happy hardcore

AcidBeard

New member
I loved hardcore until it turned into speed trance. Around '98 there were so many awesome tunes but I cant for the life of me remember what they were all called, can only remember field of dreams which is still pure class.

The more breakbeaty stuff that came around 94-95 from kniteforce though is undoubtedly some of my favourite music ever made- pure good vibes. Anyone got any of the later stuff from Kniteforce again, I got up to kfa10 then ran out of funds for record buying, wondering what the quality was like?
 

DRMHCP

Well-known member
I liken HH to Northern Soul in that it is/was northern, working class, essentially retro, and utterly ignored by the mainstream music press until long after its peak.


Don't think it was particularly Northern (at least not at its peak) I was living down south up until the late 90s and happy hardcore (along with jungle) was the sound of vast swathes of working class kids in the South East as it is up here. Surely most of the MCs and DJs like Slipmatt were straight outta London.Younger kids at work were always off to the Sanctuary etc. And most of the last oldstyle raves (Ravealation at Wembley etc) I went to down there had a happy hardcore room which I usually went straight through to get somewhere else...all that bouncing up and down used to make me feel very old (and tired!).
Agree that it was totally underground though the nearest it got to mainstream was that you could get "Eternity" in mainstream newsagents.
 
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cutups

Member
I loved hardcore until it turned into speed trance. Around '98 there were so many awesome tunes but I cant for the life of me remember what they were all called, can only remember field of dreams which is still pure class.

The more breakbeaty stuff that came around 94-95 from kniteforce though is undoubtedly some of my favourite music ever made- pure good vibes. Anyone got any of the later stuff from Kniteforce again, I got up to kfa10 then ran out of funds for record buying, wondering what the quality was like?

I def feel you on this. I still dug the post-jungle-split hhc when breakbeat programming was still a big element. When it became trance and ad-infinitum remixes of the same stupid songs i got bored (and kind of mad that something I liked started to suck so bad). Occasionally I do hear new HHC tunes that are half decent. The innocence and energy of it is appealing. But nothing has made me want to delve back into it full force. I'm over myself enough to enjoy it once in a while.

Total aside, but where I live in the states - Pittsburgh - HHC is really the only "rave" music left. The only crews who are really dedicated to doing all ages warehouse parties with all the frills are the HHC kids. Everybody else is in some sort of venue or club or are more diy electronic squatter types. I went to one of their parties not too long ago and it was rammed with teenagers. I was like...how does at 16 yo american even know what HHC is?
 

mucsavage

Member
I remember the vocal of Force & Styles 'Funfair' ("Have you ever climed a mountain, and tried to touch the sky" etc) being a particular favourite off that tape.

Good times :)

There was a Hixxy remix of this that was utterly MENTAL. Honestly the most laughable, fistable, energetic piece of brilliance I have ever heard. I only heard it on this:

http://www.discogs.com/release/41986

Track 1.10, does anyone know if this was released at all?

Id buy it still
 

Catbwoy

Active member
The more breakbeaty stuff that came around 94-95 from kniteforce though is undoubtedly some of my favourite music ever made- pure good vibes. Anyone got any of the later stuff from Kniteforce again, I got up to kfa10 then ran out of funds for record buying, wondering what the quality was like?

Luna-C is pretty much giving away all of his labels stuff for free download now. Well worth checking out (and throwing a few quids donation if you have it spare).

http://www.kniteforcerevolution.com/
 

jackmaster

time, space, transmat
Obviously there is no shame in liking early 90's breakbeat hardcore (we're probably only a couple years away from a Soul Jazz retrospective, now that they're on early techno and house), but who here was into hardcore after the big split with jungle and the kick drum stabbage really took over?

Obviously much of it was the cheesiest cheese to ever stalk the planet, but happy hardcore raves were incredible fun (way better than moody jungle raves), and some of the tunes still stand up to scrutiny all this time later (now that happy hardcore in the classic style doesn't really exist any more). Scott Brown 'Now is the Time' - now that's a tune!

I used to go raving with a shaved head and a tracksuit and wave glowsticks and blow a whistle and get up to all kinds of tops-off gurning malarkey (I was thin then though)...who else is willing to out themselves as the sort of person who thought that Skelter tape packs were just the thing for a relaxed Sunday afternoon?

I love you.

This music reminds me of the best times of my life basically. 14 years old, smoking fags and wynching birds.

Is there anywhere you can buy the classic cheesers digitally?
 
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continuum

smugpolice
nice happy hardcore mix recorded at bass disfunktion in oxford, uk recently :p
dj cypher

some recent video of dj cypher

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firefinga

Well-known member
I am basically a hermit for years so I don't know crap about what's going on party wise. I am still buying records (and mp3s) though and I have noticed Knite Force are releasing tons of new vinly 12'' and double 12''s recently. So I wonder, is happy hardcore making yet another "comeback"?
 
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