Hard Techno
A fast, loud and forceful form of techno made for energetic club crowds.
History
Hard techno became a clear style in the 1990s s1. It takes techno and makes it faster, louder and more forceful, with a strong kick drum and simple, hard sounds s2. Producers in the Netherlands and Germany led the way s1. Speedy J's 'Pullover' (1991) was an early record with a hard, machine-like sound s1. Chris Liebing's 'Analogon' (1999) became a well-known hard techno track s1s2. Thomas Schumacher's 'When I Rock' (1998) was another widely played record s2. The style is common at large clubs and festivals and is often played at high speed s1. It is closely related to schranz, a harder German form s2. Hard techno became popular again in the 2020s with a new, faster generation of DJs s1. The style is often played at large clubs such as those in Berlin and Rotterdam. DJs use it to raise the energy of a crowd during the busiest part of a night s1.
Sound
- A very strong, fast kick drum
- Loud, hard percussion
- Simple, aggressive synth lines
- High speed, often above 140 BPM
- A powerful, energetic mood
Key figures
- Speedy J — Dutch producer behind 'Pullover'
- Chris Liebing — German DJ and founder of CLR
- Thomas Schumacher — German producer behind 'When I Rock'
- Len Faki — German DJ and producer in the hard techno scene
Labels
- CLR — Frankfurt , 1999
- Bush Records — London , 1994
- Plus 8 — Windsor , 1990
Defining tracks
Connections
Came from: Detroit Techno , Industrial
Led to: Acid Techno , Industrial Techno , Peak-Time Techno , Schranz
Sources
- Diving through hardcore techno subgenres: history and artists — 6AM Group
- What is hard techno? — EDMProd