(Warning: Spoilers throught the text).
One of the most interesting aspects of hardcore techno's foray into the media is the way in which it has been used. Unlike other genres that might be used as background music or to create a particular mood, hardcore techno is often featured prominently in the soundtracks of movies and TV shows, with specific tracks chosen to highlight important moments in the narrative.
Let us take a closer look at the use of hardcore techno in the media, exploring some of the most iconic examples of tracks that have appeared in movies and TV shows.
Whether you're a long-time hardcore techno fan or simply curious about this unique and experimental form of music, join us as we explore the intersection of hardcore techno and popular culture.
Let us begin.
Wasted - Naar De Kloote is a fictional movie about the rave scene in the 90s, made in the 90s.
It used two Hardcore tracks, Party Animals - Good To Go, and, of course, Euromasters - Alles Naar De Kloote (direct link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TVbouEad-wI&t=5660s )
Fast And The Furious: Tokyo Drift (The 3rd installment of this franchise) used the track "Speed" by Atari Teenage Riot
This episode of the UK TV "Top Gear" show uses the aphex twin qqt remix of the iconic hardcore track "Mescalinum United - We Have Arrived"
The Bruno segment of the original Ali G show had this song by Scooter as its intro: "Crank It Up"
(Some will debate whether this Scooter track is actually hardcore.)
This advert for "Dior Homme Winter Campaign" from the year 2017 uses the cult hardcore track Diss Reaction - Jiiieehaaaa
This club scene in the british movie "Morvern Callar" uses the acidcore track "303 Nation - Double Speed Mayhem"
The Ambassador21 track "We Are Legion (Matt Green Remix)" was employed in this trailer for "Love, Death & Robots"
The Belgian movie "D'ardennen" uses the hardcore track "Marshall Masters - Stereo Murder" (apart from other classic hardcore and techno tracks)
These were some examples of hardcore tracks used in various media forms.
The integration of hardcore techno into mainstream media has both positive and negative implications for the genre's future. On the one hand, featuring a hardcore techno track in a popular movie or TV show exposes the genre to a wider audience, increasing its popularity and attracting new fans who may not have been previously aware of the genre. This increased exposure could also provide the genre with more recognition and influence in the music industry, which could be a positive development.
However, the integration of hardcore techno into mainstream media also poses risks for the genre. One risk is the possibility of commercialization, with record labels and producers seeking to capitalize on the genre's success by making its sound more accessible to the masses. This could lead to a loss of the genre's experimental and edgy nature, which is what makes it unique and appealing to its dedicated fanbase. Additionally, as the genre becomes more mainstream, its cultural identity could shift away from its underground roots, losing its authenticity and connection to its origins.
Finally, the integration of hardcore techno into mainstream media could face resistance from the genre's dedicated fanbase. Many hardcore techno fans take pride in the genre's underground roots and DIY ethos, and may view its integration into mainstream media as a betrayal of these values. This could lead to a backlash against any attempts to commercialize or water down the genre's sound.
Thus, the integration of hardcore techno into mainstream media has both potential benefits and risks for the genre's future. It remains to be seen how the genre will evolve and respond to these challenges as it gains more exposure and recognition in popular culture.
Nice list!
ReplyDeleteI think Morvern Callar is something I've been looking for for a long time! I vaguely remember seeing a movie or series around early 2000's on a subscription based movie channel with a scene of speedcore being played in a club and I think this might be it. It's Scottish btw.
Some other additions:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ICDZswstHsU
The Finnish backpacker tv show Madventures visited a party in Shinjuku, Tokyo, where the digital hardcore band Akira Death was playing. The track "Dead Coaster" can be heard in the clip. The first 2 seasons of the show were in Finnish, but this third season (2009) was spoken in English and broadcasted on international channels as well.
There are also some cases when the soundtrack composer specifically composed parts with hardcore:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3py9kqBIU_8
The Hills Have Eyes (2006 remake). The composer Tomandandy made use of hardcore. It's most noticeable in this scene, but also in other parts of the movie, sometimes more subliminally.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KD_cvNMWnGQ
Korkein Oikeus (aka Inner Trial) (2008). Hardcore/speedcore composed for parts of the soundtrack. Around 38:00, 41:00 (during an acid trip) and 1:24:48 (some kinda psychosis maybe). This Finnish movie was self-funded and not exactly mainstream (I think it had limited theater visibility, a dvd release and hasn't been on tv so far), but has some mainstream actors. I still have to investigate this a bit further, but the hardcore parts may have been composed by the pseudonym Matonen. On the tracklist there is also one track by Aprox., an artist who is somewhat affiliated with breakcore. The subject matter of the movie is perhaps more related to the psytrance, psychedelic and new age subcultures in Finland, whereas hardcore was used more as an expression here. An English subbed version can be found on the usual bay.
Thanks for the comment! We will check these suggested movies, too.
DeleteThere is countless of more material, and we reduced it a bit for this feature (to give more of a showcase, than a comprehensive list.)
Here in Germany, where Hardcore was "more popular than Oasis" in the 90s, and still is quite popular, Hardcore and Gabber tracks creeped into a variety of TV formats and productions; from Speedfreak, Atari Teenage Riot or Turbulence having their tracks incorporated into popular crime TV series, to DHR Shizuo's "Sweat" being used in a trailer for a prime time dating show.
I am sure it was like that in many other countries, too (especially Netherlands of course, but also France, Italy, UK, etc...).
But, most of this stuff is not yet available as a clip on Youtube or another service yet :-)
Cool, yeah, I can imagine :)
DeleteAbout mainstream media's influence on hardcore.. These days I honestly feel like it's the (mainstream) hardcore/hardstyle music industry that is doing more harm to the movement by showing mainly a more accessible and watered down variant of it to the "normal" consumer, whereas visibility in mainstream media feels more like a byproduct of it, though maybe not excessively harmful. There was definitely a similar point like this in the 90's as well, but I guess back then the media presence was also more harmful to the scene. But when it comes to these examples that have been mentioned here, they are still mainly that "good stuff" and I think their use in media is questionable depending on the context of the video. Like does it downplay the resistance and so on. I'm all for the artistic use of it in different media though.
Yes, the mainstream exposure totally destroyed Hardcore in the 90s - even the commerial Hardcore scene itself, which had to "re-build" itself via 'Millenium Hardcore'.
DeleteRight now the media exposure seems to be more or less minor (i.e. most examples on this feature are probably not outings that the majority of society will watch), but this could change anytime soon.
In before Stranger Things season 6 features "We have arrived" during the climax episode, and it charts for weeks on after that ;-)