EDM emerged as an increasingly popular genre during the early 2000s. A variety of new styles emerged, such as drum and bass (initially called jungle), which combined hip-hop breakbeats to house tempo while anchoring them with dub reggae-influenced bass patterns (notable practitioners include Roni Size, Goldie and dBridge & Instra:mental).
Kraftwerk’s synth-heavy “krautrock”, alongside works such as Stockhausen’s Kontakte for tape, piano and violin were major influences on contemporary electronic music. These experiments laid the groundwork for contemporary electronic composition.
Techno
Techno is an eclectic style of electronic music characterized by modern drum machines and electronic instruments combined with some traditional sounds. The music’s distinct sound has made it popular at clubs and festivals around the globe; also inspiring other types of musicians and producers alike to experiment with new techniques.
Techno can be traced back to its birth in Detroit during the 1980s. The Belleville Three provided its foundation, featuring elements of disco, African American house music and electro into their unique sound – contributing significantly to making techno a global phenomenon.
Techno has become one of the world’s most influential genres and continues to expand in popularity. Influencing other forms of music and becoming part of popular culture, its style of dance often marks high-energy parties with drug use encouraged.
Though most producers of techno music do not possess formal musical training, most have some experience playing one or more instruments. They primarily use computers to compose their music, often employing various programs and plug-ins to produce tracks. Some producers may add basic vocals but are unlikely to perform live. Some producers may also experiment with circuit bending – the process by which electronic instruments are modified in order to make them more functional – which has proven fruitful for certain producers.
One of the most influential artists of the 00’s was Matthew Herbert, a master of all that makes machine music move and groove. His songs combined deep house beats with glitch-techno methodology and dub production techniques into some of the decade’s most memorable tracks, ambient techno albums that enveloped listeners, classical instruments blended with electronic beats and atmospheric electronic soundscapes by Olafur Arnalds; Shinichi Atobe created melodic and nature-inspired electronic soundscapes by Shinichi Atobe creating melodic electronic soundscapes inspired by nature – creating timeless musical masterpieces!
Trance
Trance music is an electronic subgenre combining melodic sounds with dynamic beats to produce an emotive listening experience. Trance has become a global sensation and popular artists include Tiesto, Avicii and Madeon who create this type of music. Trance has also expanded over time by including other sounds such as acoustic instruments or electronic synthesizers into its repertoire.
Trance music can be an extremely soothing and healing form of entertainment, helping relieve stress while improving concentration and focus. However, trance may not be suitable for everyone: those experiencing symptoms such as posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) or anxiety should avoid listening to this form of music as it could trigger their symptoms – in these instances it would be wiser to consult a healthcare provider as soon as possible.
Musically, the 2000s witnessed an emergence of many styles designed to entice and delight. Minimalism became an influential trend during this decade as producers searched for ways to pare their arrangements down to their core components; producing minimalist sounds ranged from synth-driven orchestral compositions to barely audible hums; all shared an austere beauty which could both hypnotise and resonant with listeners.
One of the era’s boldest collaborations came from Finland where producer Sasu Ripatti unveiled Luomo, an album which combined deep house beats and bass with glitch-techno methodology and dub production techniques on tracks that drifted and nagged at equal measure. Meanwhile DJ and multi-instrumentalist Fischerspooner debuted his first full-length of narcotic techno with soulful vocals for an experience both sensual and unnerving.
Another significant trend was toward sensuality, evidenced by the surge of popularity for electro (a 1980s style revived by acts such as Ectomorph and Fischerspooner) and mashups (which combined vocal components from one song with instrumental components of another) as popular forms of new music consumption during this era. Mashes evolved naturally out of remixes to become one of the main methods people utilized to experience new sounds during this era.
Dubstep
As the 2000’s progressed, dubstep emerged as a new subgenre of UK garage music and gained increasing recognition. Hailed for its complex production process and ability to produce haunting, hypnotic tracks, dubstep has had an outsized influence in dance music culture despite not being as widely known. Credited with being used as the soundtrack for popular TV show Skins as well as being readily embraced by DIY musicians due to accessible Digital Audio Workstations such as Reason and Fruity Loops that allowed them to get creative quickly creating dubstep songs!
Dubstep music can often be described as syncopated and complex rhythms with an average tempo between 138-142 beats per minute, often featuring tuplets. Dubstep’s signature feature is its percussion: producers often incorporate tribal drum samples while other experiment with claps and snares which hit every half beat of tempo. Furthermore, dubstep stands out due to its bass weight which often features sub-bass frequencies and pulsations for added effects.
Radio 1 DJ Mary Anne Hobbs was instrumental in popularising dubstep. In 2005 she included music from some of its leading names in her mix ‘Dubstep Warz’ and later included Burial’s self-titled release on her 2006 Best Of The Year list; giving mainstream exposure. Scuba’s Hotflush Recordings imprint was also an indispensable source of dubstep during these formative years, hosting artists like Distance, Loefah, Kromestar and Coki alongside its own productions.
FWD Night began in 2001 at London’s Plastic People club to bring together artists producing this dark new offshoot of UK Garage music, coining the term ‘Dubstep’ at that point and giving pioneering producers an outlet to display their sounds – this new genre having evolved out of UK Garage with epic bass drops transformed into otherworldly shapes while simultaneously drawing inspiration from 2-step, Drum & Bass, broken beat and grime influences.
House
House music became one of the most beloved forms of electronic dance music during the 2000’s. DJs created new styles by mixing songs together and altering tempo to produce what would later be known as EDM (Electronic Dance Music). Mashups also rose during this era, where DJs would combine songs from multiple genres into one track to attract listeners to this popular genre and increase its appeal.
At its inception, house music can be traced back to Chicago’s Warehouse nightclub. An aspiring DJ named Frankie Knuckles developed his signature style of house music here by mixing together disco, funk, soul and pop into one soundscape; creating something entirely new!
Once the disco era ended, many new clubs and bars opened that offered all-night dancing and freedom – the Warehouse quickly becoming a premier spot for these types of activities. DJs such as Larry Levan and David Mancuso brought disco music to a new audience; house music truly flourished here.
At this time, artists like Daft Punk and Skrillex were beginning to establish themselves in dance music’s mainstream scene. Additionally, this era marked the introduction of EDM (electronic dance music) which can now be heard at massive electronic music festivals with faster tempos and more dynamic vocals than other types of house music.
Progressive house is an evolving genre of house music that serves as an intermediary between traditional house and trance music, featuring melodic rhythms incorporating elements from other genres like trance or classical. Ideal for those wanting a mix of both traditional and contemporary dance music.
Deep house is another subgenre of progressive house, which combines deep bass with emotional lyrics to create a haunting vibe. Deep house stands as an embodiment of this genre’s evolution over time: mixing elements of glitch techno with dub production techniques yields tracks with an intoxicating mix of both hypnosis and rhythm simultaneously.