Editing Breakbeat hardcore

{{Short description|Subgenre of breakbeat and UK rave music genre}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2021}}
{{About|the UK 1990s rave genre|the later European genre|Breakcore}}
{{Infobox music genre
| name    = Breakbeat hardcore
| stylistic_origins= {{hlist|[[Breakbeat]]|[[house music|house]]|[[new beat]]|[[Belgian techno]]|[[acid house]]|[[hip hop music|hip hop]]|[[hip house]]}}
|cultural_origins= Late 1980s – early 1990s, United Kingdom
|derivatives={{hlist|[[Darkcore]]|[[jungle music|jungle]]|[[drum and bass]]|[[4-beat]]|[[happy hardcore]]|[[big beat]]}}
|subgenrelist=
|fusiongenres=
|regional_scenes=
|other_topics=
}}
'''Breakbeat hardcore''' (also referred to as '''hardcore rave''', '''oldskool hardcore''' or simply '''hardcore''') is a [[music genre]] that spawned from the UK [[rave]] scene during the early 1990s. It combines [[Four-on-the-floor (dance)|four-on-the-floor]] rhythms with [[breakbeat]]s usually [[sampling (music)|sampled]] from [[hip hop music|hip hop]]. In addition to the inclusion of breakbeats, the genre also features shuffled [[drum machine]] patterns, [[hoover sound|hoover]], and other noises originating from [[new beat]] and [[Belgian techno]], sounds from [[acid house]] and [[bleep techno]], and often upbeat [[house music|house]] piano riffs and vocals.{{sfn|Reynolds|2013|p=96|loc="1990 also saw the genesis of a distinctively British rave sound, 'hard core', which decisively broke with the mould of Detroit and Chicago, and ended the dependency on American imports. By 1991 this underground sound – actually a confederacy of hybrid genres and regional styles – was assaulting the mainstream pop charts."}}

== History ==
=== Early 1990s: origins ===
{{Main|Rave}}
[[File:Fantazia Summertime Rave.jpg|thumb|Fantazia Summertime rave, May 1992]]
The [[rave]] scene expanded rapidly in the very early [[1990s in music|1990s]], both at [[Nightclub|clubs]] up and down the country including [[Labrynth (club)|Labrynth]], [[Shelley's Laserdome]], [[The Eclipse (club)|The Eclipse]], and [[Sanctuary Music Arena]], and large raves in [[Warehouse]]s and in the open air attracting 20–50,000 whether put on legally from promoters such as [[Fantazia (rave music promoter)|Fantazia]] and [[Raindance (rave music promoter)|Raindance]], or unlicensed by [[free party]] [[Sound system (DJ)|sound systems]] such as [[Spiral Tribe]]. Breakbeat hardcore drew its melting pot of sound from a vast array of influences – from [[new beat]] and [[Belgian techno]] that had for a short period been prominent in the UK [[rave music|rave]] scene, to [[house music|house]] and [[acid house]], and furthermore drawing on [[hip hop music|hip hop]] and [[reggae]] culture.{{sfn|Reynolds|2013|pp=96–97|loc="Between 1990 and 1993, hardcore in Britain referred by turns to the Northern bleep-and-bass sound of Warp and Unique 3, to the hip-house and ragga-techno sounds of the Shut Up And Dance label, to the anthemic pop-rave of acts like N-Joi and Shades of Rhythm, to Belgian and German brutalist techno, and, finally to the breakbeat-driven furore of hardcore jungle...Influenced by reggae and hip hop, hardcore producers intensified the sub-bass frequencies, used looped breakbeats to funk up house's four-to-the-floor machine-beat, and embraced sampling with deranged glee. Following the lead of the bombastic Belgians and Germans, UK producers deployed riff-like 'stabs' and bursts of glaring noise." }} Amongst the influences from within the rave scene itself upon which this strain of hardcore drew were such acts as [[4hero|Manix]], [[Rising High Records#Caspar Pound|The Hypnotist]], [[CJ Bolland]] with his "Ravesignal" series, and [[T99]].{{sfn|Reynolds|2013|p=120|loc="On the outskirts of the Top Forty, tracks by Manix, T99, the Hypnotist, Quadrophonia, Ravesignal, A Split Second, Congress and UHF exacerbated the sense of a barbarian horde waiting to overrun the pop citadel. In terms of hit rate, this 'golden age of hardcore' compares with the punk/New Wave period of the late seventies."}} The huge increase in producers was also driven by the increasing availability of cheap home computer-based studio setups, particularly [[Steinberg Cubase|Cubase]] for the [[Atari ST]].{{sfn|Reynolds|2013|p=96}}

=== Mid-1990s: fragmentation ===
By late 1992, breakbeat hardcore started to fragment into a number of subsequent [[Music genre|genres]]: [[darkcore]] (piano rolls giving way to dark-themed samples and stabs), [[hardcore jungle]] (where reggae basslines and samples became prominent), and [[happy hardcore]] (retaining piano rolls and more uplifting vocals).{{sfn|Reynolds|2013|p=266|loc="Back in 1993, when hardcore plunged into the 'darkside', a breakaway faction  of DJ-producers like Seduction, Vibes and Slipmatt continued to make celebratory, upful tunes based around hectic breakbeats. By the end of 1994, happy hardcore had coalesced into a scene that operated in parallel with its estranged cousin, jungle."}}

=== 2000s: revival ===
In the 2000s, the style experienced a revival as part of the nu-rave scene.{{fact|date=March 2023}}

'''Hardcore breaks''' is a style of breakbeat hardcore that appeared in early-to-mid 2000s as part of growing [[nu-rave]] scene. The style is inspired by the sound and characteristics of old school breakbeat, while being fused with modern production techniques that distinguish the genre from the classic hardcore breakbeat sound.{{sfn|Hulyer|2016}} The music is composed of looped, edited and processed breakbeat samples, intense bassline sounds, melodic piano lines, staccato synthesizer riffs, and various vocal samples (mostly taken from old house records). The speed of this genre typically fell between the range of 145–155 bpm, while the speed may variate on live sets. Originally being produced by a small group of artists with the vision of carrying on where oldskool hardcore left off before the [[Jungle music|jungle]] and [[happy hardcore]] split using new production techniques and technology, its appeal has now expanded to include artists from the original breakbeat hardcore scene creating new productions.{{sfn|Rolt|2018}} By the late 2000s, hardcore breaks tend to be produced and played at a bit faster tempos, often between 160–180 bpm. Therefore, it is often played at [[UK hardcore]], freeform hardcore and [[drum and bass]] events.

==Notable releases==
Notable releases include:{{sfnm|1a1=Richard X|1y=2012|3a1=Dummy Mag|3y=2016|5a1=Greenwood|5y=2018|7a1=McQuaid|7y=2019|6a1=McCallum|6y=2018|4a1=If-Only|4y=2017|8a1=Warwick|8y=2019|2a1=Middleton|2a2=Pritchard|2y=2012}}

* "[[A Trip to Trumpton]]" – [[Urban Hype]] (Faze 2, 1992)                                                                     
* "Baptised by Dub" – [[The Criminal Minds]] (White House, 1992)
* "Be Free" / "Breakage #4" - [[Noise Factory (group)|Noise Factory]] (Ibiza, 1992)
* "[[Charly (song)|Charly]]" / "[[Everybody in the Place]]" – [[The Prodigy]] ([[XL Recordings]], 1991)
* "Close Your Eyes" / "[[Trip II the Moon]]" – [[Acen]] ([[Production House Records]], 1992)
* "Cookin Up Yah Brain" – [[4hero]] ([[Reinforced Records]], 1992)
* "Dancehall Dangerous" - [[Mark Ryder (musician)|Hackney Hardcore]] (Strictly Underground, 1992)
* "DJ's Take Control" / "[[On a Ragga Tip]]" – [[SL2 (musical group)|SL2]] (XL Recordings, 1992)
* "Far Out" – [[Sonz of a Loop Da Loop Era]] ([[Suburban Base]], 1991)
* "Frequency" / "Infiltrate 202" – [[Altern-8]] ([[Network Records]], 1991)
* "Homicide" / "Exorcist" / "Frequency" – [[Shades of Rhythm]] ([[ZTT Records]], 1991)
* "Hurt You So" – [[Jonny L]] (Yoyo, 1992)
* "[[I Feel Love#Messiah version|I Feel Love]]" – [[Messiah (UK duo)|Messiah]] (Kickin Records, 1992)
* I Want You (Forever) - [[Carl Cox]] ([[Perfecto Records]], 1991)
* "[[Let Me Be Your Fantasy]]" – [[Baby D (dance group)|Baby D]] (Production House, 1992)
* "Loves Got to Be Free" - [[Noise Factory (group)|Noise Factory]] (XL Recordings/Ibiza, 1992)
* "Mohamed's Mind" - 2 Kilos (Radioactive Lamb, 1990)
* "Music Takes You" - [[Blame (music producer)|Blame]] ([[Moving Shadow]], 1991)
* "NHS (Disco Remix)" – [[Doc Scott]] (Absolute 2, 1992)
* "[[Sesame's Treet]]" – [[Smart E's]] (Suburban Base/Atlantic, 1992)
* "Some Justice" – [[Urban Shakedown]] (Urban Shakedown, 1992)
* "Spliffhead" / "Hooligan 69" – [[Ragga Twins]] (SUAD Records, 1991)
* "[[Sweet Harmony (Liquid song)|Sweet Harmony]]" – [[Liquid (musician)|Liquid]] (XL Recordings, 1992)
* "Teach Me to Fly" - DJ Trace & [[LTJ Bukem]] (Out of Orbit, 1992)
* "[[The Bouncer (song)|The Bouncer]]" – [[Kicks Like a Mule]] (Tribal Base, 1992)
* "The Green Man" / "[[Raving I'm Raving]]" – [[Shut Up and Dance (duo)|Shut Up and Dance]] (SUAD Records, 1992)
* "The Wickedest Sound" – [[Rebel MC]] (Desire, 1991)
* "Waremouse" / "[[Bombscare]]" – [[2 Bad Mice]] (Moving Shadow, 1992)
* "[[We Are I.E.]]" – [[Lennie De Ice]] (Reel 2 Reel, 1991)

==See also==
* [[Darkcore]]
* [[Jungle music|Jungle]]
* [[Happy hardcore]]

==References==
===Citations===
{{Reflist}}

===Sources===
{{Refbegin|30em}}
*{{cite web|url=https://www.dummymag.com/10-best/the-10-best-rave-tracks-according-to-2-bad-mice/|author=Dummy Mag|title=The 10 best rave tracks, according to 2 Bad Mice|work=Dummy Mag|date=2 June 2016}}
*{{cite web|url=https://fourfourmag.com/50-greatest-rave-anthems-time/|title=The 50 greatest rave anthems of all time |work=Four Four|last=Greenwood|first=Sam|date=10 May 2018 }}
*{{Cite web|date=20 July 2016|last=Hulyer|first=Jake|title=Lone Resists the Rave Revivalist Title on "Levitate"|url=https://daily.bandcamp.com/features/lone-interview|access-date=23 March 2021|website=Bandcamp Daily}}
*{{cite web |title=Adventurous Transmissions from the 12th Isle |author=If-Only|url=https://ifonlyuk.com/10-adventurous-transmissions-from-the-12th-isle/|date=24 May 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210123113343/https://ifonlyuk.com/10-adventurous-transmissions-from-the-12th-isle/|archive-date=23 January 2021|url-status=usurped|website=If-Only UK}}
*{{cite book|title=[[Encyclopedia of Popular Music|The Virgin Encyclopedia of Dance Music]]|editor-link=Colin Larkin (writer)|editor-last=Larkin|editor-first=Colin|publisher=[[Virgin Books]]|date=1998|edition=First|isbn=0-7535-0252-6|page=333}}
*{{cite web|url=https://djmag.com/content/10-ultimate-rave-anthems-chosen-acid-house-heroes-altern-8|last=McCallum|first=Rob|title=10 ultimate rave anthems chosen by acid house heroes Altern-8|work=DJMag|date=24 August 2018}}
*{{cite web|url=https://www.redbull.com/gb-en/10-lost-rave-classics|last=McQuaid|first=Ian|title=10 great lost rave anthems|work=RBMA|date=23 May 2019}}
*{{cite web |last1=Middleton |first1=Tom |last2=Pritchard |first2=Mark |title=Global Communication |url=https://daily.redbullmusicacademy.com/2012/03/global-communication-interview|date=March 2012|location=Fuschl|website=Red Bull Music Academy |publisher=Red Bull GmbH}}
*{{cite book |last1=Reynolds |first1=Simon|author-link=Simon Reynolds|title=Energy Flash: A Journey through Rave Music and Dance Culture |date=2013 |publisher=[[Faber and Faber]] |location=London |isbn=9780571289134 |edition=Rev. |url=https://www.faber.co.uk/product/9780571289134-energy-flash/}}
*{{Cite web|date=24 October 2018|title=Calling The Hardcore release first compilation|last=Rolt|first=Stuart|url=https://www.bn1magazine.co.uk/calling-the-hardcore-release-first-compilation/|access-date=23 March 2021|website=BN1 Magazine|language=en-GB}}
*{{cite web |last1=Warwick |first1=Oli |title=Aphex Twin on the Rephlex years|date=20 August 2019|url=https://ra.co/features/3509 |website=[[Resident Advisor]]|location=London|publisher=RA Ltd}}
*{{cite web|url=https://www.factmag.com/2012/06/03/20-best-hardcore/|title=20 best: Hardcore records ever made|author=Richard X|work=FACTmag|date=3 June 2012}}
{{Refend}}

==Further reading==
* [[Simon Reynolds]], ''[[Energy Flash|Energy Flash: a Journey Through Rave Music and Dance Culture]]'', Faber and Faber 2013 ({{ISBN|9780571289134}})

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{{Electronica}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Breakbeat Hardcore}}
[[Category:Breakbeat hardcore| ]]
[[Category:Rave]]
[[Category:20th-century music genres]]
[[Category:Breakbeat genres]]
[[Category:Hardcore music genres]]
[[Category:English styles of music]]
[[Category:1990s in music]]