A Brief History of Breakcore:

By Bong Ross

In the 1990s, a decade known for its technological advancements, the rise of the internet, distinct fashion trends, and of course, a wide array of new trends and artists looking to push the boundaries of their genres. Let me tell you about the birth of chaos. Breakcore burst onto the scene during the 90s, derived from jungle, DnB, and hardcore. While the mass of the population was out purchasing JNCO jeans and asking their parents for money to go to warped tour, artists like Alec Empire, Shizuo, and EC8OR were busy shaping the sound of breakcore

At its core (please laugh), breakcore is characterized by its frenetic, unpredictable beats, often created by chopping up and resequencing drum break, the most know break coming from a song called Amen Brother released in 1969 for an obscure B-side release by The Winstons. The late 1990s and early 2000s were when breakcore would really begin to become a genre with artists such as Venetian Snares, Aphex Twin, Shitmat, and Squarepusher putting out music with support from labels like Rephlex Records, Planet Mu, and Ad Noiseam.

Breakcore would go on to spread its chaotic tendrils across the globe and give birth to a handful of subgenres, most being blends of breakcore and other existing genres, all offering their own unique flavor of mayhem such as…

>Raggacore

Infuses breakcore with the upbeat and dancehall vibes of reggae, resulting in a high energy fusion of breakbeats and reggae rhythms, often accompanied by vocal samples. The origins trace back to Remarc, a jungle producer.

Notable raggacore tracks

>Cardopusher – Fighters Uniter

>FFF – Nuh Inna Dat

>Bong-Ra – Ragganaut

>LFO Demon – Utterly Wipeout

>Mashcore

All about mashing together diverse musical elements and samples into a wall of beautiful noise. Infusing classical music, punk and hip-hop with the breakcore sound and aesthetic.

Notable mashcore tracks

>Sickboy – Steal It With Style

>Graz – House of the Toxic Rave Dagha

>Shoebill – Cute Boy Core

>Deepest Pussy – Go Pussy Pussy

>Speedcore

Takes the template and cranks it to extreme levels pushing the BPM to, and often exceeding, 300BPM. The beats in speedcore are relentless and chaotic, creating an intense and aggressive listening experience.

Notable speedcore tracks

>Komprex – Refuse Bad Speedcore

>DJ Myosuke – GENOCIDER

>m1dy – Here We Go

>Laur – Ultima Weapon

Breakcore has come a long way from its humble beginnings in the underground but it’s not slowing down anytime soon. As technology advances, producers are finding new ways to push the boundaries of what’s possible. The genre continues to evolve and mutate to this day, despite it growing popularity in recent years and the confusion as to what the defining features of breakcore is.

Anywhore, breakcore is the musical equivalent of giving amphetamines to small animals. It’s loud and unpredictable, it is raw and aggressive. Breakcore is a wild and exhilarating ride through the world of electronic music. For those already acquainted, breakcore remains a thrilling dance through the unexpected.