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  1. #1
    Ultimate Freak
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    Default 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.


    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.

  2. #2
    Ultimate Freak
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    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.
    Follow your music with heart and you can never go wrong...

  3. #3
    Junior Freak
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    Top marks man!

    Do you mind if I use this on other forums??


  4. #4
    Junior Freak
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    Oh, and this should be made a sticky please admin!


  5. #5
    Ultimate Freak
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    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.

  6. #6
    Junior Freak
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    Laffin.


  7. #7
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    Great read Voor. Thank you - nice 1!

  8. #8
    Junior Freak
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    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.

  9. #9
    Ultimate Freak
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    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?

  10. #10
    Ultimate Freak
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    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
    21 minutes to know

  11. #11
    Ultimate Freak
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    top class that vorheez i like what i read :clap: :clap: :clap: :clap: ;)

  12. #12
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    :clap:
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  13. #13
    Junior Freak
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    I think it should definately be positive. The scene is only emerging.

  14. #14
    Hardtrance Concierge
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    :clap: :clap: good read

  15. #15
    Junior Freak
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    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 ;)

  16. #16
    Junior Freak
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    oh nit-picking again, do you mean 'kernkraft 400' where you've put 3000?!

  17. #17
    BOA Lifetime Member
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    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:

  18. #18
    Ultimate Freak
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    Yeh good work mate, but i do agree with tobe, i dont think hardstyle has peaked and fallen in the uk yet.

    :clap:

  19. #19
    Supreme Freak
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    good stuff mate!
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  20. #20
    Ultimate Freak
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    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.

 

 
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