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ndoody
Starting Member
United Kingdom
9 posts
Joined: Oct, 2022
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 Posted - 2022/10/30 : 22:18:26
So I'm 41, and I've always been into what I would call "happy hardcore" and some dnb/jungle + lots of oldskool. At the age of 13-16ish I listed to lots of Helter Skelter/Dreamscape and fantazia tape packs, enjoyed a lot of ratpack and one tape I remember was like ellis dee back in the day.
I've grown with plenty of happy hardcore vibe, this is my favourite stuff, the old cheese like field of dreams/heart of gold/shooting star/etc when they were all originally released I still have a lot of original vinyls. I enjoyed the 99 stuff and I listened to quite a lot of old stuff right up to about 2007-2009 period when I was enjoying a lot of the "current" stuff that was then, Darren styles was running the show during this period and I went to HTID in the sun I loved it. I actually went to HTID every time it was on when it was at air in Birmingham, because I was also a weekly regular at Godskitchen @ air so I would attend both...I loved trance as well.
I loved gammers stuff around the priod of 2009ish, he appears on a few CD packs I got from the event and some other events around that time and I play them all the time to my kids...we love it. Hixxy was always a legent to me, force and styles stuff was amazing...bonkers CD's were a good crack when it all got mainstream / etc.
So we were very excited to see gammer at raver kids this weekend, me and my kids were well excited and we went to see him at Preston. I gotta be honest, I was somewhat disappointed on what I heard throughout the whole event.
I was quite confused by the sound, I tried to describe it as some kind of scouse house...I don't know, it just reminded me of that old song "put a donk on it" as it was basically any track already made by someone else with the same constant "donk" beat right throuhgout. At times it was qutie a hard sound, maybe a bit like a gabba sound...I don't know, I was somewhat confused by the whole thing. Obviously, I've been out of it for a long time because it seems to be quite typical of his sound now. Andy Whitby also played, that was constantly this "donk" sound, just like one continuous beat and throwing over other peoples tracks.
So I looked up darren styles, as I thought well he was bashing out some great tracks - I loved flashlight and he did a lot of his own lyrics / etc. I was amazed to see his sets seem to be somewhat of this very hard sound, but he's almost more gabba'ish in what I could hear...none of the vocal/happy hardcore sound I was somewhat accustomed to over the years.
I get it that genres evolve, happy hardcore has, but it always has a recognisable root element to it....I did not recognise this at all.
So I'm wondering, is all that era gone now...that sound lost forever the kind of music I've enjoyed? Or is there a new breed of DJ's, I'm looking to go out on a night again to hear some good music...I'd love some tips if there's smoe new DJ's up and coming who are still playing this old sound, preferably some current producers who are producing new stuff but with this old vibe.
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Gazza1712
Senior Member
United Kingdom
255 posts
Joined: Oct, 2013
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Posted - 2022/10/30 : 22:48:12
What Darren styles and gammer play these days isn?t hardcore, it?s more edm/ hardstyle.
There are still people making hardcore. Check out klubfiller, jakka b, macks wolf, Al storm, Hixxy, Vinylgroover is also back making hardcore again.
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warped_candykid
Advanced Member
United States
3,965 posts
Joined: Jan, 2004
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Posted - 2022/10/30 : 23:34:47
There's a sub-genre of hard trance called "Hands Up", and ZYX Records puts out a CD series called "Technobase.FM", this CD series goes hand in hand with it's counterpart series, Hardbase.FM. Somewhere between these 2 sounds of Hands Up" & Hardstyle, this vocally euphoric Hardstyle was created, and that's what Darren Styles focuses on now. Gammer also floats in this realm of this hardstyle blend.
Thanks to mp3 sites, Happy/UK Hardcore has become so widespread, it's no longer just the few artists we had in the 90s/2000s. It's still out there, but it's spread out. Your best bet is to float over to junodownload and sift through UK Hardcore releases. 24/7 Hardcore may be a good label to start at, & Brutal Kutz.
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DJ_FunDaBounce
Advanced Member
Colombia
2,023 posts
Joined: Nov, 2001
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Posted - 2022/10/31 : 03:41:05
quote:
Originally posted by ndoody:
So I'm 41,
I think I know what you mean. The evolving aspect of dj music has kinda lead to it losing it's way. While I will agree that things evolve, there was a moment in time that was engrained in our memories as ravers. I think people in general have that. Their "golden days".
As someone about to turn 45 in a couple of months I can truly say: been there. I sometimes browse around and feel that I don't fit in much with newer trends in general. I get it, I'm from a different generation.
We've gotta stop kidding ourselves about trying to please everyone with our sound, though. I know that doesn't come across well coming from a dj, but I feel that as a fan it's like if I went to a metallica concert and they played a set of songs I'd never heard before, and might possibly never hear again, It'd be a downer.
That reminds me of a time before i started raving, it took me time to get acquainted with new music. Like, I had to let it grow on me. To let it sink in. I think that is a part of the dj mentality that I personally have issues with.
There has to be something that unites what came before. That thing that originally caught ones attention. and a follow up.
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"Fun with a capital F-D-B!"
http://www.brightspeedrecordings.com/
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ndoody
Starting Member
United Kingdom
9 posts
Joined: Oct, 2022
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Posted - 2022/10/31 : 10:49:02
Alright, thanks all for the suggestions I'll definitely look them up.
I can see the hardstyle influence, that was another genre with the monotonous kick/bassline throughout every track. No disrespect to the artists, but this did just sound like I was listening to the same record from the start of the set to the last with acapellas from the UK top 40 thrown over the top... literally putting a "donk" on everything.
Shame about darren styles, reminds me of when DJ Tiesto turned his back on Trance music...lost a legend. Saves me booking up the rave kids winter wonderland as I was gonna take the kids to go see him play there, definitely won't bother now. And Gabber too, he was bringing some great tracks to the scene at one point. Maybe they'll be back one day.
Good news about Hixxy, actually reminds me that I did hear one of his recent(ish) sets and I did like that...he was always legendary for me. I remember he played that remix of braveheart on one of the dreamscape tapes, that was one hell of a set. We were set to go see him at some festival that also allowed kids to come, my kids were excited for that but called off the whole festival due to safety issues.
Alrighty, Ill check out the new names. There was one guy I heard a good set on mixcloud, a little old, rob IYF I guess he's making happy hardcore for today right? I remember enjoying the set, but the MC he used was throwing out way too many serious/political lyrics for my liking...happy hardcore should be about fun haha.
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ndoody
Starting Member
United Kingdom
9 posts
Joined: Oct, 2022
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Posted - 2022/10/31 : 10:50:58
BTW, what happened to HTID...I absolutely loved their events, right on the money for me every time. All my kind of music and all my kind of DJ's.
Will they ever come back, or is that another legendary organiser confined to the history books just like Dreamscape?
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ndoody
Starting Member
United Kingdom
9 posts
Joined: Oct, 2022
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Posted - 2022/10/31 : 10:54:18
quote:
Originally posted by DJ_FunDaBounce:
quote:
Originally posted by ndoody:
So I'm 41,
I think I know what you mean. The evolving aspect of dj music has kinda lead to it losing it's way. While I will agree that things evolve, there was a moment in time that was engrained in our memories as ravers. I think people in general have that. Their "golden days".
As someone about to turn 45 in a couple of months I can truly say: been there. I sometimes browse around and feel that I don't fit in much with newer trends in general. I get it, I'm from a different generation.
We've gotta stop kidding ourselves about trying to please everyone with our sound, though. I know that doesn't come across well coming from a dj, but I feel that as a fan it's like if I went to a metallica concert and they played a set of songs I'd never heard before, and might possibly never hear again, It'd be a downer.
That reminds me of a time before i started raving, it took me time to get acquainted with new music. Like, I had to let it grow on me. To let it sink in. I think that is a part of the dj mentality that I personally have issues with.
There has to be something that unites what came before. That thing that originally caught ones attention. and a follow up.
Yeah, I mean I know music trends move and sure we get old and crave the "golden years" but I have enjoyed vibing with rave/hardcore music right from the early 90's and pretty much enjoyed and followed along with the trends.
But this, this was something completely different and I wasn't expecting it at all.
Hopefully, as other people eluded to it's just these particular names made a jump into a completely different type of music that isnt hardcore at all. And hopefully I'll find some new talent playing some hardcore I can evolve with ;)
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Luz1978
New Member
United Kingdom
72 posts
Joined: Oct, 2020
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Posted - 2022/10/31 : 17:40:56
I always say this, but I would recommend checking out Kniteforce, they have loads going on. They also have a radio station site that I would recommend.
As has been mentioned, Francis and Darwin and 24/7 are still producing some decent stuff, so worth checking them out for ?modern day happy hardcore?.
Also a recent album I thought was great was from Rawr Beats on bandcamp, so check that out.
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Gazza1712
Senior Member
United Kingdom
255 posts
Joined: Oct, 2013
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Posted - 2022/10/31 : 18:29:59
The htid brand was sold to weaver who is Australian. You may remember him as he had some early releases on raver baby 20 years ago, 3 or 4 years ago they put on an event in London but nothing since in the uk.
Here is a set from Hixxy from a couple of weeks ago put on by weaver in Australia
https://youtu.be/a9a0yf9Rqqc
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ndoody
Starting Member
United Kingdom
9 posts
Joined: Oct, 2022
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Posted - 2022/10/31 : 20:40:55
quote:
Originally posted by Gazza1712:
The htid brand was sold to weaver who is Australian. You may remember him as he had some early releases on raver baby 20 years ago, 3 or 4 years ago they put on an event in London but nothing since in the uk.
Here is a set from Hixxy from a couple of weeks ago put on by weaver in Australia
https://youtu.be/a9a0yf9Rqqc
Seems odd to buy a UK franchise but not put on any UK events, well apart from 3-4 years ago as you mentioned. Is that intentional to let the brand die due to low numbers or something? Or is that just coinciding roughly with the 'rona and they're waiting for market conditions to improve over here - must be hard to put a night out on in the UK in general nowadays.
This set is immense, it's right up my street....loads of trance classics remixed in there, some hardcore classic remixes and some new stuff for me. Great uplifting set with the more conventional mixing, nicely building up and drops very euphoric. The mixing of the stuff I was listening to at the weekend was that more EDM "mash-up/megamix" style, hectic noise to me and frustrating when they play a few seconds of 10 tracks in 60 seconds lol.
Really enjoying that Hixxy set, and the venue looks out of this world - but it's a bit far to go to Australia...they got no plans to do some HTID stuff over here in the UK?
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ndoody
Starting Member
United Kingdom
9 posts
Joined: Oct, 2022
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Posted - 2022/11/01 : 11:12:27
One more random question, any happy hardcore events that allow under 18's?
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Icewind
Junior Member
Canada
127 posts
Joined: Jun, 2013
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Posted - 2022/11/01 : 12:27:11
Still lots of hardcore going around, but it is a bit harder to find these days. I would check out Stamina records, and Hardcore Underground labels. And perhaps look into jcore artists like dj noriken, shimamura. T pazolite and redalice...can't go wrong.
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https://linktr.ee/dj_icewind
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ndoody
Starting Member
United Kingdom
9 posts
Joined: Oct, 2022
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Posted - 2022/11/08 : 13:45:22
Happy to report the event I went to at the weekend was much success, saw hixxy and Sharkey both restored my faith 😜
Was gutted when I arrived it was mark e g and that was full throttle gabba, thought "not again" lol. I can see that hard techno / gabba style is hugely popular though,a particular fan was giving thumbs down to hixxys set, you can't please them all as her dissatisfaction was my elation 😂
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Samination
Advanced Member
Sweden
13,177 posts
Joined: Jul, 2004
195 hardcore releases
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Posted - 2022/11/08 : 14:55:58
Personally I can't say I'm fixed to any single era.
I love the Happy Hardcore from the last years of the 90's, most Freeform between 2000 and 2010 (except for Stamina, I dont really like that label for some reason).
When it came to Upfront/UK Hardcore, I used to be a big fan of the 2001-2004 era because that's the time I got into the genre[s]. In hindsight I've started to tire of that era, with the exclusion of the more Happier stuff (like Next Gen/Blatant Beats). For most of the UK Hardcore between 2005 and 2018, I've only sporadically liked tracks, but never really gotten stuck on any era since mid to late 2004.
Dutch Hardcore Gabber from 2003 and on is the only one real genre I've really liked, especially the melodic stuff.
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Samination, Swedish Hardcore DJ
Happy, UK Hardcore, Freeform, Makina and Gabber
http://samination.se/
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