Bouncy techno

Bouncy techno
Stylistic origins	Rave music, Techno, Gabber
Cultural origins	Early-1990s, United Kingdom, Mid-1990s Netherlands, Germany, Italy, United States, Australia
Typical instruments	Synthesizer – Drum machine – Sequencer – Keyboard – Sampler
Mainstream popularity	Moderate in Scotland (low to high in various rave scenes)
Derivative forms	Freeform hardcore, UK Hardcore
Subgenres
none (complete list)
Fusion genres
Happy hardcore
Other topics
Electronic musical instrument – Computer music – Rave

Bouncy Techno (Bounce, NRG) is a rave hardcore dance music subgenre that was developed in the early 1990s in the United Kingdom and the Netherlands. It was originally influenced by the northern United Kingdom scene music (Scotland, North East England and Northern Ireland), where European-produced techno (mostly from Belgium and Italy) was widely popular.

Bouncy techno is characterised by a combination of staccato riffs with off-beat stabs at a fast tempo. It is a lighter and more melodic form of gabber.^[1] The genre was popularised by record producer Scott Brown, and soon became prominent in the northern United Kingdom (and, later, the Dutch rave scene). By the mid-1990s, the genre had driven the English happy hardcore breakbeat-influenced style away from its breakbeat hardcore origins, turning it into a happier variant of bouncy techno.

Characteristics

Typical compositions have a tempo of around 150 to 180 BPM (beats per minute), and use a 4/4 signature. Drum instruments are usually kept to a minimum, usually including a bass drum, sharp open hi-hat, hand clap, snare drum, ride and a splash cymbal, generated by drum machines such as TR-909 or DrumStation. Bass drum kicks are sometimes lightly distorted, and are arranged in a strict four-to-the-floor pattern.

The style's most distinguishing feature is its off-beat stabs (the "bouncy" part). This is often supplemented with similar off-beat snare patterns, claps, and hi-hats. Despite the genre's name, this part is only briefly heard during most tracks (and may not exist at all). This off-beat note and off-beat drum combination has been said by Simon Reynolds to remind of klezmer or oom-pah music.^[2]

A techno-sounding staccato riff (the track's key feature) is used as the track's hook. This feature is the only major difference between songs, many are structured similarly. Another type of variation may occur when the melody is altered through the use of resonance filters. Tracks can be instrumental, or they can use a short sample, cut and repeated through various points of the track. Overall, tracks largely resemble each other in terms of layout structure and techniques.

History

Origins

With a variety of music coming into raves during the early-1990s, the preferred genre in the northern United Kingdom was European techno, in contrast to the main rave scene in the southern United Kingdom, where the emerging local breakbeat hardcore style was more popular. This opposition would cause the northern music scene to evolve differently from the southern. Scott Brown, one of the most prolific musicians in the hardcore dance music scene, concurred that "there was a definite musical divide between the north and the south [of the United Kingdom], the north preferring it a lot harder..."^[3]

Apart from the south-based DJs who performed in the north, the south-based breakbeat hardcore style received little to no coverage on the radio or the magazines dedicated to the Scottish rave scene. The few Scotland-based breakbeat DJs found it very difficult to promote their music, with Scottish ravers going to extremes to shun them (even using petitions). DJ Kid, the original Scottish breakbeat stalwart said that "when trying to introduce the all new breakbeat sound to Scotland - nobody liked any of the records I played.^[4] I constantly pushed the breakbeat sound whilst the other DJs played underground techno".^[5] DJ Kid once stormed offstage at a Scottish rave when objects were thrown at him by disgruntled ravers during his breakbeat set.

Much like other rave scenes, the emerging Scottish scene created its own network of DJs and artists (including Scott Brown), eventually creating a sound catering to the particular tastes of its own listening audience. Cumbernauld based Brown had formed various acts including Bass X, with their Hardcore Disco (Shoop!, SHOOP 2, 1993) release considered to be amongst the first bouncy techno releases from early-1993. The track was hugely successful in the northern United Kingdom, and was soon followed by many similar-sounding tracks from Brown, while other local artists followed his formula. Music released by pioneering labels such as Shoop! was exported into mainland Europe and beyond.^[6]

Growth

Amongst the emerging releases from Brown was his Bass Reaction - Technophobia (Shoop!, SHOOP 8, 1993) release. The track proved popular in the Netherlands scene, something that Brown said "helped shape the Dutch and Scottish scenes for years."^[7] As the music proved popular at Dutch events, various Dutch producers such as Paul Elstak picked up on the hardcore sound made popular by Scott Brown.^[8] New Dutch labels such as Babyboom Records, Dwarf Records, Pengo Records released their own similar sounding material. Dutch artists were highly demanded at Scottish raves and vice-versa. The two scenes ran in tandem with each other.

As the Scottish scene grew, the Rezerection promotion - synonymous with the rave scene - threw its weight behind this north and south musical diversity, stating that "New Year's Eve 1993 proved to be a watershed event for Rezerection, as 1994 saw the demise of the traditional London style breakbeat sound favored by regular Rez DJs like Grooverider, SS and Seduction... as hard trance, bouncy techno and gabba dominated the Scottish scene."^[9] The hardcore music scene peaked in 1995, with Rezerection drawing 17,000 people in Edinburgh for their 20-hour Event 3: Equinox rave extravaganza on September 2 (primarily a bouncy techno dominated event).

In southern England, where bouncy techno music was previously normally only found in second alternative rooms, the breakbeat happy hardcore DJs started to integrate bouncy techno music into their mix sets at raves by the mid-1990s. The music soon appeared alongside happy hardcore on compilations. Happy hardcore artists started to use bouncy techno techniques in their productions. Happy hardcore's inherent breakbeats were lessened (or dropped) in favour of bass drums and off-beat techno stabs, effectively creating a hybrid of the two styles.^[10] Several new English-based labels (including Bounce!, Digital International Techno, and Techno Tunes) promoted bouncy techno music outright, though the majority of already established labels' productions tended to be a mixed fusion style. Due to its newfound similarity, the happy hardcore music made in-roads into the Scottish scene.

During the early 90s, Ultra-Sonic, one of the various Scottish live music rave acts, topped the Scottish record charts with Annihilating Rhythm (Clubscene Records, CSRT015, 1993). Their Live In UV City (Clubscene, V-CSR001, 1993) VHS release even outsold the much hyped The Jungle Book in its debut week in Scotland. Annihilating Rhythm was re-licensed in 1994 around Europe, selling 56,000 units in Germany. Ultra-Sonic soon became popular around the world in countries such as Australia, Japan, Hungary, Poland, and was also featured at the prestigious Mayday in Germany of 1994.^[11] The combination of the group's energetic live stage performance, distinct music, along with high volume sales for something with no prior publicity, was picked up on by German music moguls as something they could capitalise on.

A local band specifically directed towards a German audience was sought. Annihilating Rhythm was soon re-incarnated by the newly formed German act Scooter with their much marketed Hyper Hyper (Club Tools, 006073-0 CLU, 1994) release. The imitation was a European chart hit -selling 700,000 units in Germany- and brought about similar Ultra-Sonic-influenced tracks by Scooter. This in turn kick-started the German scene, derived from the Scottish sound intertwined with the pre-existing commercial German Eurodance. Ultra-Sonic said that "Annihilating Rhythm was a ground-breaking track which changed the face of dance music. You just need to look at tosspots like Scooter who had top 40 hits out of copying our style. I can name countless groups who copied our style..."^[12]

Decline

Ever since the drug-related deaths at Hangar 13 in 1994 (an issue raised in the British House of Commons^[13]), the incident gave the rave scene a disreputable image in the news media, linking it to hard drugs.^[14] It soon prompted a clampdown by authorities. Hangar 13 and other clubs had their licenses suspended or rejected,^[15] and events such as the pre-scheduled Safer Dance on November 1995 at the Scottish Exhibition and Conference Centre were cancelled. Hardcore music stronghold venues including the Metro and FUBAR made the jump to supporting house music. The influential Trevor Reilly, DJ from the Hangar 13 venue, similarly moved over to the house scene, along with others. The Rhythmic State, one of the various Scottish live performance rave acts, captured the feeling with their No DS Allowed (Clubscene Records, CSRT044, 1995) release, a tirade against the Drug Squad who maintained an intimidating presence at raves.

Radio programmes started to change their music. George Bowie's popular GB Experience on Clyde 1 moved away from hardcore and into the growing house scene. On its change, Bowie said that "the show has always been a reflection of the Scottish dance scene. I did play a lot of hardcore, although at that time the sound was really kicking off here to that 160 BPM Scott Brown sound, well, bouncy techno, really. It was rave, then techno, now house."^[16] Unlike Tom Wilson's hardcore-oriententated Steppin' Out programme (found only on Forth FM), the GM Experience was syndicated on five commercial radio stations around Scotland -the first nationwide Scottish dance music show- and reached a far greater audience than Steppin' Out.

By 1996, the music being played in the hardcore scene was changing. Music allegiances had been switched from Netherlands to England,^[17] with the happy hardcore music scene growing as a result.^[9] Happy hardcore was introduced to move the scene away from its hardcore single-mindedness, but the music was not popular with all of the scene. Remaining events were cancelled due to the lack of interest and decline in attendance due to this new musical direction.

The hardcore scene was devastated when the almighty Rezerection rave promotion, the last remaining stalwart of a once thriving scene, went into liquidation following the collapse of the ticket agency, TOCTA.^[18] Whilst this was a significant factor in Rezerection's demise, as with other promotions, they no longer attracted the same numbers as before. Their last event on May 31, 1997, had only one of the three advertised music tents in place due to low ticket sales.

Upon this news, Scott Brown wrote in his monthly M8 Magazine column that it "will always be looked upon as the month the Scottish hardcore scene died. I have expanded my horizons by producing more commercial dance and gabber, but for me, Scottish bouncy techno is almost a thing of the past."^[19] Through 1997, M8 Magazine would more-or-less drop any remaining hardcore coverage -something that they had greatly covered and supported since their launch- in favour of other music.

Through demand from the die-hard remaining fanbase, Brown hailed the return of new bouncy techno music in August, 1998, by launching the fittingly named Bouncy Techno Records label. It did not see past the 20th century as the label distributor went out of business. Before the turn of the 21st century, the landscape of the United Kingdom scene had changed due to the rise of the club scene and its favoured music, such as house and trance.

Present day

Through its musical ancestry, bouncy techno's musical qualities remain similar to UK rave-based hardcore music, partly due to Scott Brown's being at the forefront of a new sound: UK hardcore. Indeed, bouncy techno tracks from the early 1990s have seamlessly been adapted to the mid-2000 UK hardcore sound, with the original 1990s versions usually included in releases. Despite their musical similarities, some fans, disillusioned with the current UK hardcore sound, demanded a return to bouncy techno. By 2008, a new type of bouncy techno, also known as Bouncy House or "Donk" (pipe-sounding mid-beat), had surfaced. Proponents of the style include DJs such as Alex K, PMB, Brewer, Keith Capstick, Tony M, Nelson Santos, Jonny P, Sunset Bros., Raz Holden and DJ Bến Trengrove, and night clubs such as The Pleasure Rooms, Wigan Pier, Jokers, 51st State, Monroe's and DCM's.

The early music itself is still actively played, far more so in the United Kingdom than in the Netherlands. Not only is it found at dedicated old school themed events in the United Kingdom, it also crops up as part of the main arena scene, something usually reserved for new music. It is possible to download live mixes from past events (originally ripped off a tape) or custom made mixes enable to keep old music popular through the Internet. Even some Bonkers have had Bouncy Techno tracks in 'old style' mixes such as Hixxy's 'Old Skool Killa Kutz' on Bonkers 13 and Hixxy & Re-con's mix of Best of Bonkers. The early music is also found in the North American hardcore DJ circuit; the Los Angeles based Baco Brothers released a "throwback happy gabber" track in 2005 (Undercover Records Limited, UDL001, 2005).^[20]

Terminology

Bouncy techno is derived from crowds bouncing to music at raves. Amongst early uses, DJ ZBD praised Scottish group Q-Tex's record release, saying that "this bouncy techno cut should do their reputation a power of good" in the December 1992 issue of Clubscene magazine.^[21] Bouncy hardcore is more-or-less an alternative to the original term, that fits in better with the hardcore lingo, whilst shorter, broader terms such as techno and hardcore are also used.

Happy gabber tends to be used for Dutch productions, which started during the mid-1990s.^[1] Dutch artists increasingly introduced vocal samples lifted from old pop and rock songs into the already existing bouncy techno format, more so than the original Scottish productions that tended to be quite sparse and basic in comparison. Some more commercial Dutch tracks had "hardcore remixes" which were a lot harder and faster than the radio edits, but kept the main vocals and had similar riffs (often the case with the Dutch Pengo Records). American, German and Italian artists also had more happier versions of Gabber tunes released, and often released material off Scottish or Dutch labels. Funcore is another alternative word, first used on the Dutch based Babyboom Records. These terms have existed since 1995.

Tartan techno is a term referring to the overall Scottish rave music scene, of which hardcore music is one component, albeit the far greatest in quantity and popularity. The term has existed since 1994. An article in the October 23, 2004, edition of the Daily Record tabloid citing indigenous words based on popular culture in Scottish society that could enter a Scottish dictionary listed tartan techno as their choice for 1994, highlighting the scale of the scene at that time.

Selected information

Artists: - Bass Reaction, Bass X, Brothers In Crime, Casio Brothers, Dance Overdose, Davie Forbes, DJ Gizmo, DJ Isaac, DJ Waxweazle, Gordon Tennant, Hyperact, Infernus, Marc Smith, Neurotek, QFX, Q-Tex, Scott Brown, Technosis, The Rhythmic State, TTF, Ultra-Sonic, Scooter, Paul Elstak, DJ Weirdo & DJ Sim, Technotrance, Ultimate Buzz, Sonicdriver.

DJs: - DJ Bass Generator, DJ Brisk, DJ Buzz Fuzz, Carl Cox, DJ Demand, DJ Excel, DJ Joey Beltram, DJ JMS, DJ Marc Smith, DJ Mikey B, DJ Pagan, DJ Paul Elstak, DJ Scott, DJ Disk Jockey, DJ Attack, DJ Selector C, DJ Charlie, DJ Scott Brown, DJ Technotrance, DJ Ten, DJ Fruit Snax, DJ Tizer, DJ Vince, DJ Tom Wilson, DJ X-ray, Forze DJ Team, The Nightraver,

Raves: - Afterdark, Awesome 101, The Colosseum, Dance Concept, Dimensional, Dreamscape, Fantazia, FUBAR, Hangar 13, Hellraiser, Helter Skelter, Hysteria, Intelligence, Judgement Day, Futureglow, Mayday, Metro, A Nightmare in Rotterdam, Nosebleed, Rezerection, The Blue Monkey, Planetary, The Venue, Energi House, Club Kinetic

Record labels: - Bouncy Techno (the label), Babyboom Records, Bass Generator Records, Breeze Records, Clubscene Records, Dwarf Records, Essential Platinum, Evolution Records, Forze Records, Global Records, Great British Techno (G.B.T.), Happy Trax, Jolly Roger Records, Massive Respect Records, Pengo Records, Poosh, Rave Records, Screwdriver Records, Shoop!, Twisted Vinyl, Waxweazle Records, Quosh, Steven Caroll records, Kontor Records, Sheffield Tunes

Well known releases: -

• Bass Generator - The Event (Bass Generator Records, GTX006, 1993)
• Bass Reaction - Technophobia (Shoop!, SHOOP 8, 1993)
• Bass X - Hardcore Disco (Shoop!, 1993)
• Bass X - Bass X (1994)
• Lord of Hardcore - Work that Sukka (Screwdriver Records, SCREW2, 1995)
• MIC - Bounce, Bounce, Bounce (Bass Generator Records, GTX 015, 1994)
• QFX - Virtual Reality (1993)
• Q-Tex - Get on the floor (Evolution, 1995)
• The Scotchman - Mayhem (Dwarf Records, DWARF 001, 1994)
• Hyperact - House Aggression (Dwarf Records, DWARF 003, 1994)
• Scott Brown vs DJ Rab S - Now Is The Time (Evolution Records, EV 015, 1994)
• The Scotchman - Happy Vibes (Babyboom Records, BABY 002, 1995)
• Infernus - Funcore (Babyboom Records, BABY 005, 1995)
• Denztrax - Lost Denz (Poosh, Poosh 3, 1995)
• Scott Brown - A New Feeling (Screwdriver Records, SCREW 6, 1995)
• Technopia - Ultimate Response (Bass Generator Records, GTX 043, 1996)
• Neurotek - Cocaine (Bass Generator Records)
• Neurotek - Crowd Control (Bass Generator Records)

References

1. ^ ^{a b} UK Scene (2006). "Smurf". www.ukscene.info. http://www.ukscene.info/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=177. Retrieved April 21, 2006. ^{[dead link]}
2. ^ Reynolds, Simon. Energy Flash. Picador. pp. 264. ISBN 0-330-35056-0. "A lot of the tunes recall oom-pah music or Jewish klezmer" 
3. ^ Gilbert (2004). "An interview with Scott Brown". www.gurn.net. http://www.gurn.net/interviews/Scott_Brown/14-02-2002. Retrieved February 24, 2006. 
4. ^ DJ Kid (2004). "Style". www.djkid.co.uk. http://www.djkid.co.uk/style.htm. Retrieved February 24, 2006. 
5. ^ DJ Kid (2004). "Biography: Into the nineties". www.djkid.co.uk. http://www.djkid.co.uk/profile-5.htm. Retrieved February 24, 2006. 
6. ^ Mo's Music Machine (1997). "Licensing". www.mosmusic.co.uk. http://www.mosmusic.co.uk/license.htm. Retrieved February 24, 2006. 
7. ^ Nigel Newby (2004). "The No.1 Hardcore DJ in the World: Scott Brown!". www.harderfaster.net. http://www.harderfaster.net/?section=features&action=showfeature&featureid=10730. Retrieved February 24, 2006. 
8. ^ Reynolds, Simon. Energy Flash. Picador. pp. 262. ISBN 0-330-35056-0. "Elstak and producers like Darkraver and Gizmo picked up on the lighter, less frenetic hardcore sound invented by Scottish producer Scott Brown, and kickstarted the happy-gabba explosion" 
9. ^ ^{a b} Rezerection (2005). "Rezerection: The History". www.rezerection.net. Archived from the original on February 21, 2006. http://web.archive.org/web/20060221201511/http://www.rezerection.net/main.html. Retrieved February 24, 2006. 
10. ^ Reynolds, Simon. Energy Flash. Picador. pp. 268. ISBN 0-330-35056-0. "With the English producers restoring the pounding four-beat kick-drum and playing down the breakbeat, by 1996 the stage was set for happy-core's merger with Scottish bouncy techno and Dutch fun-core, to form a single rave-will-never die sound" 
11. ^ Clubscene (2005). "Ultra-Sonic". www.clubscene.co.uk. http://www.clubscene.co.uk/ultra-sonic/index.htm. Retrieved June 16, 2006. 
12. ^ Lee, Mallorca (1997-08). "Goodbye Hardcore". M8 Magazine. p. 6. 
13. ^ House of Commons (1995). "House of Commons Hansard Debates for 15 November 1995 (part 21)". House of Commons. http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm199596/cmhansrd/vo951115/debtext/51115-21.htm. Retrieved June 16, 2006. 
14. ^ Jenny Booth (1997). "Study shows hard drugs link to the rave scene". The Scotsman. http://www.erowid.org/spirit/dancing/dancing_media1.shtml. Retrieved February 24, 2006. 
15. ^ Fantazia (1994). "PA Q-Tex Profile / Interview". www.fantazia.org.uk. http://www.fantazia.org.uk/DJs/q-tex.htm. Retrieved June 10, 2006. 
16. ^ Bowie, George (1998-01). "Pure Bowie". M8 Magazine. p. 15. 
17. ^ Reynolds, Simon. Energy Flash. Picador. pp. 265. ISBN 0-330-35056-0. "Despite all the Dutch gabba t-shirts at Rez, Scottish hardcore's allegiances are shifting: several of the DJs playing tonight are from south of the border, where they're big names on the English happy hardcore scene" 
18. ^ "Will Death Kill Dance?". M8 Magazine. 1997-08. pp. 80–81. 
19. ^ Brown, Scott (1997-09). "Hardcore No More?". M8 Magazine. p. 130. 
20. ^ Baco Brothers (2005). "Lonely Road". www.ush.net. http://www.bacobrothers.com. Retrieved June 10, 2006. 
21. ^ Blair, Gordon (1992-12). "Top Choons". Clubscene Magazine. p. 9. 

• Ultimatebuzz - The webs biggest clubbing/bounce website

See also

• List of electronic music genres