Bouncy Techno
Hardcore · 1993 · 160 to 175 BPM · also known as Bouncy House, Scottish Bouncy
Bouncy techno came out of Scotland and the north of England between 1993 and 1996, sitting between happy hardcore and gabber: a bouncing four on the floor beat, simple stabs, and a working class, stadium sized euphoria. It was an intense regional scene built around events like Rezerection and the Scottish clubs, with Ultra-Sonic and Q-Tex as its local heroes. Barely documented outside its own borders, it remained essential within them.
5 reference tracks
- Ultra-Sonic: Obsession (1994)
- Ultra-Sonic: Annihilating Rhythm (1993)
- Bass X: Hardcore Disco (1993)
- Q-Tex: Power of Love (1994)
- TTF: Retribution 95 (1995)
At a glance
- Tempo: 160 to 175 BPM
- First appeared: around 1993
- Machines: Roland Alpha Juno, Roland TR-909, Akai S950, Steinberg Cubase
- The sound: Kicks bondissants, Stabs rave simples, Hoover adouci, Tempo 160-180
- Labels: Clubscene Records, Rumour Records
- Key artists: Ultra-Sonic, Q-Tex, Bass X, TTF
Producing Bouncy Techno
Bouncy techno sits between 160 and 180 BPM, mostly around 170; unlike happy hardcore at the same tempo it drops the piano and sung vocal for just a kick, an offbeat bass and stabs. A saturated 909 kick with a short decay plays every beat to leave room for the bass, backed by a dry snare on two and four, open hats on the offbeats and closed hats in sixteenths. The bass is the real center, a fat, distorted saw or square note through a resonant lowpass filter hitting on every offbeat, alternating with the kick to create the bounce, usually staying on the tonic for eight bars before rising. Simple rave stabs, a softened hoover riff, and a short repeated vocal sample round out a sparse palette where every sound is instantly identifiable.
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 Bouncy Techno?
Bouncy techno came out of Scotland and the north of England between 1993 and 1996, sitting between happy hardcore and gabber: a bouncing four on the floor beat, simple stabs, and a working class, stadium sized euphoria. It was an intense regional scene built around events like Rezerection and the…
What tempo is Bouncy Techno played at?
Between 160 and 175 BPM.
Who are the key Bouncy Techno artists?
Ultra-Sonic, Q-Tex, Bass X, TTF.
In the same family
- Hardcore Techno
- Gabber
- Terrorcore
- Speedcore
- Nu Style Gabber
- Uptempo Hardcore
- Doomcore
- Frenchcore
- Dubstyle
- Happy Hardcore
- UK Hardcore
- Raggacore
Listen to Bouncy Techno in the atlas · Cette page en français
