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HHC-CUKY
Whoops
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Joined: [2016-2026]
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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
Junior Member
United Kingdom
99 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
3,432 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
1,099 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://djfundabounce.com
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Gazza1712
Junior Member
United Kingdom
99 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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Icewind
New Member
Canada
20 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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http://www.soundcloud.com/icewind
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Samination
Advanced Member
Sweden
10,214 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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