The New Generation of Hardcore Breaks

The year 2022 marked the 30th anniversary of the Breakbeat Hardcore. A movement that was thrived all over UK with top records such as The Prodigy’s debut album, ‘Full On Mask Hysteria’ by Altern-8, but to name a few, and legendary DJs, acts & labels like 2 Bad Mice, Shades of Rhythm, SL2, The House Crew, Suburban Base, XL Recordings and so many others to mention. And to this point, some of you might be wondering what has happened with this sound. Riding the 21st century with modern techniques but oldskool feelings, the Hardcore Breaks style seems to be the continuation of that oldskool sound.

On behalf of that, let me present you five young (in age) talents introducing themselves, representing the new breed of Hardcore Breaks. These invigorating producers hail from different places all around the globe (aside from UK) and they’re the future and big hope for this sound. Some of them are a wild card, making astonishing tunes and transcend the genre. Others are releasing their music through old labels that keep on strong 30 years after (e.g. Kniteforce).
But, everyone follows no rules, because that’s the meaning of Hardcore.
We can borrow Acen’s title track ‘2092’, released some years ago on Kniteforce Records, in order to realize the year of the Matrix we’re currently running…


And here we go ...

Lukas Ungeitis

Real Name: Lukas Ungeitis
Year of Birth: 2002
Place: Vilnius, Lithuania


“The main 3 genres I focus are breakbeat hardcore, big beat and gabber. In April 2020, I produced my first track titled 'You Can Do It', and it got some great feedback from the people I send my tracks. The inspiration to begin producing my own tracks was taken, to be honest, from a Jim Pavloff's video, in which he recreated The Prodigy’s iconic hit 'Smack My Bitch Up'.

Then, I immediately got Ableton in my old PC which could only support a few tracks back then, since the CPU couldn’t handle the workload, but hey – every producer starts small. Hardcore breakbeats and ear-ripping kick drums represent me and I can relate to that – I like the feel of hearing the beats sound so groovy, imperfect and shuffly with a dirty and a distorted flavor. I sometimes even listen to some drum solos, just to feel the ‘color’ and tone of the drums.

Vilnius, the capital city of Lithuania, is rich with Hardcore Rave producers djing on Fridays and Saturdays in outskirts, and that truly compliments the trashiness of this genre. I am confident that my music would receive good reviews to listeners – an artist is not an artist if he doesn’t believe in what he creates. Rave is all about that feeling or sensation of being free from any rules society has to put up with in today’s modern world. In other words, Rave is felt and heard. I barely know how to read sheet music, but that doesn’t stop me from getting involved in production – I compose based on what I feel.

My equipment is fairly simple: a stationary computer, PreSonus studio monitors, AKG studio headphones, Arturia MK Mini II midi controller, a TB-03, a Casio CTK-530 for those oldschool piano stabs and strings and a microphone for expressing any lyrics that come out of me.
My plan is to release rave tracks as part of an album, moreover to sound like oldskool even though I still use Izotope. Further plans to produce Gabber, Techno and Big Beat tracks are, in fact, on their way.”


Influences: The Prodigy, Fatboy Slim, The Chemical Brothers, Altern-8, DJ Seduction, N-JOI
Releases on: Strictly Nuskool Blog (forthcoming)

Follow: Facebook - Soundcloud - Youtube - Spotify

TNO Project

Real Name: Lukas Milbrandt
Year of Birth: 1999
Place: Wolfsburg, Germany


“The average music people of my age usually listen to EDM, Rap and Pop. To me it all started in 2012 when my uncle played 'Hyper Hyper' by Scooter at my aunt’s birthday party. I had never heard a track like this before and it was stuck in my head for days. After watching the music video, I noticed the shoutout to various Rave artists near the end of the track. Checking all the new discovered artists out, Marusha was the one guiding my musical future. I started making Low Spirit inspired rave techno and trance tracks on my father’s Mac using Garageband, and then uploading them on YouTube under the name of Dj LukeAss at the end of 2012. By that time, I started listening to recorded tapes of Marusha’s Radioshow 'Ravesatellite' and got in touch with Hardcore Rave containing breakbeats.

I was fascinated by the fast arrangement of breaks and the dark and happy parts within single tracks. A track that stood out to me was 'Fall Down On Me' by Force & The Evolution on Kniteforce. After digging through the history of UK Rave music, I wondered whether Kniteforce is still alive in 2015. It was. I sent a demo track to Luna C (Chris) and he quite liked what I’ve sent him. Nevertheless, we couldn’t release that track being also downloadable on Soundcloud. But Chris told me to keep on sending new stuff and, doing so, I’ve got my first ever release on KFA in August 2016. In 2017, I checked the mail and got my first ever test press containing one of my tracks - an incredible feeling. Meanwhile, it’s still a special feeling getting your new EPs on vinyl.

Speaking of new EPs, new TNO stuff is coming this year on Knitebreed alongside a brand new Jungle project under the name of Dj Sarin. Regarding the current scene in my city, we have an active D&B scene in Braunschweig (Brain Club), but definitely a lack of 90s hardcore music! Shoutout to my fellow German Hardcore and Breakbeat producers Stephano Gee, Timme, Alex Jungle and Empyreal.

Productionwise, I’m currently using Logic Pro X and my trusty KRK speakers. Looking at my „out of box“ equipment, I’m using a Yamaha A3000 Sampler for sampling and dirty FX, a Roland TR8 for 808 and 909 business, a Yamaha TG55 alongside a Korg M3R,a Kawai GMega and a Roland D-05 mostly for pad sounds, a Novation MiniNova and a Behringer DM6 for bread and butter sounds, an Arturia Minibrute for analog bass and a Yamaha reface DX for some crazy FM FX or bell tones. For outboard FX I’m using a Lexicon MPX100 fed thru a IPS 33B harmonizer.”


Influences: Marusha, Force & The Evolution, Akira Yamaoka, Jimmy J & Cru-l-t
Releases on: Kniteforce, KFA, KFD, Knitebreed, Influential, Intensive Recordings

Follow: Facebook - Soundcloud - Youtube - Spotify

Amaretto

Real Name: Takumi Ito
Year of Birth: 1996
Place: Kanagawa, Japan


“Around 2015, I started making tracks and I think the first one was a UK Hardcore style when I was 18 years old. In my junior high school days, I came across Konami’s music games (such as Beatmania IIDX, Jubeat, etc.) and discovered this type of music. Then I made a research deep into the roots of these sounds and came across Happy Hardcore, Oldschool Hardcore and Jungle. The sound of Breakbeat is magical to me.

Even now, 30 years after the 90s, Breakbeat Hardcore is still rolling and made using the sounds of that time. I think this is very strange and at the same time, it shows me how perfect the Breakbeat sound is.
In Japan there's a party series called WEEKEND RAVERS run by DJ Shimamura and MC STONE and I have to admit that this is the most important party in the Japanese Hardcore scene. There are so many lovers of Hardcore music not only in Tokyo but also in various places throughout the country. And Hardcore music is played in various places.
I love releasing my music on vinyl. I remember the joy of receiving my first record. It's such a happy feeling that I can’t put it into words. Pressing vinyl records takes a very long time now, but it’s far more satisfying.

Regarding the equipment, I use Ableton Live as DAW and various synthesizer such as: 01/W, Alpha Juno 2 and as VST (M1, JD-800, SH-101 etc.)”


Influences: Luna-C, Tango, Al Storm, Jack Smooth
Releases on: Kniteforce White, 4 The Core, Second Drop Records

Follow: Twitter - Soundcloud - Spotify - Bandcamp

NAYIM

Real Name: Nayim Chamlal
Year of Birth: 1997
Place: Tenerife, Spain


“The first time I listened to this music (Thanks to my father) was when I was 9 years old. I thought that this music came from another planet and I instantly fell in love. It was about those breaks, pianos, vocals... I couldn't stop listening to it on my mp3 even at school.

At the age of 12 I started mixing on a controller and few years later I bought my first vinyl decks and I began to set a great collection of records that I have today. Then everything changed.
At the age of 16 I began to snoop around music production and with less knowledge I made my first track. At that time I was able to meet wonderful people like Luffy and Wislov. I produce my tracks using a PC and my midi keyboard and always try to make a modern track sounds like 90s. It's a big fun when you make your own patterns with 90s flavours.

Also, I have to thank all people who have been part of this culture in Tenerife, keeping the vibe alive. When I started producing, the scene wasn't that strong like today and that makes me very happy. Hardcore will never die!”


Influences: Suburban Base, Reinforced and all 90s labels
Releases on: Kode 5, KLP, Ravenoyz

Follow: Facebook - Soundcloud - Spotify

MAID TWIST

Real Name: Ryuki Kimura
Year of Birth: 1995
Place: Tokyo, Japan


“I created my artist project in order to join .rave label and I started making music around 2010. First touch with Hardcore Breakbeat was in my 14th year of age discovering 'GUHROOVY fw. DJ TECHNORCH - MENTAL MELTDOWN' and 'DJ's Take Control' by SL2, but I think I've been already familiar with breakbeats by listening to the soundtrack of the Ape Escape video game.

I like Hardcore Breaks because they are just free, happy and crazy, and yet they sound very familiar to me. Thanks to my love for this style, I also like Jungle and Garage.
I used to use FL Studio, but now I use Ableton Live to make music. I think the characteristics of Tracker-style software have a big influence on the Hardcore Breakbeat sound, so I've recently started using Renoise as well. I think I can make the music I want with any DAW, but I think the features and limitations of DAWs have a big influence on the music, so I actively use software used by artists I like. I'm learning every day to get a little closer to the sound of various favorite Renoise user artists such as Sully, FFF, bye2 and MOM$.

Releasing music is both fun and painful for me because it's about facing myself. But now I'm used to produce tracks and my personality comes out naturally, so I enjoy making music. Now I take snapshots of my personality that come out naturally and make them up to complete the track. It's like finding a beautiful landscape, taking out my camera and processing it in Lightroom.”


Influences: DJ TECHNORCH, Wishdokta, Luke Vibert, Glowstyx, Eternal (Mark James) and MIG-29, bye2, WE ROB RAVE, Gargoyle, MOM$, FFF and Foamek
Releases on: .rave, RewindBack Records, Suihei, Barisui

Follow: Twitter -  Soundcloud