor to the genre's decline during 1998-2001 is the bankrupcy of several major UK distributors, which left labels with unpaid invoices.[citation needed] This lack of payment destroyed some labels such as Hectech Records.[citation needed]
2001 -2003 saw the revival with new clubs and DJs including the famous HTID, and later the BBC features, the new sound was really what was in the making within the bedrooms and studios in 2000-2001 + the new tech which is asounding and needless to say unbelievable tribute to the original groundbreakers.
[edit] Artists, DJs and producers
- Anabolic Frolic
- Bang
- Brisk
- CLSM
- DJ Paul Elstak
- Dougal
- Hixxy
- Gammer
- Sharkey
- Scott Brown
- Sy
- DNA
- Fade
- DJ Storm
- Eruption
- Slipmatt
- Luna C
- Darren Styles
[edit] See also
[edit] External links
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| Bouncy techno - Breakbeat - Breakcore - Darkcore - Freeform - Gabba - Happy - Hardcore Breaks - Industrial - Makina - Speedbass - Speedcore - Terrorcore - Trancecore - UK | |
| Other electronic dance music genres | Ambient - Breakbeat - Drum and bass - Electro - UK garage - Hardcore - House - Industrial - Synthpop - Techno - Trance - Triphop |