Electronic dance music is a broad spectrum of percussive electronic musical genres created primarily for clubs, raves, and concerts. The music can be loud and bumpy or slow and melodic, with a variety of drum beats and sounds. The genre has been popular ever since the eighties but has steadily grown in popularity in recent years as more people begin to incorporate danceable elements into their everyday lives. Today, electronic dance music has become a sub-culture unto itself, as fans enjoy celebrating their favorite types of music in unique ways.
Breakcore is one of the many electronic dance music derivative forms that has grown out of the original rave scene. Breakcore usually involves complex musical rhythms with a dark, distorted sound that is often very hard to hear. The music is generally masculine and creates an atmosphere that is highly relaxed. The vocals are kept to a minimum, allowing the beat to lead the dance rather than the other way around.
Other electronic dance music derivative forms include drone and IDM. Drone music is characterized by repeating, sampled sounds that occur during playback. Common drone artists include Mark Phipps and Wolfgang Voeten. IDM, on the other hand, is characterized by thick, dark, and heavy distorted sounds that are delivered with a growling, pulsing rhythm. This form is more reminiscent of classic industrial music.
Electronic dance music is also composed of genres that are hard to classify. Some examples of these are hardcore techno, noise, jungle, abstract, pop, country, and hip hop. Although most of these can be loosely grouped, the key performers and DJs in these genres are often diverse and new talents. Many times, you’ll hear a breakcore artist performing alongside an established from a different country. Often the styles of these electronic dance music artists will be radically different than traditional DJs. This is because electronic dance music is more of a collaboration between artists and producers.
Technically, electronic music production is the application of audio manipulation and coding to make music. The two main categories of electronic music production are instrumental and vocals. In instrumental electronic music production, the focus is on the sounds created by instruments such as keyboards and drum sets. In vocals, electronic producers apply beats and rhythms to vocals to produce a fuller, more melodic effect.
Another electronic dance music form is “breaks”. Breakcore is typically an abrasive electronica-based sound genre. Sampling and repetition are common in breakcore. Popular breakcore artists include producers such as Arty Off, Cajmere, and Chromeo. Melodically, breakcore is similar to hardcore techno music but the production is far less rigid.
Future music is an electronic dance music form that emerged in the late 90s. Although technically influenced by house and techno, future music frequently exhibits a free style attitude and is characterized by deep house tendencies and complex beat structures. Future music producers like producers Arty Doelling and Del Thong have helped to develop and popularize the style of ‘future’ house music.
All of these electronic music production forms are still evolving and changing. The future is here! The future is always worth waiting for! So what are you waiting for? Grab your pad and keyboard, set up your headphones, and get ready for a night of electronic dance music fun.
Electronic dance music can be broken down into five (5) different genres. Techno, pop, experimental and progressive are the most popular, with further sub-genres under this umbrella such as ‘balearic’, ‘hraikanese’, ‘Columbian’, and ‘western’. These are just a start; there are so many genres out there. These electronic music genres are generally identified by their instrumentation. Bass, lead, drums, and sampling are amongst the popular elements in modern dance music.
Future dance music, breakdown, drum and bass, and IDM are other popular forms. Breakdown and IDM are particularly famous for their use of samples and unique style. Other popular breakcore and IDM genres include tribal and glitch. Other common dance music production techniques include sampling, drum looping, and sampling.
Electronic music is constantly evolving and growing. New forms emerge every day, and sometimes old ones morph into newer, more interesting versions. Just because a genre has become outdated or standard doesn’t mean it can’t still be interesting, innovative, or sexy! DJs, producers, and technicians are at the heart of every electronic dance music party – whether they’re based in the DJ’s room or a club on the weekends.