Showbiz News
Digital Hardcore — music of protest and digital rage
Digital Hardcore is an extreme branch of electronic music that emerged in the mid-1990s. It combined harsh electronic sound, hardcore punk, and industrial elements, evolving into an aggressive and protest-oriented musical style.
History
The roots of Digital Hardcore go back to the Berlin scene of the early 1990s.
The key figure was musician Alec Empire, who founded the band Atari Teenage Riot and the label Digital Hardcore Recordings (DHR).
The genre took shape as a response to the commercialization of electronic music and as an expression of anti-fascist and anti-system sentiments.
Sound and Characteristics
Speed and aggression: BPM often exceeds 180, with heavy and “broken” rhythms.
Instruments: drum machines, distorted guitars, samples, synthesizers.
Vocals: sh...
Glitch — the music of digital errors that became art
In the world of electronic music, the boundaries between noise and melody have long since disappeared. What was considered a “faulty sound” in the early 1990s has now become a full-fledged genre. This is about Glitch — a musical style that turned digital errors and distortions into an artistic tool.
How Glitch appeared
The name of the genre comes from the English word glitch — “malfunction”, “error.” Musicians of the experimental scene first turned to this approach in the early 1990s, inspired by computer artifacts, CD player clicks, damaged cassette noise, and digital malfunctions of early software synthesizers.
One of the first labels to shape the genre was the German Mille Plateaux. In 1999, they released the compilation Clicks & Cuts,...
Drill & Bass — chaos and speed in IDM
Drill & Bass is a subgenre of electronic music that emerged in the mid-1990s as an experimental offshoot of drum and bass. It is characterized by excessively complex rhythms, "broken" drum patterns, and chaotic track structures. In essence, it is a parodic yet brilliant reimagining of drum and bass in an avant-garde spirit.
History
The genre originated in the UK within the IDM (Intelligent Dance Music) movement.
It is often attributed to Aphex Twin (the album Richard D. James Album, 1996), where traditional drum and bass was pushed to absurd extremes through abrupt accelerations, sample slicing, and glitch effects.
Following him, the style was further developed by Squarepusher, µ-Ziq, and Venetian Snares.
Sound Characteristics
Rhythm: extremely fast and "broken" drums w...
Chiptune — 8-bit Music and Its History
Chiptune (or 8-bit music) is a genre of electronic music based on the sound of audio chips from old game consoles and computers. Its recognizable "pixelated" sound became a symbol of the arcade era, Nintendo, Sega, and Commodore. Today, Chiptune exists both in its original form and as modern remixes and live performances.
History
1970s–80s: the first sound chips (SID on the Commodore 64, PSG on the Sega, Ricoh 2A03 on the NES) limited music to 3–4 channels and simple waveforms.
Game composers such as Koji Kondo (Super Mario Bros., The Legend of Zelda) and Rob Hubbard (Commodore 64 games) made the music of these chips iconic.
In the 1990s, Chiptune evolved within the demoscene — a community of programmers and musicians creating music directly in code.
Sound charact...
t.A.T.u. are back — the legendary duo reunites
"Everything and about everything — in our eyes, and beyond. Ahead lies much that is new and exciting. Let’s go!" — this is how Yulia Volkova and Elena Katina announced the reunion of the legendary duo t.A.T.u..
For millions of fans around the world, this became an event comparable to a return to their youth: the daring energy of the 2000s came alive again, but in a new, more mature and meaningful format.
"We are not starting over — we are continuing"
According to Yulia, this is not a “second wind,” but a natural continuation of the story:
"There is no need to start over. We are simply continuing. The same strength and emotions that lived in us twenty years ago are still there, but now we know how to channel them into music differently — deeper, st...
Italo Disco — History of the Genre, Best Hits and Artists
Italo Disco — is a genre of disco and synth-pop that emerged in Italy in the early 1980s and became one of the main symbols of the European dance scene. Bright synthesizers, romantic melodies, dramatic vocals, and dance rhythms made this style iconic to this day.
History
Origins: the genre appeared in Italy around 1982, when local producers began recording disco tracks using synthesizers and drum machines.
The name "Italo Disco" was introduced by the German label Zyx Records, which in 1983 began releasing compilations of Italian disco music.
The music quickly gained popularity not only in Italy but also in Germany, Spain, Switzerland, and the USSR (where Italo Disco was actively played at 80s discos).
Sound Characteristics
Synthesizers: bright melodies and bass lines.
Dru...
Ambient Breaks — a style at the intersection of ambient and breakbeat
Ambient Breaks is a subgenre of electronic music that combines the meditative, spacious textures of ambient with the rhythmic patterns of breakbeat. This style appeared in the 1990s, when DJs and producers began experimenting with smooth soundscapes and irregular drum parts.
History and Development
The roots of Ambient Breaks lie in Brian Eno’s ambient music and the breakbeats of the early rave scenes.
In the 1990s, the style developed actively on labels releasing downtempo, trip-hop, and early chillout.
Ambient Breaks was often used as music for after-parties, lounge zones, and chillout rooms at raves.
Sound Characteristics
Atmosphere: long, extended ambient pads and soft synthesizer layers.
Beats: breakbeats with a moderate tempo (usually 90–120 BPM), sometimes in...
Berlin School — electronic music movement from Germany
Berlin School is a style of electronic music that emerged in West Germany in the late 1960s and early 1970s. This style had a huge influence on the development of the entire electronic scene and became the foundation for genres such as ambient, synthwave, new age, and even modern techno.
History
Berlin School arose during the flourishing of krautrock (experimental rock music) in Germany.
Key figures included Klaus Schulze, Tangerine Dream, and Ash Ra Tempel, who began actively using synthesizers, sequencers, and electronics instead of guitar dominance.
Analog synthesizers such as Moog, ARP, and sequencers played a crucial role, allowing musicians to create repetitive rhythmic structures.
Sound and Features
Sequencers and patterns: repeating cycles that gradually evolve.
Atmosph...
2 Step (UK Garage) — Genre History, Features, and Artists
2 Step (or 2-Step Garage) is a subgenre of UK Garage that emerged in the late 1990s in the United Kingdom. It is characterized by a shifted, “broken” rhythm, the absence of a standard bass kick on every beat, and an abundance of syncopated patterns. This gives the music a “floating” feel and distinguishes it from classic house and garage.
History
Roots trace back to UK Garage of the mid-90s, which itself evolved from American garage house and jungle.
The first experiments with the two-step rhythm came from producers such as Dem 2, Artful Dodger, and Groove Chronicles.
The peak of popularity occurred in the late 1990s and early 2000s, when 2 Step was heard in charts and clubs across the UK.
Sound Characteristics
Broken rhythm: the kick drum is not placed on...
