BREAKS

Breaks (or, more formally, “breakbeats”) is a style of electronic music primarily exemplified by the sub-genres drum and bass and jungle. Breaks are often characterized by syncopation as opposed to the uniform 4/4 beat of house or trance.
Breaks derive their name from the musical concept of the “break” in early jazz, funk, and rhythm and blues songs. The “break” in such songs was the part during which the vocals and instruments, other than the drums, were quieted so that the beat could become the focal point of the music.While there is some difference of opinion as to the origin of breaks, most authorities trace the genre back to the early 70s in the Bronx of New York City. More specifically, the beginnings of the genre are generally tied to breakers (or B-boys) and a man named Clive Campbell (more commonly known as DJ Kool Herc). It was DJ Kool Herc who pioneered the technique of using turntables and a mixer to play the “breaks” of songs for extended periods.
His aim was to capture and continuously play the most energetic parts of songs to inspire the best in B-boy breakdance performances. The breakbeat style that DJ Kool Herc pioneered would later evolve and diversify into modern hip hop, drum and bass, jungle, nu skool breaks, progressive breaks, and more.

DEEP HOUSE

Deep house is a style of house music that originated in Philadelphia and New York City. It is usually set to a slower tempo than other styles of house, and it is more focused on jazz and soulful influences. Deep house
is often simpler than other sub genres of house in that it typically has fewer build ups and less intricate drum patterns.
Some would say that the essence of deep house lies in the extended grooves that are left when one strips away the vocals and organ sounds of traditional house music. Driven by a deep throbbing bass line, deep house is an expression of positivity rooted in the African-American soul tradition.

DOWNTEMPO

Downtempo is a genre of electronic music that – as the name suggests – is set to a slower tempo (usually 120 bpm or less). The mood of downtempo is mellow and typically more conducive to relaxing and/or socializing than dancing. The terms “lounge music” or “chill out” are sometimes used loosely to refer to downtempo, but downtempo is actually a genre that encompasses a broader range of music than those two terms alone would indicate.
While downtempo was only recently established as a genre in its own right(sometime in the early to mid-90s); its roots can be traced back much earlier to the origins of ambient, a closely related style of music. The term “ambient” was first used in the late 70s by Brian Eno to characterize a style of music that would envelope, but not impose itself upon, its listeners.
Early ambient music was typically dreamy and without a beat; but in the late 80s and early 90s, ambient was influenced by genres such as dub, hip hop, house, jazz, techno, and others. It was in the midst of this melting pot of musical styles in the 90s that a strain of ambient evolved in the distinct direction of modern downtempo.
Today, an entire culture has emerged in association with downtempo. It is a culture closely tied to the scenes in trendy lounges, bars, and clubs in urban communities throughout the world.

DRUM AND BASS

Drum and bass is a genre of electronic music that rests on the foundation of the breakbeat – as opposed to the regular 4/4 beat adopted in house.
Drum and bass is usually produced at a faster tempo than most other forms of electronic music (often in the range of 160-180 bpm). As the name of the genre implies, drums and bass lines are the most critical – though not the only – elements of the music.
The roots of drum and bass lie in a form of electronic music called “hardcore,” which was born in the rave culture that emerged in Europe in the early 90s – especially in the United Kingdom (see the description
of techno). At these raves, DJs began to play music that mixed reggae bass lines and fast breakbeats with production techniques common to house, techno, and other genres. As a result, a new style of music emerged called “jungle.”
There is considerable difference of opinion regarding the distinction between jungle and drum and bass. Many people use the terms interchangeably, but some consider the term jungle to refer to the music of the first half of the 90s.
Others limit the scope of jungle to the ragga-flavored sub-style within the broader world of drum and bass.
In the early 90s, jungle evolved in a direction away from techno and house and more toward reggae, dub, and hip hop. By the mid-90s, however, jungle was beginning to branch out in several different directions. One school of DJs and prodcuers began a movement toward “intelligent jungle,” which retained the fast breakbeats of ragga-style jungle but emphasized atmospheric sounds and smoother basslines. At this same time, other DJs and producers were changing the ragga-style jungle to a harder percussive style known as
“hardstep.” Simultaneously, a third group of pioneers began to cultivate a style of jungle with more hip hop and funk influence, which became known as “Jump-Up.”
During 1996 and 1997, drum and bass was influenced by numerous other forms of music as it gained increasing popularity. While some producers and DJs were taking drum and bass in a lighter, more mainstream direction, others were pioneering a new style called “techstep.” The musical elements of techstep
were generally darker and more technical, often drawing from science fiction or anime themes. Techstep became a dominant form of drum and bass in the late 90s.
In the new millenium, drum and bass has continued to diversify as new styles such as Liquid Funk (championed by Fabio) and Nu Jump Up have emerged and gained acceptance. Today, the popularity of drum and bass continues in numerous countries throughout the world – particularly in Europe, North America, and
South America.

ELECTRO

Electro is a genre of electronic music that is closely tied in its beginnings to hip hop. Afrika Bambaataa’s Planet Rock – The Album (1982) is considered to be one of the first electro albums. Bambaataa and other early electro DJs and producers were heavily influenced by the group Kraftwerk, whose music featured driving metallic mixtures of computerised drumbreaks and synthesisers. Early electro artists combined these electronic features with elements of the developing breakbeats style in New York City.
Electro music enjoyed its greatest popularity in the 80s, as sub-styles such as elctro hop and electropop gained acceptance. Today, there are still a number of DJs and producers who are focused on pushing electro
music in new and interesting directions. In some cities, the electro scene has been revitalized as clubs have become more open to having nights entirely dedicated to electro music.

HOUSE

House can be loosely defined as electronic dance music with a rhythm set in a 4/4 tempo. It is this feature that distinguishes house from other styles such as breakbeats. Perhaps the most compelling attribute of house lies in its fusion of emotive melodies with locked rhythmic schemes, a marriage of tone and groove.
The earliest roots of house can be traced back to disco and the hedonistic gay club scene of the mid-70s in New York City. From these roots, house really began to grow and develop in Chicago, where at the Warehouse club Frankie Knuckles was the resident DJ. The Warehouse’s staples were disco songs, but as disco fever passed, the limited number of records forced DJs to become more creative and to do more mixing. Like certain other DJs in New York City, Frankie experimented with the basic songs he played by adding pre-programmed drum rhythms to keep the groove constant. This was the genesis of the standard 4/4 tempo of house, and the genre derives its name from the name of Frankie’s club.
By the early to mid-80s, other DJs, following in Frankie’s footsteps, distinguished themselves from disco with music dominated by synthesized melodies and simple, skeletal drum patterns. By 1985, house music dominated the clubs of Chicago and by the late 80s, it had found its way to European destinations such as Ibiza and the UK. As the popularity of house grew in Europe, further experiments in the music boosted its appeal. House was being shaped by myriad cultural, economic, and social influences. The 90s saw the
emergence of the superclub and the dance culture that arose with it. Today, house music is known and admired by countless people throughout the world, but there still remains a vibrant underground scene that preserves its original subcultural flavor. From its earliest roots in New York City and Chicago, house has now evolved to include many sub-genres such as, deep house, hard house, Latin house, progressive house, tech house, tribal house, and more.

PROGRESSIVE BREAKS

“Progressive” electronic music is generally characterized by the manipulation of sounds – using synthesizers, sequencers, etc. – in small increments to give listeners the experience of progressing seamlessly through various mental or emotional states. (See the descriptions of progressive house and progressive trance for more detail on this point.)
While it is difficult to pinpoint or isolate the essential elements of progressive breaks music, one might describe the genre as being a hybrid of breakbeats, progressive house, and progressive trance. Progressive breaks often have a feel that is suggestive of progressive house, as the tracks frequently evolve in subtle houselike progressions. On the other hand, progressive breaks can also bear resemblance to progressive trance, as both genres often feature ethereal melodies and atmospheric pads. Despite its kinship with progressive house and progressive trance, the progressive breaks genre remains distinct in its core: the broken beat.

PROGRESSIVE HOUSE

The term “progressive” tends to have a somewhat nebulous meaning when applied to electronic music. It is said that progressive house music originated in the UK as a blend of German house and trance. The features that distinguish progressive house from other forms of house lie not just in the tracks being played but also in the way a DJ mixes them together. The essence of progressive house is the concept of blending multiple sounds and/or tracks into a seamless whole. DJs of this genre generally aspire to guide their audience on a journey through sounds, moods, and states of mind.To do this, they attempt to dissolve the boundaries between individual tracks.
Progressive house music is oftentimes marked by layers of sound, which taken as a whole, form an intricate pattern of beat and melody. The melodies are usually subtler and the buildups more extended. The root of progressive house lies in the subtleties of each listener’s experience.

PROGRESSIVE TRANCE

“Progressive” electronic music is generally characterized by the manipulation of sounds – using synthesizers, sequencers, etc. – in small increments to give listeners the experience of progressing seamlessly through various mental or emotional states. (See the descriptions of progressive breaks and progressive house for more detail on this point.)
Progressive trance is a type of trance music that is usually more minimalistic and percussion centric. Progressive trance typically has a more relaxed energy than other forms of trance – e.g. Euro trance, Goa trance, or hard trance – and a less commercial sound. Consistent with its more relaxed energy, progressive trance is generally set to a slower tempo (less than 140 bpm) and incorporates a wider influence of sounds than other forms of trance.
It can be challenging to differentiate between modern progressive trance and progressive house, as the two genres have grown increasingly similar in recent years. When the distinction is apparent, it usually derives from the fundamental difference in feel between trance and house.

TECH HOUSE

Tech house is a genre of electronic music that – as the name suggests – combines various elements of techno and house. In many cases, tech house tracks rest on the foundation of a housey beat and rhythm but incorporate the glitchy synthetic sounds and production effects common to techno. Tech house tracks are less likely to exhibit the jazz influences and melodious vocals that are often found in variations of house music.

TECHNO

If electronic music can be regarded as an expression of the interplay between mankind and technology, then techno – as even the name implies – may be one of its purest forms.
It is difficult to perfectly capture the essence of techno from a musical standpoint, but the genre typically features strong percussive elements, synthetic sounds, and a liberal use of production effects. Techno music usually rests on the foundation of a steady 4/4 rhythm at a fairly upbeat tempo.
While there is some debate concerning the history of techno, most authorities trace its origins back to three individuals: Juan Atkins, Derrick May, and Kevin Saunderson. In the early 80s, this trio began to blend the sounds of electronic music pioneers such as Kraftwerk with those of funks artists such as George Clinton. Early producers were using the term “techno” as early as 1984 (as seen in the release of “Techno City” by Atkins and Rick Davies). In 1988, Neil Rushton released the compilation Techno! The New Dance Sound of Detroit, which helped techno gain acceptance as a formal musical genre.
In the 80s, most fans, DJs, and producers of techno were located in the United States, but in the early 90s, the music gained immense popularity in Europe – especially in the United Kingdom. During this time, large illegal parties (raves) began to take place throughout England and in other European countries. At these raves, techno was thrown into a drug-influenced and experimental environment from which multiple new genres were spawned, including hardcore, jungle, intelligent dance music (IDM), trance, and others.
Today, there are several styles of techno such acid techno, Detroit techno, dub techno, minimal techno, progressive techno, and others. There are also distinct genres such as tech house, which are closely tied to techno. From its humble and relatively obscure beginnings, techno has grown to now enjoy the support of millions of fans, DJs, and producers worldwide.

TRANCE

Trance is a genre of electronic music that can be described as a melodic, freeform style influenced by techno and house. Trance songs vary widely in their sound. Some are prone to manipulate emotional responses in listeners through touching buildups while other are focused on intricate tonal patterns and beats that stimulate the intellect.
Elements of what would become trance were explored by industrial artists in the late 80s. Their music featured drawn out and monotonous patterns with short, repeating voice samples, which were intended to have a hypnotic effect on listeners.
As a genre in its own right, trance is said to have begun as an offshoot of techno in German clubs during the early 90s. Early trance borrowed its tempo and rhythmic structures from techno but added to this the melodic overtones common to house tracks. This style became instantly popular in Europe and spread very quickly. Today there are many variations of trance, including, ambient trance, Euro trance, Goa trance, hard trance, progressive trance, psychedelic trance, vocal trance, and more. Each of these variations has its own distinct feel, ranging from driving, mellifluous, and uplifting to soothing and more relaxed.

…and the story continue in the future!