Bonkers: A new age of music.

[Qwertman]

Hardcore. It is a genre. It is not techno. It is not house. It is a beast all of its own. I was introduced to Bonkers, the best and most prestigious group of Hardcore DJs by my cousin. Pretty much nobody in the United States has ever heard of Bonkers. None of my friends had, and all of them who I've introduced to Bonkers have asked please for copies of my collection. The only way to get bonkers if you don't live in the UK or Australia (as far as I know) is by importing or listening on YouTube or (dare I say) torrents. However, one of their songs specifically states it's not about money... its a movement of people willing to go against the grain... freeform will never die! so they probably don't actually care about propagation of their ip.

It varies in style too. Hixxy's mixes are generally more lyrical w/ female singers. Sharkey's mixes are generally more epic. Scott Brown's mixes are generally more grungy.

I absolutely love Bonkers. I have been listening to their music almost exclusively for (on average) probably over an hour a day. I figured I'd share it with you guys because its not well enough known. At first it sounds a little weird but it really grows on you. Here is a list of links to some of my favorite tracks (on each CD the tracks all integrate seamlessly, that's why the beginnings and ends seem cut off). These are all YouTube videos. I *'ed the best of the best. Also, only grabbed stuff from their latest three albums. They've come out with 19 so far, vol's 10-17 and TOH are all worth listening to.


www.youtube.com/watch?v=bqFK-xAk7ng - Wikkid MC
www.youtube.com/watch?v=f-ZpppJFQD4 - Micro N2
www.youtube.com/watch?v=cx_qlOFCUUo - Caught up in your love
* www.youtube.com/watch?v=RvLbUjKjqTM - What you gonna do
www.youtube.com/watch?v=BTyTetq0B08 - Free your mind
* www.youtube.com/watch?v=nRyqmruNha4 - Rave Phenomenon
* www.youtube.com/watch?v=iOTODB8CW1o - Silver Water
www.youtube.com/watch?v=YjJ4zlvkhzQ - Alanarama
www.youtube.com/watch?v=fwVHhMzDFLs - Virtual Darkness
* www.youtube.com/watch?v=3fLEc0bQhco - Do it like we do
www.youtube.com/watch?v=DUr6AiPMN9U - We're Getting Faster
* www.youtube.com/watch?v=NobRgkb62ag - Here we go
* www.youtube.com/watch?v=2lXmYo4JJT8 - Today's The Day
* www.youtube.com/watch?v=sN9gleJIEUA - FREEFORM WILL NEVER DIE
is.gd/5dHlQ - Amigos
is.gd/5dHK4 - Guitar Hero
www.youtube.com/watch?v=3DJagx2yn70 - You're never gonna know
* www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uz1_u8secs0 - Judgement Day
www.youtube.com/watch?v=3HQlm2H3trE - I adore
www.youtube.com/watch?v=JP2fiS3wMf0

[Captain Amadeus (Legendary Em)]

First post; lucky me. Anyways, I appreciate some techno now and then, and I've been wondering what this whole "Hardcore" thing is about for a while. So I tried out three of the tracks you posted.

"Freeform Will Never Die" Has to be the most unintentionally hilarious song I've heard in a long time. Hearing a Brit (complete with accent) talking about being "Hardcore" while completely stereotypical techno played behind him was just ridiculous.

"Free Your Mind" This song was actually fine, and I enjoyed it a bit. But I don't see what separates it from any other techno. What classifies a song as "Hardcore"? I thought it would refer to the heaviness of the mix, but according to one of my friends, it seems to be just a title given to "elite" groups.

"Rave Phenominom" I liked this song the most, and I have an easier time understanding how this could be considered Hardcore. Big and loud sounding, rather than light and poppy. Lyrics worked to the advantage of the song as well.

Well, I guess I've now been educated as to what "Hardcore" is. But if THAT'S Hardcore, now I have no idea how to refer to my favorite Techno Band/Group, Julien-K. They are a techno band that uses elements of alternative rock and some screamo vocals. Here's two of their songs; one more fitting the definition "hardcore" in my own terms, and then one of their more typical tracks.

Death to Analog- www.youtube.com/watch?v=B18JJAZh07g

Kick the Bass - www.youtube.com/watch?v=smWIilC2LAQ (Video not safe for work)

So what style would this band be considered? Because now I'm all confused.

[Qwertman]

The main difference between HC and techno is subtle, especially with Sharkey's mixes, but mainly it's stylistic. Techno can get away with being shallow or repetitive a whole lot more than HC can. It's like a cross between house and techno. I guess if you put it on a spectrum of similarity you'd get:


Diagram is not to scale... But close enough.

So basically you've got House, techno, electronica, and hardcore- four genres to describe very similar music... and on the other side of the musical universe you've got the single genre of Jazz that tries to encompass so many music styles its strange to imagine that tito puente and billie holiday are bunched under the same genre tag.

This makes me want to do an XKCD-esque spacial genre diagram...