UK hard house
Hard house | |
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Stylistic origins | |
Cultural origins | Early 1990s, UK |
Typical instruments | |
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UK hard house or simply hard house is a style of hard dance[1] music that emerged in the 1990s. It often features a speedy tempo (around 150 BPM), offbeat bass stabs,[2] hoovers, horns[2] and crowd cheering samples.[2] It usually contains a break in the middle of the track without drum. UK hard house often uses a long and sharp string note to create suspense. Most of the time, the drops are introduced by a drum roll.
Subgenres
Hard bounce
Hard bounce (or more originally known as bouncy hard house) is a style of UK hard house which first emerged around 1999. Unlike other hard house genres, it features an upbeat, energetic sound and heavily focuses on the 'pipe' sample as an offbeat bassline, which usually represents a 'donk' sound. In recent years, hard bounce has come to refer as style far less uplifting trance orientated than the original Scouse house genre, which also utilizes the same sample but takes a slightly more commercial approach.
Hard dance
Hard dance is a cross over genre between hard house, Eurodance and hard trance. This first appeared in the UK around 1998-9. Unlike the classic hoover sound of hard house and the rolling basslines, hard dance incorporates strong synths, percussion and echo effects from Eurodance and a lot of pitched up trance music and is generally regarded as happier sounding music than pure hard house.
Confusion
Hard house is similar to, but distinct from hardstyle. Confusion can sometimes arise as some club nights and events will play both hardstyle and hard house. This may be because hardstyle is quite well-known across western Europe, whereas hard house has only ever had a limited audience outside of the UK, so there is more new music being released in the hardstyle scene.
Notable hard house DJs and producers
- Steve Thomas
- Anne Savage
- Andy Farley[3]
- Paul Glazby
- Ben Stevens
- Rich Halpin
- Valex
- Ian Mobile
- OD404
- BK
- James Lawson
- Captain Tinrib
- Lisa Lashes[2]
- Lisa Pin-Up
- Sam Townend
- Lee Pasch
- Tony De Vit
- Tidy Boys (Amadeus Mozart & Andy Pickles)
- Ian M
- Alan Thompson
- Daz Saund
- Fergie
- Klubbheads[2]
- Lock 'n' Load[2]
- DJ Jean[2]
- Junkfood Junkies[2]
- Jonesy[2]
- Alex K[2]
- 666[2]
- The Porn Kings[2]
Hard house music labels
- Vicious Circle
- Nitrox
- Tripoli Trax
- Tidy Trax
- Nukleuz
- React Music Limited