Darkcore (drum & bass genre)

Infobox Music genre
name=Darkcore (drum and bass genre)
bgcolor=silver
color=black
stylistic_origins=Oldschool jungle
cultural_origins=Early 1990s, United Kingdom
instruments=Synthesizer - Drum machine - Sequencer - Sampler
popularity=Low
derivatives=Drum and bass, especially Darkstep
subgenrelist=List of electronic music genres
subgenres=
fusion genres=
regional_scenes=
other_topics=

Darkcore is a genre of jungle (should not be confused with recent Darkcore techno music, which is a form of Hardcore techno) that became popular in the United Kingdom hardcore rave scene in 1993. It is recognized as being one of the direct precursors of the modern electronic music genre now known as drum and bass. Darkcore was a counter movement to the happy alternative that occurred at the same time - both styles evolving from breakbeat hardcore.

Qualities

Darkcore is characterized by layered breakbeats at around 150 to 160 bpm combined with very low frequency bass lines. In addition to these basic traits, dark themed samples such as horror movie theme music or cries for help were commonly included. As the style evolved, the almost gratuitous use of horror elements was dropped as producers relied more on simple effects such as reverb, delay, pitch shifting and time stretching to create a chaotic and sinister mood.

Artists

Many of the British hardcore and junglist DJs of the day dabbled in Darkcore for a time, mostly around its heyday in 1993, but some of the more notable DJ/producers of the darkcore include:

* Goldie
* Doc Scott
* Metalheadz productions
* Reinforced records
* 4 Hero
* Tango
* Bizzy B
* Lewi Cifer
* Hyper-on-Experience
* International Rude Boyz
* Q Project
* DJ Ratty

Significant Releases

The 1993 CD release [http://www.discogs.com/release/96731 Hard Leaders III - Enter The Darkside] contains many popular darkcore tunes of the era.

Examples of Darkcore jungle tracks

* Renegade - Terrorist
* Q Project - Champion Sound
* Terrorist - The Chopper
* DJ Hype - Weird Energy
* Metalheadz - Terminator

Darkcore today

Today, darkcore is used to describe the entire array of breakbeat producers and DJs who work within the 160-190+ BPM tempo range. It's current configuration, darkstep, is notably different in quality and process availability as the modern drum and bass elements are included.

ee also

*Darkstep
*Drum and bass
*Hardcore techno