And this should be no surprise as hardcore, more than any other techno-born genre, relies on using music that came before: by sampling old rap, metal, house songs / tracks, and more.
But not only samples, *elements* (like certain sequences, timbres, intervals...) of other genres can be found within hardcore tracks as well.
in the past we already mentioned that there are similarities between computer / video game music and hardcore techno. and that's what we will focus on again.
when people look at the history of music in the last decades of the 20th century, they often assume that "the 80s" were ruled by synth pop, new wave, disco-pop, that kind of stuff, and then suddenly, the 90s appeared, and brought techno, acid, gabber, hardtrance with them.
But it's not like that at all. there was a transitional, intermediary period, spanning from the mid 80s to the first years of the 90s, a kind of no man's land, secret zone, when music was neither here nor there, and this (quite lengthy!) metamorphosis took place.
interestingly, this was also a very fruitful and noteworthy time for computergame music. And, in my opinion, the first time computer game music evolved out of the arcades and simple bleeps and blops to creations that could be comparable to serious, deep, "professional", complex and complicated compositions.
Before we go ahead, sonic comparisons between genres can always be a bit hit and miss for the audience.
there also seems to be a difference between actual musicians and general listeners.
musicians often go "oh, metallica, they're doing these riffs by chuck berry" or "slayer, ah, that's howling wolf and all that 40s blues and jazz again"; while this might be technical correct, the fans often do not see it that way at all.
the following "connections" might not really be seen, heard, or felt, be everyone alike.
we guess you are either there, or you are not.
so, let's look at some tracks now that use concepts, moods, or themes that feel similar to hardcore music in one way or the other.
We are not implying that these tracks *are* hardcore. from most points of view, they are not. yet it's very interesting that they possess elements that can easily be found in the world of hardcore as well.
in the past we already mentioned that there are similarities between computer / video game music and hardcore techno. and that's what we will focus on again.
when people look at the history of music in the last decades of the 20th century, they often assume that "the 80s" were ruled by synth pop, new wave, disco-pop, that kind of stuff, and then suddenly, the 90s appeared, and brought techno, acid, gabber, hardtrance with them.
But it's not like that at all. there was a transitional, intermediary period, spanning from the mid 80s to the first years of the 90s, a kind of no man's land, secret zone, when music was neither here nor there, and this (quite lengthy!) metamorphosis took place.
interestingly, this was also a very fruitful and noteworthy time for computergame music. And, in my opinion, the first time computer game music evolved out of the arcades and simple bleeps and blops to creations that could be comparable to serious, deep, "professional", complex and complicated compositions.
Before we go ahead, sonic comparisons between genres can always be a bit hit and miss for the audience.
there also seems to be a difference between actual musicians and general listeners.
musicians often go "oh, metallica, they're doing these riffs by chuck berry" or "slayer, ah, that's howling wolf and all that 40s blues and jazz again"; while this might be technical correct, the fans often do not see it that way at all.
the following "connections" might not really be seen, heard, or felt, be everyone alike.
we guess you are either there, or you are not.
so, let's look at some tracks now that use concepts, moods, or themes that feel similar to hardcore music in one way or the other.
We are not implying that these tracks *are* hardcore. from most points of view, they are not. yet it's very interesting that they possess elements that can easily be found in the world of hardcore as well.
( you might also want to check: https://thehardcoreoverdogs.blogspot.com/2023/07/hardcore-gamer-use-of-hardcore-techno.html )
1. Spherical - Intro / Attract Mode
1. Spherical - Intro / Attract Mode
okay this a happy tune; at least to me. but the use of arpeggios here is already very close to later rave and hardcore music, for example in raver's nature or miro tracks. (or maybe even happy hardcore, like the party animals).
2. Dragon's Lair Part II - Song 9
hey, these are like doomcore sounds already, right?
3. Perihelion: The Prophecy - Inside Tower - Song 2
darkest ambient that foreshadows doomcore and darkest industrial techno sounds.
4. The Sentinel - Start Up / Title Screen
pure psychedelic psycho waves, reminiscent of the acid- and psycore to come.
5. Speedball - Main Title
i dropped this, without any further fx, edit or ado, in the midst of a straight terror / speedcore set; everyone kept dancing, went into mania, and sweaty core ravers went up to my DJ booth and asked for a track ID. they did not even realize that this was not a regular gabber track! i guess this settles the score on this.
6. Sarakon - Tune 1
basslines and crazy "psycho" sounds reminiscent of later rave and techno stuff again.
7. Star Control 2 - Commander Hayes Theme
proto-acidcore. in an amiga-type mod, on a vintage science fiction game.
8. Zak Mckracken - Intro
listen to the sounds; do the tunes and melody, rhythm not at part sound very close to rave / hardcore stabs and riffs?
9. Another World - End Theme
a very sweet ambient outro to a very bittersweet game. but, upon further glance, this tune already anticipates happy hardcore / hardtrance / ravecore type arrangements.
10. Last Ninja 2 - Loading Music
very noisy: early video game music has seldomly been so rough!
11. Amiga 500 - Weird Dreams - Intro
this list would not be complete without these "weird" sounds.
further suggestions:
David Whittaker - Glider Rider Theme Song
Paso - Lost Scrotum
David Whittaker - Beyond The Ice Palace
Turrican 3 - The Machine
Star Control 2 - Druuge Theme
Dreamweb - Intro
Test Drive 2 - Intro
Chris Hülsbeck - Rock'n'Roll - Magnetic Beats
Chris Hülsbeck - Turrican 2 - Loader
Bloody Money - Intro
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