An into to hardstyle: a rough draft

Printable View

18-01-2004, 02:59 PM
Voorheez

An into to hardstyle: a rough draft

This is aimed for eventually being put up as a sticky topic for newcomers to the board to be able to understand what hardstyle is exactly. Any input would be great, anything you can add or anything you can correct, please let me know...

An Introduction to Hardstyle

What is Hardstyle? Hardstyle is a new genre of dance music that takes elements from many different styles of hard dance music to form it’s own individual style. It was an evolution from hard trance and borrows heavily from hardcore and hard house.

The Beginnings
Germany – 2000. Hennes & Cold release ‘The Second Trip’ (http://germantrance.com/content/_rams/TTX2020B.ram)debuting a bass line that would go on to revolutionise hard trance. The popularity of the track, and in particular the Dj Scot Project remix (http://germantrance.com/content/_rams/TTX2020A.ram)started a trend of tracks that were driven by an ultra hard bassline but with dramatic trance breaks. The most popular labels in this new style of hard trance were Overdose and Pulse (www.overdose.de) and Tracid Traxxx (www.tracidtraxxx.de).

Gradually a new trend began to emerge. People grew tired of the formulaic hard trance breakdown and thirsted more towards tracks that placed all emphasis on the bassline, leaving out the trance breaks. Whilst this trend was undoubtedly started in Germany, with producers like Uberduck (www.djthecrow.de) and Warmduscher (www.warmduscher.info), many of the German producers failed to realise that their productions were growing stale and it was up to another nation to take charge.

Evolution
Italy – 2001. Two great stables of producers emerge. Future Sound Corporation (www.futuresoundcorporation.com) was a label that started with hard trance and constantly pushed the sound as hard as it would go. Trance Generators - ‘Connected’ (http://germantrance.com/content/_rams/FTS003A.ram), Radium – ‘Only A Test’ (http://germantrance.com/content/_rams/FTS009.ram)- undoubtedly the hardest tracks around at the time within the genre, and were hugely popular.
Also on the rise are a group of producers on The Saifam Group (www.saifam.com) which includes Technoboy aka Dj Gius (www.technoboy.nl), who had shot to fame with his massively successful remix of Zombie Nation’s ‘Kernkraft 3000’. Again a production team that constantly pushes the envelope, trying to make each track harder than the next. Sub Labels include Titanic & Dance Pollution, both of which would give great exposure to the new wave of Italian producers who were now beginning to emerge and create their own sound.
Italy however was not where the sound was most popular…

Popularity
Holland 2002 - the new Italian sound is embraced with open arms. Talented dutch DJs help the genre to spread like wildfire with many crossing over from hardcore like Lady Dana (www.ladydana.com), The Prophet (www.scantraxx.com) and Pavo (www.djpavo.com) whilst Italian DJs flock in to to fly the flag for their country. Many club nights start playing the style but one club night in particular becomes dominant over all others – Qlimax (www.q-dance.nl). It is here that the name ‘Hardstyle’ was born.The popularity of hardstyle in Holland is unrivalled, and still is to this day. Qlimax host a variety of parties, some of which are absolutely huge, held in stadiums and playing only hardstyle.
http://pictures.q-dance.nl/6338/pics/0565-flo-2299.jpg

Evolution part 2
2003 - Once hardstyle had really taken off, it evolved once again. Sub genres began to appear, although none are actually defined by name as of yet, and they are identifiable from their nationality mainly:
The dutch inevitably created their own branch of hardstyle, led by labels like Seismic (www.seismicrecords.nl) and producers like DJ Isaac (www.djisaac.com) The dutch sound is influenced by hardcore and hard house mostly so tracks become primarily fun, light, bouncy and contain high pitched vocals. Meanwhile, a primarily Italian style became much more dark. A lot of tracks are highly influenced by gabba, with hard industrial tracks becoming more prevelant on labels like 59 records and Italian Masters of Hardstyle.

The Future
2004 - The future of hardstyle is hard to predict. Here in the UK hardstyle has already peaked and fallen, but in it’s home countries it’s more popular than ever. Will the genre evolve again before it grows stale? We can only hope so.
18-01-2004, 03:02 PM
Hakka.

Very impressed mate. Wise words and I agree with the early hardstyle being from 2000/01 where Scot Project/Hennes & Cold brought us the first insight to the kick & bass which has evolved in to todays hard style.

Good words.
18-01-2004, 03:05 PM
DJ IKON

Top marks man!

Do you mind if I use this on other forums??
18-01-2004, 03:05 PM
DJ IKON

Oh, and this should be made a sticky please admin!
18-01-2004, 03:10 PM
Voorheez

No Ikon, this is just a draft in case anything needs to be corrected before it goes (hopefully) as a sticky. Let me correct anything I need to first, but after you can by all means use it on other forums.
18-01-2004, 03:14 PM
DJ IKON

Laffin.
18-01-2004, 03:30 PM
MARKEG

Great read Voor. Thank you - nice 1!
18-01-2004, 05:04 PM
Tobe Cypher23

Really nice read vorheez. Don't think the scene has peaked yet in the UK. Just a that a few promotors including myself (NEO) are trying bigger events at a time when it's harder to start something new.
18-01-2004, 05:08 PM
Voorheez

Noted. I'll try to be a little more positive in that sense - i'd like to include more on the UK scene really, perhaps i'll add a chapter for it.

Any over pointers that people can suggest? I was thinking of adding links to hardstyle anthems or good examples of each style/chapter and maybe links to buy CDs or download mixes? Is there enough information? Will adding more make it too heavy for an introduction?
18-01-2004, 05:15 PM
wenna

perhaps a paragraph about labels,djs in the uk that are pioneering hardstyle.?? (mark eg, m-zone, nukleuz etc etc....) :roll:

quality read though. cheers m8 :cool:
18-01-2004, 05:16 PM
dj vorny

top class that vorheez i like what i read :clap: :clap: :clap: :clap: ;)
18-01-2004, 06:01 PM
Paul Nisbet

:clap:
18-01-2004, 06:42 PM
Tobe Cypher23

I think it should definately be positive. The scene is only emerging.
18-01-2004, 06:50 PM
Jay M

:clap: :clap: good read
18-01-2004, 11:22 PM
Pots

Well written Voorheez, great to have so many links to sites and songs, serves as an excellent introduction. Good job it's a draft tho, with the spelling mistake in the title ;)
18-01-2004, 11:25 PM
Pots

oh nit-picking again, do you mean 'kernkraft 400' where you've put 3000?!
19-01-2004, 11:27 AM
Yoshimitsu

Very interesting read m8 hit the nail on the head so to speak! Maybe could add a bit more about german hardstyle as although theres not much of it, it has been influential eg. blutonium.

Otherwise spot on :clap: :lol: :clap:
19-01-2004, 11:44 AM
K Front

Yeh good work mate, but i do agree with tobe, i dont think hardstyle has peaked and fallen in the uk yet.

:clap:
19-01-2004, 11:44 AM
Chazbloke

good stuff mate!
19-01-2004, 05:09 PM
Voorheez

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pots

Good job it's a draft tho, with the spelling mistake in the title ;)

Lol I know. Didn't you spot the Uberduck typo? Thats my fav!

And it is Kernkraft 400 isn't it? I'm getting confused because that hardstyle version was called 3000.

Quote:

Originally Posted by KebabsJJK

blutonium

Yeah i'll try to fit these in somewhere along the lines.
20-01-2004, 07:19 PM
Pots

You could also add a sentence about the BPM range of hardstyle, to differentiate it from hardcore/ gabba?
21-01-2004, 06:45 PM
Voorheez

Good idea. I have quite a few new things that I want to add now, hopefully the final draft will be ready at the weekend.

Does anyone know if it is possible for me to make a word work as a link instead of putting the link after it? This would just be a lot more aesthetically pleasing - i.e in technoboy (link in brackets) the word technoboy replaces the link in the brackets. I've seen it done but only in people's sigs. Is it possible here?
21-01-2004, 07:10 PM
Jay M

Quote:

Originally Posted by Voorheez

Good idea. I have quite a few new things that I want to add now, hopefully the final draft will be ready at the weekend.

Does anyone know if it is possible for me to make a word work as a link instead of putting the link after it? This would just be a lot more aesthetically pleasing - i.e in technoboy (link in brackets) the word technoboy replaces the link in the brackets. I've seen it done but only in people's sigs. Is it possible here?

[URL=http://www.djjaym.co.uk]Jay M

will make

Jay M

if you put at the end
21-01-2004, 07:15 PM
Pots

This is how it works on the crasher board, lemme see if it works here:

Technoboy
21-01-2004, 07:16 PM
Pots

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pots

This is how it works on the crasher board, lemme see if it works here:

Technoboy

Hurrah!!!

You do this:

[URL=http://www.website.com]Tag[/URL ]

without the space at the end obiviously.

When the book gets published make sure i get a credit in the sleeve ;)
21-01-2004, 07:17 PM
Jay M

lol i ****ed that up

http://***.djjaym.co.uk]Jay M[/URL] wiith www instead of the *** will make Jay M
21-01-2004, 08:06 PM
Barely Human

If you look up.......you looking up??? Good......now look for the word FAQ.....see it? Good...now click on it.....

Oh look, it tells you how do do everything with the forum :doh: ;) :lol:
22-01-2004, 08:53 PM
Voorheez

Quote:

Originally Posted by IQ

If you look up.......you looking up??? Good......now look for the word FAQ.....see it? Good...now click on it.....

Oh look, it tells you how do do everything with the forum :doh: ;) :lol:

Sarky ****er
23-01-2004, 08:36 AM
Tobe Cypher23

Voorheez > can we keep the hardstyle intro positive. Remember its an intro for people who know nothing or little about hardstyle. I think we should let them make there own minds up on the future and not make that point a focus for them.
23-01-2004, 08:43 AM
Barely Human

Quote:

Originally Posted by Voorheez

Quote:

Originally Posted by IQ

If you look up.......you looking up??? Good......now look for the word FAQ.....see it? Good...now click on it.....

Oh look, it tells you how do do everything with the forum :doh: ;) :lol:

Sarky ****er

LoL :lol:
23-01-2004, 03:48 PM
Addict

Like it Voorheez, cleared up a few things for me too, I definitley feel that Hardstyle has peaked in this country and now only works for me when played with techno or hard trance as part of a set.

Excellent wording

WORD!!!
23-01-2004, 08:31 PM
Voorheez

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tobe Cypher23

Voorheez > can we keep the hardstyle intro positive. Remember its an intro for people who know nothing or little about hardstyle. I think we should let them make there own minds up on the future and not make that point a focus for them.

Tobe, i'm confused.

Didn't you ask the same thing on page one of this topic, and I said it's a very good point?!
24-01-2004, 04:37 AM
Tobe Cypher23

sos...just got carried away :oops:
24-01-2004, 01:04 PM
Christian Michael

Awesome description! It was neat reading it and seeing the records I have and remembering when I got them. People here in Atlanta think this is new, but the sound has been around along time. Now it is just more refined and focused.

I'd definitely like to post this on some forums here in Atlanta when you have it done!

Christian