2016 – Will it be THE year for early hardstyle?

Hardstyle experienced a remarkable 2015; a year which not only celebrated new developments in sound, but also marked a huge resurrection of early hardstyle as the ‘old’ was revitalised with new production techniques. In the last weeks of 2014, De Tijdmachine weekender was held; an extremely successful event that marked many unforgettable happenings, one being Bioweapon’s legendary reunion. De Tijdmachine’s success was merely symbolic of what 2015 was yet to bring in terms of early hardstyle…

2015 kicked off with a bang as discussions about early hardstyle and its revival were brought to the forefront of social media by both artists and fans. Popularity soon boomed as names like Josh & Wesz, D-Block & S-te-Fan, Technoboy & Tuneboy, Activator, Brennan Heart, Wildstylez and other pioneers began bringing out music that embraced the roots of hardstyle. And it wasn’t just the ‘older’ guys who were bringing back the reverse bass and funky melodies in 2015; younger producers like Cyber, Omegatypez, Festuca and Noisecult among others were caught red-handed celebrating this beloved sound!

On the events spectrum, early hardstyle concepts and stages at festivals became more frequent and not to mention, more packed as the appreciation grew. Artists who release little or no music like Dana, Pavo, Scope DJ, Slim Shore, Davide Sonar and Deepack (to name a few) started obtaining frequent bookings to perform at these concepts as they were able to let their old music shine. Evolved artists who are currently piloting the modern scene also got their fair share of time in the spotlight as these early hardstyle concepts and stages let these artists jump outside the modern ‘box’ for a while and spin old music that typically might not fit into their mainstage sets.

The restoration of older sounds generated a prosperous market, but in turn, it threw the scene into a curveball and had fans, artists and organisations questioning what ‘real’ hardstyle was.

Today, rolling well into 2016, the direction of early hardstyle is unknown; however it’s likely that this year will mark immense success for the sound, even more than 2015. As I was scrolling through Facebook, a particular post by Tuneboy in regards to TNT’s latest track “Ravish” caught my undivided attention. After listening to the track which consisted of standout reverse bass and energetic screeches, I read some of the comments which showed tremendous support to the sound. Many fans preaching that these sounds are the godsend of hardstyle, reading these comments made my spine tingle with excitement for the productions that blend early hardstyle elements with modern production techniques. I then decided to click on Tuneboy’s Facebook page to see what else he’s been up to and to my delight he’s been more or less endorsing reverse bass as the ‘future’ of hardstyle.

Many fans jumped into the discussion on the above status; some agreeing with his statement and some fans stating that the past should be left in the past and that reverse bass is ‘old.’ The huge discussion itself was promising in itself as fans worldwide are more than curious to see the direction of this beloved sound. The following post shows clear proof of the appreciation it gains from fans worldwide.

Mentioned earlier in this article, the conclusion of 2014 saw one of the most legendary duo’s, Bioweapon, reuniting for an exclusive performance at De Tijdmachine, however the magic didn’t stop there when the pair were announced to perform again together on home soil at HSU’s Knockout Circuz in December, 2015. This second reunion saw Bioweapon releasing “Reload The Weapon” and “Make A Move,” two tracks that signified a more ‘permanent’ return to the scene. The pair have also been announced as part of the line-up for Basscon’s ‘Wasteland’, held in March.

Another artist who is upholding the reverse bass legacy is the upcoming UK sensation MKN. Growing slow, yet steady, many hardstyle fans may not be aware of his work, but his 100% Reverse Bass podcast has become a popular platform for fans to discover both new and old reverse bass tracks. Gaining support from the likes of Kutski, Technoboy, James Bayliss, Stephanie, Neilio and many more, this young prodigy is piloting in representing the reverse bass!

In February, MKN will make his mark down under as a part of the RVRS BASS label launch; a label owned by Masif Saturday’s owner and front-man Steve Hill. But that’s not all; MKN will be releasing his ‘100% Reverse Bass’ album on the label which will contain various collaborations, early hardstyle influences and of course, reverse bass! Previews will be revealed in the coming months, so keep your eyes on MKN’s channels!

Another young, reverse-loving bass producer is none other than Cyber! Recognised as one of the key preachers of early hardstyle with a modern twist, this Swiss young-gun has taken the hardstyle scene by storm with his sound that utilise elements from pre-2010 hardstyle mixed with high-quality, modern production techniques. Tracks like “Everything Is God,” “DLTBGY” and his recent remix of Coone’s “Universal Language” are the perfect example of a balance between old and new and have reignited many fans love for this energetic, yet melodic style of hardstyle.

Another new development this year is the addition of De Tijdmachine to Kingsday madness this April. With mysterious artwork and various rumours flying around about Project One making their return for the event; we ask ourselves – could this be the ‘tijdmachine’ version of X-Qlusive…? If these rumours to turn out to be true and this superb act is resurrected, it’s just living proof that if Headhunterz is stepping on stage to play hardstyle, then this ‘old-school’ hype must be pretty fucking real.

In terms of the other events in 2016, it’s evident that amongst the already-announced festivals, early hardstyle stages are playing a key part in the promotion of these events. Events like Intents, Rebirth, HardClassics, Remember involve early hardstyle concepts and also HSU’s Midnight Mafia will contain classics sets by The Prophet and Styles & Breeze feat. Whizzkid.

Old or new…? Why don’t we have both!

Yeah, I’ve got you all thinking about that taco advertisment, but I could be onto something real here. To bring it back to the main question, it’s likely that 2016 could be an even bigger year for classic hardstyle; both events and music-wise. However, many fans do have a point when they state that the past should be left in the past. In order for hardstyle to evolve it’s vital to embrace new sounds whilst paying respects to the roots, hence why modern productions with certain ‘early’ elements in them are really successful nowadays.

Personally, I don’t feel that it’s necessary to go all the way back and make hardstyle that’s full-blown 2008 for ‘the sake of early hardstyle.’ For me, that’s living in the past a little too much and sometimes it’s nice to hear all of the classics but we also need new, innovative music too and this point solidifies why tracks that blend the two together are so great! For example, a modern track with reverse bass and a slightly rougher vibe or an anthemic, early sounding melody with hard, energetic kicks would not only go off on the dancefloor but it would cleverly utilise these classic elements of hardstyle whilst still sounding innovative and fresh.

I’ve had my time to speak, so let’s now take it to our readers – what do you all think? Will 2016 top 2015 in terms of appreciation for early hardstyle and its sound? Will there be more concepts popping up and will more new names embrace the reverse bass? We’re curious to hear your thoughts so pop a comment below!