Hardcore Techno
Fast, distorted rave music that began in the Netherlands, Belgium and Germany in the early 1990s.
History
Hardcore techno began in the Netherlands, Belgium and Germany in the early 1990s s1. It grew from techno, acid house, new beat and electronic body music s1. The music is fast and uses a distorted, heavy kick drum s1. In 1990 the German producer Marc Trauner, also called Mescalinum United, released 'We Have Arrived' s1s2. Many writers call it the first hardcore techno record s2. The word 'hardcore techno' had already been used by EBM groups in the late 1980s s1. Belgian producers such as T99 and Second Phase made hard dance records that were popular in 1991 s1. Artists like L.A. Style and Human Resource followed s1. In New York, DJ Lenny Dee started the label Industrial Strength Records in 1991 s1. It became the first label devoted to hardcore s1. In Rotterdam, DJs and producers slowed nothing down and made a faster, harder style that became known as gabber s1. By about 1993 the music was simply called hardcore s1. The energy and speed of the sound shaped many later styles, including happy hardcore, speedcore and hardstyle s1.
Sound
- Very fast tempos
- A heavily distorted kick drum
- Harsh, loud synthesizer stabs
- Dark or aggressive samples
- A simple, driving structure
Key figures
- Marc Trauner (Mescalinum United) — German producer of 'We Have Arrived' and founder of Planet Core Productions
- Lenny Dee — New York DJ who founded Industrial Strength Records
- Paul Elstak — Rotterdam DJ and label owner
- Rob Fabrie — Dutch producer in early hardcore projects
Labels
- Planet Core Productions — Frankfurt , 1989
- Industrial Strength Records — New York , 1991
- R&S Records — Ghent , 1984
- Rotterdam Records — Rotterdam , 1992
Defining tracks
Connections
Came from: Detroit Techno , Acid House , New Beat , EBM
Led to: Bouncy Techno , Hard Dance , Jumpstyle , Breakcore , Crossbreed , Frenchcore , Gabber , Happy Hardcore , J-Core , Makina , Speedcore , Terrorcore , Uptempo Hardcore , Free Tekno
Sources
- Hardcore (electronic dance music genre) — Wikipedia
- A Brief History of Gabber — Google Arts & Culture (2020)