Breakbeat Hardcore
Breaks · 1991 · 130 to 150 BPM · also known as Rave Hardcore, Oldskool Hardcore, Hardcore Breaks
England's raves of 1990 to 1992: speeded-up house collides with hip-hop breaks, Belgian rave stabs, and reggae basslines. Euphoric pianos, pitched-up vocals, and sirens define hardcore as the music of a generation dancing outdoors, pressed onto white labels that sold out within a week. Its eventual split would give birth to jungle on one side and happy hardcore on the other, making it one of the most consequential forks in dance music history.
15 reference tracks
- The Prodigy: Charly (1991)
- Altern 8: Activ 8 (1991)
- SL2: On a Ragga Tip (1992)
- Acen: Trip II the Moon (1992)
- 2 Bad Mice: Bombscare (1992)
- Shut Up And Dance: Raving Im Raving (1992)
- Borai & Denham Audio: Make Me (2019)
- Sully: Swandive (2020)
- The Prodigy: Everybody In The Place (1991)
- SL2: DJs Take Control (1991)
- The Prodigy: Music Reach (1,2,3,4)
- Acen: The Life and Crimes Of A Ruffneck
- Andy C: Visions
- goreshit: ron
- The Prodigy: Hyperspeed (G-Force Part 2)
At a glance
- Tempo: 130 to 150 BPM
- First appeared: around 1991
- Machines: Akai S1000, Korg M1
- The sound: Breaks accélérés Akai S1000, Stabs de rave, Pianos M1, Voix pitchées, Basses sub reggae
- Labels: Production House, Moving Shadow, Suburban Base Records, Reinforced Records, Sneaker Social Club, Vinyl Fanatiks
- Key artists: The Prodigy, Acen, 4hero (débuts), Shut Up and Dance, SL2
Producing Breakbeat Hardcore
The tempo climbed year by year between 1990 and 1992, from 125 BPM to 140 in 1991 and 150 by early 1992, so start around 145 BPM with the feel of a hip-hop break sped up by roughly 30 percent, its swing coming from the sample rather than the sequencer. Layer a steady four-on-the-floor 909 kick under a pitched-up hip-hop break, Funky Drummer, Amen, or Think, sped up without time-stretching so it turns brighter and more nervous. Add a 909 clap on 2 and 4, closed hats in alternating velocities, and an open hat on every off-beat, replacing the break with a rising snare roll on the last four bars.
The full production course, in French: tempo, drums, bass, sounds, arrangement, mix, plugins and machines, and a step by step start.
Frequently asked
What is Breakbeat Hardcore?
England's raves of 1990 to 1992: speeded-up house collides with hip-hop breaks, Belgian rave stabs, and reggae basslines. Euphoric pianos, pitched-up vocals, and sirens define hardcore as the music of a generation dancing outdoors, pressed onto white labels that sold out within a week. Its…
What tempo is Breakbeat Hardcore played at?
Between 130 and 150 BPM.
Who are the key Breakbeat Hardcore artists?
The Prodigy, Acen, 4hero (débuts), Shut Up and Dance, SL2.
In the same family
- Breakbeat
- Darkcore
- Jungle
- Drum and Bass
- Techstep
- Neurofunk
- Darkstep
- Liquid Drum and Bass
- Jump-Up
- Drumfunk
- Drumstep
- Ragga Jungle
Listen to Breakbeat Hardcore in the atlas · Cette page en français
