Showbiz News | Page: 3
Dark Psy Trance: History, Sound Characteristics, Top Tracks & 150-180 BPM
Dark Psy Trance is a subgenre of psychedelic trance known for its extreme energy, chaotic sounds, and hypnotic atmosphere. It emerged in the late 1990s – early 2000s as a response to the more “melodic” full-on style and became the embodiment of the darker side of psy culture.
History and Origins
Roots of the genre trace back to the Goa trance of the 1990s, where producers began experimenting with darker, more industrial, and psychedelic sounds.
The first waves of Dark Psy appeared in the scenes of Brazil, Russia, Portugal, and India.
Labels such as Parvati Records, Trishula Records, and Noize Conspiracy became pioneers of the genre.
Sound Characteristics
Tempo: 150–180 BPM — very fast, with a hypnotic rhythm.
Atmosphere: dark, mystical, sometimes c...
AI for Musicians: Tools, Copyright, and Tips
Artificial Intelligence (AI) has permanently transformed the creative industry, and music is no exception. Today, AI is no longer just a futuristic concept—it’s a real tool that helps both beginners and professional producers write music, handle mastering, and even promote their tracks.
This guide is your complete introduction to the world of AI in music: how it works, which tools to use, and most importantly, how to protect your work in the new legal landscape.
1. Use Cases: How AI Supports Musicians
AI can act as an invisible assistant—or even a true co-creator—at every stage of making music.
Idea Generation and Composition (AI Composer)
Create original melodies, harmonies, and rhythms from text prompts (Text-to-Music) or specific parameters.
Automatically genera...
Bouncy Techno — the joyful rhythm of 90s rave culture
Bouncy Techno is a subgenre of techno and hardcore music that emerged in the mid-1990s. It was characterized by a fast tempo, energetic “bouncy” rhythms, and a positive atmosphere. This style became an integral part of the British and Dutch rave scenes, where music was not just sound — but a real celebration.
History and Origins
Early 1990s: During the heyday of raves and hardcore techno, DJs began adding fun, “bouncy” rhythms to their sets.
The term Bouncy Techno was first used by British producer Scott Brown and the label Evolution Records.
In the Netherlands, the genre overlapped with Happy Hardcore, while in the UK it became a response to the darker sound of gabber and hard trance.
Sound Characteristics
Tempo: 160–180 BPM — faster tha...
Electroclash — a bold fusion of retro and electronics
Electroclash is a genre that blends the sound of 1980s synth-pop, techno, new wave, and electro with provocative aesthetics and irony. It emerged as an underground movement in the late 1990s and became the musical symbol of trendy clubs in New York and Berlin in the early 2000s.
History and Origins
Late 1990s: DJs and producers began to revive interest in retro sounds of synthesizers and drum machines.
The aesthetics of the genre combined the spirit of new wave, DIY punk, and glamour.
Electroclash was a reaction to the sterile sound of late 90s EDM and pop — it was dirty, sexy, fashionable, and ironic.
New York (label International Deejay Gigolos) and Berlin played a key role, where the style became part of the club subculture.
Sound Characteristics
Synthesizers and drum ...
Art Rock — Intellectual Rock as Art
Art Rock is a subgenre of rock music that focuses not only on rhythm and melody but also on artistic vision, conceptual ideas, and experimentation. It is a style that merges rock with elements of classical music, jazz, theatre, and avant-garde, turning music into a true form of art.
History and Origins
The genre emerged in the 1960s in the UK and the USA, driven by musicians’ desire to make rock music more intellectual and expressive.
The pioneers are considered to be The Beatles (album Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band, 1967) and The Beach Boys (Pet Sounds, 1966), where orchestration, conceptual storytelling, and studio experimentation first appeared.
In the 1970s, Art Rock became an independent genre thanks to bands such as Pink Floyd, Genesis, Yes, King Crimson, an...
Reggaeton — the rhythm of Latin America that conquered the world
Reggaeton — is a Latin American music genre that blends reggae, hip-hop, and Caribbean rhythms. Today, it is one of the most popular styles in the world, heard on radio stations, festivals, and charts on both sides of the Atlantic.
History and Origins
1980s: the roots of the genre go back to Panama, where immigrants from Jamaica began performing reggae in Spanish.
1990s: in Puerto Rico, the style evolved, incorporating hip-hop and dancehall. The music became more energetic, and the lyrics — more street-oriented.
Initially, reggaeton was considered underground and was played on cassette tapes and at illegal parties.
Sound Characteristics
Dem Bow rhythm — the foundation of the genre, named after the track Shabba Ranks – Dem Bow. This is a distinctive drum pa...
Dance Pop — the main genre of dance pop music
Dance Pop is a genre of popular music designed for the dance floor. It combines elements of pop and electronic dance music (EDM, house, disco, eurodance), creating light, catchy, and rhythmic tracks. Dance Pop is music that sounds equally good on the radio and in clubs.
History and Origins
1980s: The early steps of Dance Pop were linked to synth-pop and disco. Artists like Madonna, Whitney Houston, and Michael Jackson used dance rhythms in pop hits.
1990s: The genre flourished thanks to Britney Spears, Backstreet Boys, Spice Girls, and European eurodance (Ace of Base, Haddaway).
2000s – 2010s: A synthesis of pop and EDM. Artists such as Lady Gaga, Rihanna, Katy Perry, David Guetta, and Calvin Harris secured Dance Pop’s place in global charts.
Today: The genre remains do...
Moombahsoul — Romance and Soul in the Rhythm of Moombahton
Moombahsoul is a subgenre that grew out of Moombahton, where the signature “broken” reggaeton beat (around 108 BPM) blends with the smooth, melodic sound of soul, R&B, and chillout. If Moombahton is associated with dancefloors and festivals, then Moombahsoul is its more sensual, deep, and relaxed sibling.
History and Origins
Moombahton emerged in 2009 when DJ Dave Nada accidentally slowed down the track Afrojack – Moombah to reggaeton tempo, giving birth to a new style.
Soon producers began experimenting, adding elements of soul, R&B, and Latin melodies to the energetic Moombahton.
This is how Moombahsoul was formed — a direction designed for more intimate atmospheres than explosive festival tracks.
Sound Characteristics
Tempo: around 108 BPM &mdas...
Electro Swing — retro in a modern rhythm
Electro Swing is a music genre that combines jazz and swing from the 1920s–40s with elements of modern electronic music. It merges the energy of vintage big bands with the powerful beats of house, hip-hop, and downtempo, creating a sound that is both nostalgic and relevant for 21st-century dance floors.
History
In the early 2000s, European DJs and producers began experimenting with old jazz samples in electronic music.
The first Electro Swing albums appeared in France, the UK, and Austria.
One of the pioneers is Parov Stelar, whose tracks “Catgroove” and “Booty Swing” set the tone for the genre.
Sound Features
Samples: vintage jazz and swing recordings (trumpets, saxophone, big bands).
Electronics: house or hip-hop beats, basslines, synthesizers.
...
Electro-punk — punk energy meets electronic chaos
Electro-punk — is a musical genre that combines the aggression of punk rock with the electronic sound of synthesizers, drum machines, and samplers. This style merges the rebellious aesthetics of punk with the power of the electronic scene, creating music full of chaos, drive, and an anarchic spirit.
History and Origins
The first roots of the style appeared in the late 1970s — early 1980s, when punk bands began experimenting with synthesizers.
Suicide (New York) are considered one of the founders of electro-punk: their music blended minimalist electronic rhythms with punk expression.
In Europe, the genre actively developed in the underground, where punk ideology intertwined with industrial and EBM (Electronic Body Music).
Sound Characteristics
Energetic beats: fast, of...
Afro House — African rhythms and the energy of the club scene
Afro House — is a subgenre of house music that combines deep electronic rhythms with African ethnic elements. Its sound is built on traditional drums, tribal vocals, and a modern house beat, creating an atmosphere suited both for dancefloors and spiritual immersion.
History and Origins
The roots of Afro House go back to South Africa, where in the 2000s local rhythms began to merge with house music.
The genre grew out of Kwaito and Deep House, absorbing African rhythms and vocal traditions.
In Europe and the US, Afro House became popular thanks to DJs and producers seeking new forms of sound and a more “organic” atmosphere within house music.
Sound Characteristics
Drums and percussion: djembe, congas, bongos, ethnic percussion.
Vocals: often performed in Africa...
Alternative Rap — history, features and key artists of the genre
Alternative Rap (or alternative rap) — is a branch of hip-hop where artists move away from the traditional sound of gangsta rap or commercial mainstream. Here, rap intersects with elements of rock, jazz, funk, electronic music, and even punk, while the lyrics often explore more philosophical, social, or experimental themes.
History and Development
The genre began to take shape in the late 1980s – early 1990s, when rappers started seeking new forms of self-expression beyond the classic East Coast and West Coast sound.
Some of the first representatives were De La Soul, A Tribe Called Quest, The Pharcyde, and Arrested Development, who used lighter beat structures, jazz, and funk samples in their music.
In the 2000s, alternative rap acquired new features: it absorbed elements...
Digital Hardcore — music of protest and digital rage
Digital Hardcore is an extreme branch of electronic music that emerged in the mid-1990s. It combined harsh electronic sound, hardcore punk, and industrial elements, evolving into an aggressive and protest-oriented musical style.
History
The roots of Digital Hardcore go back to the Berlin scene of the early 1990s.
The key figure was musician Alec Empire, who founded the band Atari Teenage Riot and the label Digital Hardcore Recordings (DHR).
The genre took shape as a response to the commercialization of electronic music and as an expression of anti-fascist and anti-system sentiments.
Sound and Characteristics
Speed and aggression: BPM often exceeds 180, with heavy and “broken” rhythms.
Instruments: drum machines, distorted guitars, samples, synthesizers.
Vocals: sh...
Glitch — the music of digital errors that became art
In the world of electronic music, the boundaries between noise and melody have long since disappeared. What was considered a “faulty sound” in the early 1990s has now become a full-fledged genre. This is about Glitch — a musical style that turned digital errors and distortions into an artistic tool.
How Glitch appeared
The name of the genre comes from the English word glitch — “malfunction”, “error.” Musicians of the experimental scene first turned to this approach in the early 1990s, inspired by computer artifacts, CD player clicks, damaged cassette noise, and digital malfunctions of early software synthesizers.
One of the first labels to shape the genre was the German Mille Plateaux. In 1999, they released the compilation Clicks & Cuts,...
Drill & Bass — chaos and speed in IDM
Drill & Bass is a subgenre of electronic music that emerged in the mid-1990s as an experimental offshoot of drum and bass. It is characterized by excessively complex rhythms, "broken" drum patterns, and chaotic track structures. In essence, it is a parodic yet brilliant reimagining of drum and bass in an avant-garde spirit.
History
The genre originated in the UK within the IDM (Intelligent Dance Music) movement.
It is often attributed to Aphex Twin (the album Richard D. James Album, 1996), where traditional drum and bass was pushed to absurd extremes through abrupt accelerations, sample slicing, and glitch effects.
Following him, the style was further developed by Squarepusher, µ-Ziq, and Venetian Snares.
Sound Characteristics
Rhythm: extremely fast and "broken" drums w...
