Hardstyle

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Hardstyle is an electronic dance genre that emerged in the late 1990s, with origins in the Netherlands, Belgium and Italy. Hardstyle mixes influences from techno, new beat and hardcore.

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Early hardstyle was typically written at 140 BPM (beats per minute); however, modern hardstyle is faster, produced around 150 BPM. It consisted of overdriven and hard-sounding kick drums, often accompanied by an offbeat bass, known as a "reverse bass". As the genre grew, the production techniques and songwriting changed to be suited to a more commercial audience. Modern hardstyle can be recognized by its use of synthesizer melodies and distorted sounds, coupled with hardstyle's signature combination of percussion and bass. The genre is particularly known for its harmonic use of kickdrums. Due to the sustained nature of a hardstyle kick, producers are able to play basslines by using only the kick itself, which becomes a distinct bass tone through a series of distortion, equalization and layering (among other methods). This technique is known as "pitching" a kick.

The genre gained commercial acceptance in the 2010s, with hardstyle artists performing on the biggest stages in EDM worldwide. [2]

Hardstyle influenced other styles of electronic dance music such as big room house, which began sharing similarities with hardstyle like structures, rhythms, and later, pitching kicks became popular in big room too. Hardstyle also played a large influence in frenchcore and happy hardcore music, which both became popular in the late 2010s with the hardstyle audience after producers started applying hardstyle production techniques and melodic styles to the genres.

History

Origins

The exact origin of hardstyle cannot be specifically defined; however, it is clear the characteristic of hardstyle originates from hard trance (notably hard trance's 'reverse bass', and artists such as German deejay Scot Project) [3] with influence from other genres such as hardcore, this genre is what is now known as early hardstyle. As it progressed, the genre gathered characteristics from other electronic music genres and refined its own sound and identity. Over time, the BPM of hardstyle music increased, from a range of 135 to 150 to a range of 150 to 160. Some hardcore producers brought hardstyle elements back to the hardcore scene, which made modern hardstyle and hardcore very similar and often indistinguishable in some cases, only differing in BPM.

The first event credited as a hardstyle event was Qlubtempo, [4] which took place in the year 2000 in Zaandam. Qlubtempo was the first event produced by Q-dance, a Dutch event company which would later go on to produce hardstyle festivals in other countries in Europe, Australia, North America, South America and Asia. In 2001, Q-dance produced the first edition of Qlimax. Q-dance trademarked the term "hardstyle" on the 4th of July, 2002, after both Qlimax and Qlubtempo proved to be successful. Since its inception, Q-dance has guided the evolution of hardstyle music with its events and is often involved with hardstyle artists on a creative level. In 2003, Q-dance hosted the first edition of Defqon.1. [5]

The first few years of hardstyle were characterized by a tempo of around 140–150 BPM, a distorted kick drum sound, vocal samples, dissonant synth sounds known as "screetches" and the use of a "reverse bass", a hard kick distorted offbeat bass within the same beat. Around 2002, more hardstyle labels emerged. Fusion Records (with DJ Zany and others) and Scantraxx (founded by Dov Elkabas) were the two largest Dutch Hardstyle labels in that period. At this point in time, hardstyle artists were primarily from either the Netherlands or Italy.

Subgenres

Early hardstyle

Early hardstyle is a modern name for what was at the time called "hardstyle", the genre is focused mostly on reverse bass kicks, which can still be found in songs today as a pre-drop.

Nustyle

Euphoric hardstyle

From roughly 2010 onwards, the move towards a more melodic emphasis from older hardstyle evolved into the subgenre "euphoric hardstyle", characterized by highly emotional melodies and heavy pitch-shifting of kicks. [6]

Trapstyle

The Trapstyle is a sub-genre of the hardstyle scene linked to trap which appeared in the mid- 2010s. It was pioneered by Pittsburgh DJ, Black Daddy, CEO and Founder of Hardstyle Family. [7]

Dubstyle

In early 2010, a new variation in hardstyle, named dubstyle was introduced. [8] Dubstyle is the name given to the genre fusion of hardstyle and dubstep. Dubstyle tends to have reversed wobble basslines and takes the kick styling of hardstyle tracks, while combining them with the rhythm, groove and dubstep tempo and effects a fusion of elements of hardstyle with a dubstep rhythm, usually a 2-step or a breakstep rhythm. [9]

Notable labels

Related Research Articles

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">DJ The Prophet</span> Dutch DJ and producer

Dov Joseph Elkabas, known professionally as DJ The Prophet, is a Dutch hardcore techno and hardstyle DJ and producer. The Prophet is also the owner of one of the largest hardstyle record labels, Scantraxx.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Qlimax</span> Music festival

Qlimax was an annual hardstyle and hard dance event in the Netherlands. It was a major attraction held by Q-dance, and considered to be one of the leading hardstyle events, attracting nearly 30,000 people annually. It contains some of the most sophisticated production and setup, as well as sound system for any Q-dance event. On the 25th of July 2024, Q-Dance announced that Qlimax 2024 will be the very last edition.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Headhunterz</span> Dutch Hardstyle DJ and record producer

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Q-dance</span> Dutch event organization company

Q-dance is a Dutch company that organizes events and festivals that focuses on the harder styles of dance music – mainly hardstyle, hardcore, and hard trance. Popular events and festivals organized by Q-dance are Defqon.1 Festival, Qlimax and Dominator. Q-Dance has organized multiple events and festivals in the past such as Qapital, The Qontinent, Impaqt, Q-Base, EPIQ, and X-Qlusive. The events of Q-dance are easily identified by the letter “Q” on the event names. The logo of Q-dance is inspired by the knobs on DJ mixers, which if turned 120 degrees to the right creates the letter “Q”.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wildstylez</span> Dutch hardstyle DJ and record producer

Joram Metekohy, better known by his stage name Wildstylez, is a Dutch hardstyle DJ and record producer. Having previously released hardstyle records under the alias 'Seizure', Joram Metekohy had his first solo release as Wildstylez in 2007 on the Scantraxx sub-label Scantraxx Reloaded. In 2010, he started the record label Digital:Age in collaboration with Noisecontrollers. After he stopped releasing on Digital:Age, and its subsequent collapse, Wildstylez had a string of releases on Q-Dance Records and also released many tracks for free via social media. In 2013, Wildstylez founded his own hardstyle label, Lose Control Music, under the parent label Be Yourself Music. As of 2014, he and Max Enforcer now release their own music through Lose Control Music. Later, in 2018, Wildstylez founded the label Art of Creation with Headhunterz.

Electro house is a genre of electronic dance music and a subgenre of house music characterized by heavy bass and a tempo around 125–135 beats per minute. The term has been used to describe the music of many DJ Mag Top 100 DJs, including Benny Benassi, Skrillex, Steve Aoki, and Deadmau5.

Frenchcore is a subgenre of hardcore techno. The style differs from other forms of hardcore in terms of a faster tempo, usually above 160 –185 BPM, and a loud and distorted offbeat bassline.

Audiotricz are a Dutch electronic music duo from Nunspeet, consisting of Kenneth Kroes and Leon Benschop who perform and produce music together within the hardstyle genre.

Thijs Ploegmakers, known musically as Adaro, is a Dutch DJ and producer. He has produced music in several dance styles, and in 2008 started producing raw hardstyle, for which he is considered to be one of the originators of.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Atmozfears</span> Dutch hardstyle producer

Tim van de Stadt, known his stage name Atmozfears, is a Dutch hardstyle artist. Atmozfears was previously a trio, consisting of Tim, Kevin Keiser and Michael Jessen, formed in 2009. By the end of 2012, Jessen had left the group. In February 2012, Atmozfears joined the hardstyle label Scantraxx Records. Atmozfears has played at such festivals as Defqon.1, The Qontinent, Q-Base and Tomorrowland.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sub Zero Project</span> Dutch music duo

Sub Zero Project is a Dutch hardstyle producer duo, consisting of Thomas Velderman and Nigel Coppen, most known for making the Qlimax 2018 anthem "The Game Changer". They are the youngest Qlimax anthem makers in history.

References

  1. ↑ Martinez, Amsley (September 18, 2014). "Big Room House Killing Hardstyle". illmind. Magazine. illmind. Magazine. Archived from the original on March 7, 2017. Retrieved March 3, 2017.
  2. ↑ "COONE ALS EERSTE HARDSTYLE DJ OOIT OP TOMORROWLAND MAINSTAGE". hardnews.nl. Retrieved 2013-06-08.
  3. ↑ "Yoji Biomehanika - Ding A Ling (Dj Scot Project Remix)". Hard Dance expert. Archived from the original on 2021-12-21. Retrieved 2021-01-25.
  4. ↑ "Q-dance | Qlubtempo". Q-dance.nl. Archived from the original on 2013-03-08. Retrieved 2013-09-02.
  5. ↑ "Q-dance | Hardstyle". q-dance.com. Retrieved 2020-09-23.
  6. ↑ sylvainchadenas (2015-09-03). "History Of Hardstyle". Passion BPM (in French). Archived from the original on 2018-07-16. Retrieved 2022-03-09.
  7. ↑ Leatherman, Benjamin (2012-12-17). "trancestyleDuo Trapzillas Are Not Bullshitting". Phoenix New Times. Retrieved 2020-04-05.
  8. ↑ "'Dubstyle' and the push for innovation". ALIVE AT NIGHT - Hard Dance Interviews, news & reviews with a twist!. Retrieved 2022-03-09.
  9. ↑ "Dubstep Basics". 2010-07-01. Retrieved 2014-04-14.
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