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PHONK — darkness, trap, and 90s nostalgia
Phonk is a genre that blends the dark atmosphere of southern 1990s hip-hop, trap beats, vocal samples from Memphis rap, and retro cassette aesthetics. It’s the sound of the streets, night rides, the underground — and TikTok trends all at once.
History of the Genre
Roots — Memphis, 1990s: The foundation of phonk lies in Memphis rap — lo-fi recordings with raw lyrics, often transferred from cassettes. Artists: DJ Screw, Three 6 Mafia, Tommy Wright III, DJ Smokey
2010s: A digital revival. The term phonk appears online. New-wave creators: Ski Mask The Slump God, Mr. Sisco, DJ Yung Vamp, Soudiere, Mythic Mob
2020s: Phonk takes over TikTok, YouTube, and Spotify — especially the drift phonk subgenre, known for its fast, aggressive distorted basslines.
The Sou...
Moombahton — reggaeton rhythms and EDM energy
Moombahton is an explosive blend of Latin passion and electronic aggression. It fuses the reggaeton tempo (108–115 BPM) with powerful EDM synths, drums, and drops. Danceable, sensual, and hypnotic, it’s perfect for both clubs and summer festivals.
How did moombahton appear?
In 2009, American DJ Dave Nada accidentally slowed down the track “Moombah” (Afrojack & Chuckie) to 108 BPM during a party.
The crowd loved it — and a new genre was born, named after “Moombah” and “reggaeton”.
Remixes and original moombahton tracks soon began to appear.
Style characteristics
Mid-tempo: 108–115 BPM
Rhythm and percussion from reggaeton
Synths, bass, and drops from EDM
Frequent use of Latin vocals, samples, Afro elements
Soun...
Jazz — improvisation, freedom, and the soul of music
Jazz is more than a style. It’s a language of emotion, syncopation, improvisation, and freedom. Born at the crossroads of African and European cultures in the early 20th century in the United States, jazz became the foundation for countless movements — from swing and blues to fusion and hip-hop.
History of Jazz: from the streets of New Orleans to the world’s concert halls
1900s–1920s — birth in New Orleans, Dixieland, Louis Armstrong
1930s — the swing era, big bands: Duke Ellington, Benny Goodman
1940s — the bebop revolution: Charlie Parker, Dizzy Gillespie
1950s — cool jazz, hard bop, the rise of vocal jazz
1960s–70s — free jazz, fusion, the influence of rock and the avant-garde
1980s–2020s — returns to tr...
Industrial — music of machines, noise, and protest.
Industrial isn’t just a music style—it’s a challenge, a protest, an expression. It’s noise, distorted sonics, dark aesthetics, mechanical pulse, and the imprint of post-punk, techno, and the avant-garde. Industrial breaks familiar musical forms and creates a soundtrack to post-apocalypse and urbanity.
Industrial History: from Underground to Legend
Late 1970s — the term “industrial music” emerges via the UK label Industrial Records, founded by Throbbing Gristle.
1980s — rapid growth in Germany, the USA, Belgium. Aesthetic of factories, noise, futurism.
1990s — fusion with metal and techno; mainstream rise of Nine Inch Nails, Ministry, Rammstein.
2000s–2020s — experimental forms, EBM, dark electro, noise, industrial te...
House — the rhythm that created the dancefloor.
House — the heartbeat of the dancefloor, parties, and electronic culture. Born in Chicago clubs in the 1980s, it became the foundation for countless electronic subgenres. Four-on-the-floor beats, groovy bass, synths, and soulful vocals — that’s the formula of house that conquered the world.
History of House
1983–85 — the first house tracks are cut to vinyl in Chicago: Jesse Saunders — On and On, Marshall Jefferson — Move Your Body
1980s–90s — house takes over New York, London, and Ibiza
1990s — subgenres bloom: deep house, acid house, progressive
2000s — fusion with pop, the rise of EDM house
2010s–2020s — back to the roots (lo-fi, classic house), boom of tech house and afro house
House Characteristic...
Hip-Hop / Rap — history, subgenres, and beat culture
Hip-hop isn’t just music. It’s a culture that unites rap (MCing), beatmaking, DJing, breakdancing, and graffiti. Born on the streets of the Bronx in the 1970s, it grew into a global phenomenon shaping music, fashion, art, and politics.
History: from block parties to the world stage
1970s — origins in New York; early DJs: DJ Kool Herc, Grandmaster Flash
1980s — the golden age: Run-DMC, Public Enemy, Rakim, LL Cool J
1990s — the rise of rap: 2Pac, The Notorious B.I.G., Wu-Tang Clan, Nas
2000s — commercialization and diversity: Eminem, Jay-Z, Kanye West
2010s–2020s — mainstream dominance and the trap wave: Drake, Travis Scott, Kendrick Lamar
2020–2025 — experimentation, women in rap, hyperpop, Latin influences, and drill
...
Hardcore — the sound that breaks walls.
Hardcore — an extreme form of electronic music that tears up the dancefloor with sheer speed, aggression, and power. The genre emerged on the 1990s rave scene and has since become a symbol of absolute freedom, anarchy, and energy.
History of Hardcore
Early 1990s — origins in the Netherlands, Belgium, and Germany First tracks push 160+ BPM, drum machines, distorted kicks
Dutch Hardcore (Gabber) — Rotterdam, 1992–1996: Mokum Records, Paul Elstak, Rotterdam Terror Corps
Happy Hardcore — a UK branch with melodies and vocals
Industrial Hardcore — fused with noise and techno (The Outside Agency)
2000s — popularized by festivals: Thunderdome, Masters of Hardcore
2020s — the old-school hardcore revival; crossover with hard techno and EDM
...
Funk — the rhythm you can’t resist.
Funk is a rhythmic, energetic, and sensual music born at the crossroads of soul, jazz, and R&B. From the first chords, you want to move, nod your head, and sink into the groove. Funk isn’t just a genre—it’s a mood, a style, and a way of life.
A Brief History of Funk
1960s — the birth of funk in the U.S. Pioneer James Brown; his track Papa’s Got a Brand New Bag (1965) is often cited as the starting point.
1970s — the golden era: Parliament-Funkadelic, Sly & the Family Stone, Earth, Wind & Fire
1980s — fusion with disco, pop, and early hip-hop
1990s–2000s — funk’s influence across R&B, rap, and electronic music
2020s — a comeback via Nu Funk, Future Funk, and the Funk Revival (e.g., in the music of Br...
Folk is the voice of the land, the people, and time.
Folk (folk music) is a musical art form that conveys the culture, traditions, and spirit of a nation. It combines simple melodies with deep meaning, rooted in traditional songs and reflected in contemporary music — from acoustic ballads to indie folk and folktronica.
History and Origins
Folk music emerged naturally in all cultures around the world as a way to tell stories, express beliefs, and share emotions. Before the recording era, it was transmitted orally from generation to generation.
Key milestones:
19th century — collection and transcription of folk songs (England, Ireland, Scandinavia, Ukraine, etc.)
1930s–50s — the American folk revival (Woody Guthrie, Pete Seeger)
1960s — the rise of protest folk (Bob Dylan, Joan Baez)
1970s–90s — folk ...
Experimental is music beyond genres and conventions.
Experimental (experimental music) is not a genre in the classic sense but an approach. It is a sonic laboratory where rules are broken in the search for new forms. Trends, standards, or BPM don’t matter here — only one thing does: experimenting with sound, structure, and perception.
History and Roots
Experimental music has existed for as long as music itself, but as a distinct movement it took shape in the 20th century.
Key milestones:
1950s — avant-garde art music (John Cage, Karlheinz Stockhausen)
1960s–70s — minimalism, tape music, musique concrète, free jazz
1980s — industrial and noise experiments (Throbbing Gristle, Nurse With Wound)
1990s–2000s — electronic avant-gardists: Autechre, Aphex Twin, Oval
2020s — fusio...
Electro — music of the future with roots in the past
Electro is one of the most influential and instantly recognizable electronic music genres. Cold synthetic textures, robotic vocals, sci-fi samples and precise mechanical beats laid the foundation for hip-hop, techno and EDM. Electro is the sound of the future imagined back in the 1980s.
History of Electro
The genre emerged in the early 1980s in the USA, at the crossroads of funk, hip-hop and electronic music. Inspired by the work of Kraftwerk, producers began using drum machines (especially the Roland TR-808) and synthesizers to design a completely new sound.
Key early anthems include:
Afrika Bambaataa & The Soulsonic Force – “Planet Rock” (1982)
Hashim – “Al-Naafiysh (The Soul)” (1983)
Newcleus – “Jam on It” (1984)
Main cha...
EDM — the sound of festivals, clubs and the digital age
EDM (Electronic Dance Music) is a global musical phenomenon. It’s not just a style, but an entire culture that unites hundreds of subgenres and millions of listeners. EDM sounds on stadiums, in headphones, TikTok trends and video games. It is music of energy, impact and electronic freedom.
Brief history of EDM
The term “EDM” became widely used in the 2000s–2010s, but electronic dance music appeared much earlier:
1980s — the rise of house and techno in Chicago and Detroit
1990s — growth of trance, electro, hardcore, drum & bass in Europe
2000s — explosion of rave culture, development of progressive house, electro house, dubstep
The real global breakthrough came after 2010 with the rise of festivals like Tomorrowland, Ultra, EDC and super...
Dub is the music of echo, bass and sonic ghosts.
Dub is a music style where the focus is not on the notes, but on the space between them. It’s not just reggae without vocals – it’s an experiment, a sound that dissolves into reverb and deep bass. Dub creates a feeling of slow, psychedelic immersion: in the speakers you hear nothing but vibrations, echoes, delays and droplets of sound.
Brief history of Dub
Dub emerged in Jamaica in the late 1960s. At first, these were instrumental versions of reggae tracks, recorded specifically for DJs – so they could “toast” over them (toasting, the ancestor of rap).
The main pioneers of the genre:
King Tubby – the inventor of dub sound
Lee "Scratch" Perry – a sonic genius and visionary
Scientist, Mad Professor, Prince Jammy, Augustus Pablo
They tur...
Drum & Bass — a rhythm that never stops
Drum & Bass (or DnB / D&B) is an electronic music genre where the drums and the bassline don’t just play the lead role – they’re racing at breakneck speed. It’s all about energy, rhythm and pressure that you can’t mistake for anything else. DnB has long moved beyond raves: you’ll hear it in games, movies, clubs, festivals and even commercials.
History of Drum & Bass
The genre emerged in the early 1990s in the UK as an evolution of rave, hardcore and breakbeat. The legendary London club "Rage" became one of the first venues where fast, aggressive rhythms with jungle-style samples started to take over.
Drum & Bass grew out of jungle – reggae, funk and dub samples layered over fast, chopped-up breakbeats. Over time the sound became mor...
Downtempo – music of slowing down and deep emotions
Downtempo is a genre that sounds like an evening after a hectic day. It’s music where feelings matter more than dancing. It doesn’t call you to the dancefloor — it invites you to relax, reflect and daydream. Atmospheric grooves, soft beats and flowing harmonies — that’s the sound of downtempo.
History of the style
Downtempo emerged in the late 1980s and early 1990s in Europe as a response to the speed of the club scene. It was a kind of antidote to rave: music for chillout, rest and contemplation. It was in the chillout areas of iconic clubs like Café del Mar in Ibiza that the first downtempo began to play.
The genre absorbed elements of trip-hop, ambient, jazz, dub and lo-fi, creating a unique, relaxing atmosphere where the focus is not on action, but ...
