What is breakcore?
In this article, Jack talks about Breakcore, a music genre that involves fast, chopped drums and samples.
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What Is Breakcore?
What Is Breakcore?
By Jack Brouillette
By Jack Brouillette
“Breakcore is the ‘bastard hate child’ of jungle, happy hardcore, gabba, speedcore, drum 'n' bass, techno, IDM, acid, ragga, electro, dub, country, industrial, noise, grindcore, classical music, hardcore, metal and punk,” said David Klenil on Notes on Breakcore (2006). David explains that breakcore is not just one genre, but an amalgamation of many. Over the years, Breakcore has changed and evolved from being just a small segment of music, unknown to many-- to entering more mainstream media with younger generations wanting to experience the Y2K nostalgia.
iNotes on Breakcore (2006) - David Kleinl The Winstons\
Sampling is arguably the most important part of breakcore. Whether the drum track is heavy and hard-hitting, or softer and lighter, it can show artists' emotions and expose how they feel about their music. The most notable drum sample used in breakcore is the Amen Break. The Amen Break is a staple in the breakcore community, originating from the soul and jazz song “Amen Brother” by The Winstons. The drum track played by drummer Greorgy Coleman was heavily used in Breakcore just because of how fluid and easy it was to chop and resample into new music.
Rossz Csillag Alatt Szuletett - Venetian Snares
Although there is no real origin of breakcore, some of the most notable artists from the early '90s are Alec Empire of the German band Atari Teenage Riot, and Aaron Funk, better known as Venetian Snares. Both of these artists had heavy influences from drum and bass, with drum tracks being heavily distorted and aggressive. Alec Empire’s tracks are more raw and natural, considering they are played from a drum set while Venetian Snares are a lot more fast and synthetic due to his use of electronic equipment and heavily sampled chops.
In the 2010s, breakcore was just gaining traction in the mainstream media, with Machine Girl’s Wlfgrl and GoreSh*t’s Copyright Infringement EP both released in 2014. These two artists were extremely popular due to the aesthetic that came along with the digital hardcore and “alt” scenes. “Growing from the digital hardcore scene of the 2010s, contemporary breakcore is not only built on sound but aesthetic,” writes WKNC 88.1. Many people see this music as “poser music”, due to the fact that it is not the same type of music that was made by Venetian Snares or Alec Empire.
Breakcore has evolved since that time, with the genre booming in popularity since 2020. The most notable artist that caused this boom in music is Femtanyl, with her hit single, ‘Katamari’ getting massively popular on Tiktok. After the release of this single, many more people were exposed to the genre that is breakcore. Many other modern breakcore artists have contributed to this boom, providing a new view on breakcore and electronic music.
Overall, breakcore is a staple of the alternative and electronic music scene, showing the creativity a simple drum track can bring. Hopefully, breakcore stays popular, evolving more over the years as younger generations pick it up.
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