bouncy techno

The breakbeat hardcore style that dominated raves across England was generally not popular in Scotland.{{Citation | last = Jackhammer | first = DJ | title = On the Jungle Trail: Breakbeat in Scotland | newspaper = Respect | issue = 1 | pages = 14–15 | date = February 1994}} This is attributed to regional music,{{cite web | last = Gibson | first = Owen | title = Rhythm of life is quicker up north, says music survey | work = The Guardian | date = 5 February 2008 | url = https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2008/feb/05/musicnews.music | accessdate = 1 July 2013}} cultural and racial differences across the UK; with breakbeat regarded in Scotland as a "black English thing" and an "alien musical culture".{{Citation | last = Wyburn | first = Claire | title = KMC Calls For Some Drastik Drum 'N' Bass Plastik | magazine = M8 Magazine | issue = 66 | pages = 50 | date = September 1994}}

The few Scottish-based DJs who supported this music found it difficult to be booked locally. DJ Kid told the crowd to "fuck off" on the mic before he stormed off stage when ravers turned hostile towards him playing such a set.{{Citation | last = Bradley | first = Nick | title = On the Scottish Ting: DJ Kid | magazine = Dream Magazine | issue = 21 | pages = 22–24 | date = June 1997}} A divide in the United Kingdom rave scene occurred as a result with separate musical paths of development.{{cite book | last = Borthwick | first = Stuart | title = Popular Music Genres: An Introduction | publisher = Edinburgh University Press | year = 2004 | page = 202 | chapter = Jungle: The Breakbeat's Revenge | isbn = 0-7486-1745-0}}

Scotland instead favoured techno and vocal/piano music at raves. The Time Frequency (TTF) led the charge of local bands. After three chart hit records in the UK Singles Chart Top 40 across 1993, which peaked with "Real Love" at number eight, their commercial success in part resulted in a backlash against the band. With the vocal/piano approach now tainted,{{Citation | last = Wyburn | first = Claire | title = Bass Generator: Resurrects Hogmanay | magazine = M8 | issue = 105 | pages = 52–55 | date = December 1997}} ravers turned their attention to an alternative form of underground music that had since materialised.

Bass Generator introduced the gabber style to northern ravers. These sets would prove popular and earned him Best Rave DJ and Best UK DJ by Clubscene readers for 1993.{{Citation | last = MacGillivary | first = Marc | title = Clubscene Readers Poll Results 1993 | magazine = Clubscene | issue = 34 | pages = 4–5 | date = March 1994}} To keep crowds receptive, the slower and softer vocal/piano anthems would also be played but unorthodoxly mixed at greatly increased speeds to match them to the much faster and aggressive gabber.{{Citation | last = Killa | first = The | title = Bass Generator | magazine = Eternity | issue = 37 | pages = 88 | date = January 1996}} This created a peculiar clash of styles; an early template of what would become bouncy techno (this concoction was something he would eventually release as "The Event" (1993)).

{{cquote|Scott Brown is one of the world's most important producers. He has single-handedly changed the sound of hardcore and now people everywhere are copying his sound.{{Citation | last = Jackhammer | first = DJ | title = Lenny Dee: The Original Hardcore Mutha | magazine = M8 | issue = 71 | pages = 32 | date = February 1995}}|4=Lenny Dee|5=(February 1995)}}

With a potential new avenue, Scott Brown reinterpreted the gabber sound into a more accessible interpretation for local audiences.{{Citation | last = Wyburn | first = Claire | title = Scott Brown: The King of Scottish Hardcore | magazine = M8 | issue = 85 | pages = 10–11 | date = April 1996}} His Bass X "Hardcore Disco" track in 1993 was the first hardcore release in Scotland (and the UK).{{Citation | last = Hanlon | first = Sean | title = Shoop! The Scottish Label Promoting Homegrown Talent | magazine = M8 | issue = 71 | pages = 50 | date = February 1995}} The runner-up Best Scottish Dance Record for 1993 set the trend in Scotland; followed-up by his Dance Overdose remix in a similar fashion. Other local acts replicated this popular winning formula. Even The Time Frequency also got in on the act and anonymously released "The Bounce" (1993) to fool their critics.{{Citation | last = Graham | first = Billy | title = Jon Campbell: Fact or Phantasy? | magazine = M8 | issue = 64 | pages = 10–12 | date = July 1994}}

Brown and his sound was propelled to the forefront of the hardcore scene in Scotland and abroad. In the year of 1994, Brown released 27 x 12" vinyl records under assorted aliases across 10 labels, 2 x compilation LPs, 22 x remix credits and launched five record labels under his Evolution Records stable;{{cite web | last = Brown | first = Scott | title = Scott Brown | publisher = Discogs | date = 2008-02-05 | url = http://www.discogs.com/artist/Scott+Brown | accessdate = 1 July 2013}} the majority of this music in his bouncy techno style.

Local artists and DJs soon appeared in Western Europe, Australia and Japan;{{Citation | last = Farrell | first = Judith | title = Ultra-Sonic: Tekno Junkies | magazine = Bassline | issue = 3 | pages = 37 | date = November 1995}} Q-Tex (Brown) and Ultra-Sonic played at the Mayday music festivals in Germany of 1994.{{cite web | title = Q-Tex at Mayday: The Raving Society, Berlin, Germany |website = YouTube| url = https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7wwGBB18UZ4 | year = 1994 | accessdate = 1 July 2013}}{{cite web | title = Ultra-Sonic at Mayday: Rave Olympia, Dortmund |website = YouTube| url = https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wgvvyb8xqpM | year = 1994 | accessdate = 1 July 2013}} Other factors in the style's exposure included DJ Carl Cox who played the founding Shoop! Records releases at raves;{{cite AV media notes |title=Shoop!: The Definition of Techno |others=various |year=1995 |first=DJ |last=ZBD |page=4 |type=booklet |publisher=Shoop! Records |id=ZBDCD001}}{{Citation | last = Dangerous | first = Johnny | title = No More Hardcore For Carl Cox | magazine = M8 Magazine | issue = 81 | pages = 24–25 | date = December 1995}} and DJ Tom Wilson's award-winning Steppin' Out dance music radio show that captured 82% of the available listening audience during Saturday evenings on Forth FM.{{Citation | last = Wyburn | first = Claire | title = The Non-Stop Trio | magazine = M8 Magazine | issue = 62 | pages = 90 | date = May 1994}}{{Citation | last = Turbo | first = Terry | title = Marc Smith & Tom Wilson | magazine = The Scene | issue = 25 | pages = 26 | date = October 1996}}

{{Further|Gabber}}

In the Netherlands, Paul Elstak felt that their own gabber was caught in a race to be the hardest at the expense of quality.{{cite book | last=Van Gageldonk | first=Paul | title= De Gabberstory: Het Verhaal van DJ Paul en DJ Rob | language = Dutch | publisher= LJ Veen | year= 2000 | isbn= 90-204-5681-4 | pages=84–88 | chapter =Chapter 6: Everybody Happy}} He found a new direction with Bass Reaction "Technophobia" (1993); another production from Brown. It brought an unexpected cheerful melody to the heavy undercurrent.{{cite book | last=Van Gageldonk | first=Paul | title= De Gabberstory: Het Verhaal van DJ Paul en DJ Rob | language = Dutch | publisher= LJ Veen | year= 2000 | isbn= 90-204-5681-4 | page=88 | chapter =Chapter 6: Everybody Happy}} The track was re-released for the Dutch market in 1994,{{cite book | last=Van Gageldonk | first=Paul | title= De Gabberstory: Het Verhaal van DJ Paul en DJ Rob | language = Dutch | publisher= LJ Veen | year= 2000 | isbn= 90-204-5681-4 | page=89 | chapter =Chapter 6: Everybody Happy}} where its success inspired Elstak and others to produce the same less frenetic sound,{{cite book | last = Reynolds | first = Simon | title = Energy Flash | publisher = Picador | year= 1998 | isbn= 0-330-35056-0 | page = 262 | chapter = Chapter 11: Marching into Madness}} which became known there as happy hardcore (i.e.: happy gabber).

Dutch labels dedicated to the "new rage" appeared such as Babyboom, Pengo, Waxweazle and Elstak's own Forze Records. Ironically, Brown's initial attempts to front Combined Forces new label venture was considered too hard in the Dutch landscape that he had changed. They expected music in Brown's own style and not that of gabber.

Concurrently, the Scottish duo Ultra-Sonic unconventionally combined the slower piano approach with the faster Brown-type beat; "Annihilating Rhythm" won Best Scottish Dance Record for 1993. The act claimed it "changed the face of dance music".{{Citation | last = McGonagle | first = Mickey | title = The Hour of Chaos (Ultra-Sonic: Goodbye Hardcore) | magazine = M8 Magazine | issue = 101 | pages = 6–12 | date = August 1997}} The track became the inspiration for Scooter "Hyper Hyper" (1994){{Citation | last = McMonagle | first = Mickey | title = Scooter Are Back in the UK | magazine = M8 Magazine | issue = 81 | pages = 28–31 | date =March 1996}} and Charly Lownoise and Mental Theo "Live at London" (1994).{{cite book | last=Van Gageldonk | first=Paul | title= De Gabberstory: Het Verhaal van DJ Paul en DJ Rob | language = Dutch | publisher= LJ Veen | year= 2000 | isbn= 90-204-5681-4 | pages=92–93 | chapter =Chapter 6: Everybody Happy}} Both were the first such musical chart entries in Germany and the Netherlands respectively.

{{cquote|A lot of people [in Germany] have tried to copy this style and make it cheap. All this stuff like Dune and Scooter, these kind of sounds are the worst! Scooter is basically like an Ultra-Sonic rip off.{{Citation | last = Dangerous | first = Johnny | title = WestBam: The Symbol of German Youth Culture | magazine = M8 Magazine | issue = 84 | pages = 32–33 | date = March 1996}}|4=WestBam|5=(March 1996)}}

These successes created a path for further mainstream music to be exploited. Scooter achieved much commercial chart success around western Europe; Ultra-Sonic claimed that Scooter were "ripping us off". Elstak meanwhile enlisted people in the eurodance field to produce a chart hit for him. Importantly, this particular music was not happy hardcore itself but alternative eurodance versions created for radio airplay in the style of Culture Beat.{{cite book | last=Van Gageldonk | first=Paul | title= De Gabberstory: Het Verhaal van DJ Paul en DJ Rob | language = Dutch | publisher= LJ Veen | year= 2000 | isbn= 90-204-5681-4 | pages=95–96 | chapter =Chapter 6: Everybody Happy}}

{{Further|4-Beat}}

Bouncy techno had already been supported in small numbers at raves in England by the like of DJs Brisk, Chris C and Ramos.{{Citation | last = C | first = Chris | title = Chris C: The Interview | magazine = To The Core Magazine | issue = 1 | pages = 52–53 | date = March 1996}}{{Citation | last = Barron | first = Ade | title = DJ Ramos Interview | magazine = The Scene Magazine | issue = 14 | pages = 61 | date = October 1995}}

Happy breakbeat DJs such as Dougal and Vibes initially introduced bouncy techno tracks to their breakbeat mix sets; Scott Brown Versus DJ Rab S "Now is the Time" (1995) release being a catalyst.{{Citation | last = EG | first = Mark | title = Dougal Interview | magazine = Eternity | issue = 20 | pages = 56 | date = August 1994}} Artists in this field started to add bouncy techno characteristics to their compositions,{{Citation | last = Wyburn | first = Claire | title = DJ Vibes: Keepin' It Alive in '95 | magazine = M8 Magazine | issue = 72 | pages = 46 | date = March 1995}} which created a new type of happy breakbeat music.

Several happy breakbeat labels created offshoots dedicated to bouncy techno, such as Bounce! Records from Happy Vibes Recordings in late 1995.{{Citation | last = Bradley | first = Nick | title = Happy Vibes Records | magazine = Dream Magazine | issue = 6 | pages = 50–51 | date = February 1996}} These labels would quickly become redundant as happy breakbeat itself developed in a similar light.{{Citation | last = B | first = Jason | title = Happy Tunes Records | magazine = Dream Magazine | issue = 11 | pages = 50–51 | date = July 1996}}

With the influence now found across several different markets, a single pan European hardcore was formed.{{cite book | last = Reynolds | first = Simon | title = Energy Flash | publisher = Picador | year= 1998 | isbn= 0-330-35056-0 | page = 268 | chapter = Chapter 11: Marching into Madness}} This was however short lived. Due to several drug related deaths at Hanger 13 that attracted national press and parliamentary debate,{{cite web | title = Bound Volume Hansard: Debate | url = https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm199596/cmhansrd/vo951115/debtext/51115-21.htm | year = 1995 | accessdate = 1 January 2012}} local authorities in Scotland clamped down on raves and clubs switched to house music.{{Citation | last = McMonagle | first = Mikey | title = Scotland's in the House | magazine = M8 Magazine | issue = 87 | pages = 102–106 | date = June 1996}}

The Metropolis, one of the leading venues for bouncy techno, dropped the music in 1996 due to its clown-suited PA scene and regarded it as "timewarp techno" (a word play of tartan techno).{{Citation | last = Stevenson | first = Robert | title = The Metropolis in a Timewarp? | magazine = M8 Magazine | issue = 87 | pages = 14–15 | date = June 1996}} Ultra-Sonic similarly stated that "someone [Brown] came up with a style of music" that everyone copied and "nothing new was evolving" as a result.

The new bouncy techno influenced happy breakbeat from Southern England was heavily pushed in Scotland as the next big thing but with little success.{{Citation | last = Jackhammer | first = DJ | title = Lenny Dee: Setting The Records Straight! | magazine = M8 Magazine | issue = 86 | pages = 102 | date = May 1996}} Bass Generator singled it out as having "killed the music scene up north" as it was an advanced form of breakbeat so was never going to work.

Rezerection closed its doors in 1997 as interest dwindled. Synonymous with the rave scene and hardcore music; the two were inseparable. Brown said of the promotion's demise that "Scottish 'bouncy' hardcore is almost a thing of the past" and looked to expand his horizons to other music.{{Citation | last = Brown | first = Scott | title = Browned Off: Hardcore No More? | magazine = M8 Magazine | issue = 102 | pages = 130 | date = September 1997}} Bass Generator's own Judgement Day looked to fill their void with a traditional Hogmanay rave to specifically kick-start a bouncy techno revival for 1998.

In Netherlands, hardcore fans became tired of funcore and felt betrayed by Elstak's subsequent chart forays. Dutch producers reverted to gabber after a final few parting shots with releases like Chico Chipolata "No More Happy Hardcore" (1996), Buzz Fuzz "Fuck Happy" (1997); whilst Bodylotion "Happy Is Voor Hobos" (1996) alternated between droll bouncy and no-nonsense gabber parts to get their message across.

{{Further|UK hardcore}}

As an alternative to the now formulaic music from Southern England, Brown launched the Bouncy Techno label in 1998. Plagued by distribution problems, the imprint revealed a new uplifting trance approach to his work. Brown's "Elysium" (1999) helped revitalise the domestic rave scene to much success.

Producers picked up on Brown's lead, as others had done in the past.{{cite video | people = DJ Gammer | title = Scott Brown: Livewired | medium = DVD | publisher = Evolution Records |year = 2008}} In the early 2000s, labels that included Quosh Records and Higher Order Recordings would release music with a bouncy techno influence.{{cite web|last=Production Competition |first=acidbreak.co.uk |title=Competition 8 is GO! |url=http://www.acidbreak.plus.com/compo/index.htm |accessdate=8 March 2004 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20040412002612/http://www.acidbreak.plus.com/compo/index.htm |archivedate=12 April 2004 }}{{cite web|last=Majestik |first=Scott |title=Higher Order 2... The Wait Is Over |url=http://ush.net/home/news/view.php?catid=45 |accessdate=8 March 2004 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20111014143901/http://ush.net/home/news/view.php?catid=45 |archivedate=14 October 2011 }} These would be subsumed into what became generically known as UK hardcore.

Throwback events had also appeared in the 2000s such as Back to the Future and Fantazia in Scotland, and Happy Hardcore in Netherlands. Kutski dedicated several sets to bouncy techno on his BBC Radio 1 show, like the Rezerection Free Range Mix in 2011.{{cite web | last = Walker | first = John | title = Kutski: Rezerection Free Range Mix | url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00zzqfy | accessdate = 1 January 2012}}

Typical compositions have a tempo of 160 to 180 BPM, and use a 4/4 signature. Tracks can be instrumental, or use a short repeated sample at certain points. Singing is uncommon. Brown uses a regimented structure with components occurring for a fixed length. e.g.: beat solo, bouncy with beat, hi-hat added, riff solo, riff with beat, hi-hat added, etc. each lasting 8-bars. These parts would be pieced together with short fills and rolls. Drum kicks are slightly distorted, like gabber. Breakbeat patterns may also occur briefly in the background at certain points.

Whilst breakbeat hardcore itself was not popular in Scotland, its synthesiser sounds were found in bouncy techno's range of stab melodies. N-Joi's "Live in Manchester" (1992) feast provided further general inspiration. Its hallmark is the single-keyed offbeat note, which relates to its 'bouncy' designation (this offbeat focus was found in the latter bouncy house namesake). These rhythmic combinations and arrangements were described by Simon Reynolds as being reminiscent of klezmer music, fairground-like melodies and oom-pah offbeat notes.

The N-Joi group provided another important attribute.{{cite episode | title = Interview With Ultra-Sonic | url = https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zOxXOzxQFBM | series = puredancenrg | station = Ferguslie Park Radio FPR 106.6FM | airdate = 2008-11-21 | minutes = 0:00}} Unlike other rave music from this period, the Scottish scene was performance driven where bands often headlined raves rather than DJs. Acts were expected to have costumes, dancers and the best stage performance.{{Citation | last = Brown | first = Scott | title = Scott Brown Review: Switzerland | magazine = To The Core Magazine | issue = 1 | pages = 18 | date = March 1996}} Dancers were dressed in baggy tracksuit-like attire and had their own form of dance that involves a lot of rapid leg movements.{{cite web | title = The Rhythmic State at Hangar 13, Ayr |website = YouTube| url = https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EXqagDDsQFc | year = 1994 | accessdate = 1 January 2012}}{{cite web | title = Ultimate Buzz at Metro, Saltcoats |website = YouTube| url = https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jsd0GraJv7E | year = 1995 | accessdate = 1 January 2012}}{{cite web | title = NeuroTek at Rezerection, Edinburgh |website = YouTube| url = https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=did6fBCvFYM | year = 1997 | accessdate = 16 April 2012}} The performances of Ultra-Sonic filtered through to the like Scooter on a wider level.

• List of electronic music genres

{{Reflist|group="nb"}}

{{Reflist|30em}}

• {{cite book | last = Reynolds | first = Simon | title = Energy Flash: A Journey Through Rave Music and Dance Culture | publisher = Picador | year = 1998 | pages = 493 | isbn = 0-330-35056-0}}
• {{cite book | last = Presdee | first = Mike | title = Cultural Criminology and the Carnival of Crime | url = https://archive.org/details/culturalcriminol00pres | url-access = limited | publisher = Routledge | year = 2000 | pages = [https://archive.org/details/culturalcriminol00pres/page/n130 120] | isbn = 0-415-23910-9}}
• {{cite book | last = Van Gageldonk | first = Paul | title = De Gabberstory: Het Verhaal van DJ Paul en DJ Rob | language = Dutch | publisher = LJ Veen | year = 2000 | pages = 200 | isbn = 90-204-5681-4}}
• {{cite book | last = Jeremic | first = Nikolaus | title = Techno: Entwicklung und Erscheinungsform einer Jugendkultur der 90er Jahre | language = German | publisher = GRIN Verlag GmbH | year = 2003 | pages = 25 | isbn = 978-3-638-21923-5}}
• {{cite book | last = Borthwick | first = Stuart | title = Popular Music Genres | publisher = Edinburgh University Press | year = 2004 | pages = 202 | isbn = 0-7486-1745-0}}
• {{cite video | people = Brown, Scott |year = 2008 | title = Scott Brown: Livewired | medium = DVD | location = United Kingdom | publisher = Evolution Records}}

{{Hardcore dance music-footer}}

{{Techno}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Bouncy Techno}}

Category:20th-century music genres

Category:21st-century music genres

Category:Hardcore music genres

Category:British styles of music

Category:Electronic dance music genres