Musical experimentation with electronic sound-producing devices began in the 1950s. Artists such as Edgard Varese and Iannis Xenakis demonstrated algorithmic composition through computers during the 1960s.
Beat-driven and danceable, rhythmic house utilizes a stripped back 4×4 house beat with a drum palette featuring big snares and clap rhythms, frequently including post-punk style vocals and hooky melodies that remain memorable after repeated listening sessions.
Hard Trance
Trance music has a distinct sound; its melodic elements aim to transport listeners away into another realm of musical bliss, creating an experience where listeners become lost in the beats and melodic elements alike. Furthermore, this genre’s massive build-ups and subtle breakdowns give listeners plenty of opportunity for musical indulgence; its climax often ends with beat-free tracks where melodies remain but beats are temporarily removed so listeners can catch their breath before the track reverts back into its regular pace again.
Tempo of most tracks in this genre typically ranges between 128 to 136 BPM, featuring heavy basslines full of energy and beats that are often distorted. Producers use many effects such as delay and reverb to enhance atmospheric qualities in their tunes, with traditional instruments often added for texture or depth in order to create more organic pieces.
Producers of trance music frequently incorporate elements of different styles into their tracks. Some artists incorporate uplifting and progressive trance elements for an ambient, yet “happy” feeling track while others may combine psy or goa sounds with hard trance to create dreamier and more hypnotic forms of the genre. Furthermore, producers may shift back and forth between styles as their career develops – often returning back to an earlier one or branching out into harder styles like techno or hardstyle trance.
Hardstyle, developed in Germany during the mid-90s, is considered the hardest form of trance music. Characterized by fast drum beats, full-resonance uncut bass lines, significant distortion and reverb on main beat, high amounts of kick drums and open hi-hats for an intense pounding beat, melodic lead synths with chord progressions played rhythmically giving an immersive feeling that makes one believe they are flying through space!
EDM
EDM refers to electronic dance music. As an umbrella genre of electronic music, EDM encompasses various subgenres. Characterized by drum beats, synthesized rhythms, vocal effects and high and steady tempo of between 129-150 beats per minute tempo; EDM music often features visual elements like music videos or live performances to enhance its popularity.
Originating in disco music from the 70s, EDM can be traced back to Donna Summer’s “I Feel Love”, featuring electronic instruments and drum machines creating synthesized rhythms using electronic instruments and drum machines – this inspired synth-pop and other EDM genres like synth-pop to emerge. Major technological advancements like Roland TR-808s and MIDIs helped propel EDM further.
EDM became increasingly popular as more people attended raves and other electronic music festivals, leading to the formation of many new genres including house, trance and electro. Some of these subgenres became mainstream popular music with Ellie Goulding and Justin Bieber being among its biggest supporters.
Some of the most acclaimed names in EDM history include The Prodigy, Daft Punk and Paul Van Dyk. The Prodigy were pioneers of rave culture during the early 1990s with their mix of punk, techno and breakbeats giving them global fame. Daft Punk are French duo that shot to stardom when their hit track Around the World hit iTunes; since then they have pioneered multiple styles of EDM without settling on one specific style.
Aphex Twin and Marshall Jefferson were also legendary producers in electronic music history. Both producers played an instrumental role in developing Chicago house music style; their tracks like Windowlicker and Selected Ambient Works earned them widespread acclaim from music lovers across generations.
Porter Robinson’s Tracing Steps song is a prime example of an EDM track, boasting vocal chops and percussion effects as well as sidechained bass that make this an impressive example of EDM music.
Electro Pop
Electropop music combines elements of pop music with electronic styles. Its songs typically feature catchy melodies and danceable beats; synthesizers, drum machines, sequencers are often utilized. Furthermore, vocals, guitars, and keyboards may all contribute. Electropop can often be found used in commercials or movie soundtracks.
Genre Origins in the 1980s synthpop developed as an outgrowth of new wave and post-punk movements in the United Kingdom and USA, initially pioneered by Ultravox, Gary Numan and Yellow Magic Orchestra; these early pioneers helped pave the way for bands such as Depeche Mode, Human League and Soft Cell to take hold later followed by The Cure, OMD and New Order further popularizing it.
Electropop emerged as an officially recognized genre during the 1990s; before then, artists’ music could often be labeled pop or simply rock. Early examples of electronic music had its roots in rock; these early examples had usually an acoustic sound. With technology becoming more affordable and advanced synthesizers becoming a more widespread feature of their sound.
These instruments were initially created as sound effects for movies; soon, however, they found use by acoustic musicians as well. Maurice Martenot created one such instrument called the Theremin in 1928; it is still being utilized today by groups like Radiohead.
As technology developed and synthesizers became more affordable, rock bands quickly adopted them as tools of sound creation. Bands such as The Silver Apples, United States of America, and Pink Floyd quickly adopted synthesizers to produce their distinctive sounds; eventually Kraftwerk and OMD would push electronic music further by developing groundbreaking electronic sounds of their own.
Lady Gaga, Calvin Harris and Ke$ha are modern artists that have embraced electropop as part of their repertoire. Each has an innovative blend of pop music and electronica elements in their work; additionally they eschew dystopian futurism cliches while maintaining roots firmly planted in history and culture through their music.
Hyper Pop
Since 2009, pop music has seen undeniable shifts. Latin and K-pop have become more prevalent; pop punk is making a comeback; electronic music itself is getting weirder and experimental – all leading to Hyper Pop becoming one of the most beloved genres among Gen Z audiences.
Hyperpop is an artform that takes classic pop melodies and adds an eclectic and experimental element. This often includes mixing genres like emo rap, dance punk, or metalcore into its soundscape for something both exciting and strange. Some notable artists in this scene include Glaive, Ericdoa and 100 Gecs.
PC Music (Playful and Abrasive Electronic Music), which began to gain prominence in 2013 and quickly become the dominant sound in underground clubs, shares many similarities with this style of electronic music. Inspired by producers like A.G. Cook and SOPHIE’s experimentation, its musicality had its own distinct sound compared to previous generations of electronic music; more playful and satirical in tone, making it suitable for LGBTQ communities that embraced it.
Pale Machine by producer bo en is an incredible showcase of Hyper Pop music, showing its versatility by incorporating old school styles with digital production techniques for an electric yet jazzy result, including nods to J-pop and Shibuya-k influences.
Hyper Pop music relies heavily on visuals, creating an exciting and dynamic listening experience for listeners. This is particularly evident during live performances where visuals play as much of a role as audio; for instance, in one performance by food house the crowd became so engaged they cheered every time an image of one of their favorite artists appeared on the screen!
Hyper Pop’s appeal lies in its incorporation of elements from various genres into its mix, which adds another element of musical variety into its mix. Emo and pop punk influences can often be heard within Hyper Pop songs; however, some artists such as Caroline Polachek don’t seek to reference preexisting genres but instead strive to craft something truly original that stands out in today’s musical landscape.