Hardbass
Fast Russian pumping house with a metallic 'donk' bass, heavy kicks and chants.
History
Hardbass is a fast form of pumping house from Russia s1s2. It began in Saint Petersburg in the late 1990s s1. Producers took the pumping house sound and made it faster and harder s1. The style uses a metallic 'donk' bass that was first made by the Dutch act Klubbheads in 1997 s1. It also takes influence from bouncy techno and hardstyle s1. The tempo is usually about 150 to 175 beats per minute s1. Tracks often include heavy kicks, whistles and chanted or rapped vocals s1. The group XS Project became well known in the 2000s and 2010s s1. In 2010 they made a satirical video with radio presenters dressed as gopniks s1. The music spread on the internet and inspired scenes in other European countries s1. People sometimes dance to it in public while wearing tracksuits and masks s1. The dance is often filmed and shared online s1. Hardbass is closely tied to internet culture s1.
Sound
- Tempos around 150 to 175 beats per minute
- A metallic 'donk' bass
- Heavy, distorted kicks
- Whistles and chanted vocals
- A hard, pumping rhythm
Key figures
- XS Project — Saint Petersburg group that made hardbass widely known
- DJ Snat — Russian hardbass producer
- Klubbheads — Dutch act who created the 'donk' bass sound
- Hard Bass School — Russian hardbass group
Labels
- Soap Records — Saint Petersburg , 2000
- XS Project Records — Saint Petersburg , 2010
- Gop FM — Saint Petersburg , 2005
Defining tracks
Connections
Came from: Hard House , Hardstyle , Bouncy Techno
Sources
- Hardbass — Wikipedia
- Russian hard bass: How a musical monstrosity went viral — Russia Beyond