Hardstyle is a genre of electronic dance music that draws inspiration from a variety of other genres and is characterized a fast tempo and specific instrumental sounds. Hard techno and hard house music are other genres that are similar to hardstyle, as are more esoteric musical genres like gabber, a rave/house style. All of them have a lot in common, such as a fast dance beat and a lot of synthesized sounds.
The tempo of hardstyle music is one of its distinguishing features. According to experts, the typical tempo for this type of music has increased from around 140 to around 150 beats per minute since its inception. To make the frenetic percussion sound even more extreme, this beat often includes a variety of staccato or sharp drum sounds; some experts also refer to a rhythm known as tuplet, in which alternating sounds are paired into complex groups for a layered and often chaotic result.
Hardstyle music is characterized the use of distorted sounds as a type of dance or rave music. Some of these sounds contain a kind of falling intonation, or untuned falling tone, which gives some of this music its unique effect. Screaming voices are common in these types of musical compositions.
Many of the genres of hardstyle music originated in Europe, particularly in the Netherlands. These types of music have a large following in several Western European countries. According to reports, the music is also popular in parts of South America and Africa, as well as in a few other countries. In the Netherlands, England, and Germany, where music fans have studied trends in the adoption of these types of dance music styles, there is debate over the relative popularity of hardstyle and similar types of music. Although venues in the Netherlands are well-known for hosting “hardstyle music” events to promote the genre’s development, some argue that this is a “English” style that is less well-known in the Dutch and German musical communities.
Hardstyle is frequently performed in a dance club, either live or recorded, with a DJ often setting up and coordinating tracks. Fans of this genre of music have devised a variety of dance routines to complement the music’s rhythm and style. These dances, such as the “shuffle” technique, are part of a larger context for this new type of music, which is gaining a foothold in modern clubs and other musical venues.