Florida Breaks
A fast, bass-heavy American breaks sound from central Florida.
History
Florida breaks is a form of breakbeat dance music from central Florida s1. It is also called the Orlando Sound or simply the breaks s1. The style draws on hip hop, Miami bass and electro s1. It often samples jazz and funk beats from rare records or films s1. Vocals are common s1. The music is faster and more syncopated than the hip hop it comes from s1. It has a heavy, constant bassline s1. Tracks often slow down into complex drum patterns and then rebuild s1. The style appeared in the late 1980s at the Beacham Theatre in Orlando s1. It became popular in the local underground scene from about 1989 to 1992 s1. In 1993 it spread across Florida and then further s1. DJ Icey and Baby Anne became well-known names s2. The sound was marketed internationally as 'Orlando friendly' s1. Its popularity fell after 2000, but it stayed strong in central Florida s1.
Sound
- A heavy, rolling bassline
- Fast, syncopated breaks
- Sampled funk and film beats
- Singing or rapped vocal samples
- A happy, energetic mood
Key figures
- DJ Icey — Pioneer of the Florida breaks sound
- Eddie Pappa — Early Orlando DJ linked to the style
- DJ Baby Anne — Florida breaks DJ and producer
- Rabbit in the Moon — Florida electronic act that worked in breaks
Labels
- Zone Records — Orlando , 1993
- Hallucination Recordings — Tampa , 1993
- Moonshine Music — Los Angeles , 1992
Defining tracks
Connections
Came from: Breakbeat , Electro , Hip Hop Breaks