Why 2015 was an important year for Happy Hardcore (and why you should be celebrating it)
Our Music (Happy Hardcore) enjoyed more support from A-List artists and Events in 2015 than the past 5 years, and I want you to know about it!
It would be awesome to see more people celebrating this! Lets get right into it motherfuckers
**We’ve had more support from bigger artists**
From Grammy Nominated Artists, to A-list festival DJ’s, right through to Kanye Wests Producer - There are some seriously impressive people that have been dropping the genre lately. Im just gonna drop this in a list here
Dillon Francis (Clip) Hudson Mohawke Porter Robinson Krewella Gareth Emergy Da Tweekaz Jaguar Skills
**We’ve had more support from the bigger events**
Darren Styles played his third consecutive year at EDC Vegas this year!
Nocturnal Wonderland had Darren and myself perform a back to back set to a room full of people who lapped it up
Joey Riot got the chance to play at Creamfields and decided to drop some of his well known Powerstomp tracks and got an eruption from the dance floor
*Update* Darren just came back from the sold-out Knockout Circus in Sydney and pushed the music to a 6000-heavy arena
**New People Are Discovering it**
Monstercat decided to launch this years catalogue with a Hardcore release by Stonebank (formerly Modulate / Rocketpimp)
Motherfucker did you see that shit? 4 Million Views!! Thats their most viewed video this year for real. That means more people enjoyed hearing a song at 170 Beats per minute that the more accessible styles such as Electro and Trap and yada yada. Always refreshing
Add this to the Nanobii Release (Rainbow Road) I’ve seen a surge in international producers who are trying their hand at the genre. Super props go to Titan Cube and Arcien who continue to impress
**Official Remixes are coming back**
Compare to a few years ago where every request was rejected. Check the list
Jack Ü and Justin Bieber - Where are Ü Now (Darren Styles & Gammer Remix) Tnght - Higher Ground Porter Robinson - Sad Machine Omegatypez - Take Me High Code Black and Atmozfears - Accelerate Gareth Emery and Krewella - Lights and Thunder Hudson Mohawke ft. Irfane - Very First Breath
**People seem less afraid of it**
Like Kutski for example who dropped our remix of ‘Take Me High’ in the middle of his Defqon set. See the video below and tell me that people weren’t eating that shit up
Or Audien, who can remix a Bastille Track, get that remix nominated for a grammy, but still not give a fuck and do this
*Update* Porter Robinson dropped our remix of Sad Machine on NYE
**They Let us into the Warehouse Project!?!?!**
Thanks to Hudson Mohawke we achieved the impossible. If you know anything about the warehouse project then you know that only the coolest music is ever allowed anywhere near the place
The biggest risk was Dougal and Myself closing the Warehouse project a few weeks ago. This wouldn’t have felt so nerve wracking if it was for the fact that we came on after Mark Ronson (Uptown fuck / anything by Amy Winehouse). Still, despite the +103939 BPM difference the floor remained active and up for it. We even got a write up by Vice Magazine here. Check the Quote
Seriously, we've never seen a group of people look so happy—even the security guard was finding it hard to keep his feet still
Check the video fam
**The Blogs have acknowledged us**
For my UK Hardcore people. The blog sites play a big part in the EDM Scene stateside. Consider them the ‘Ravin Eye’ of that world, its where people generally go for the news and gossip so believe me its important
We’ve had some pretty decent Mentions, check the links and quotes below
Happy Hardcore Is Massive: An Interview With Gammer (NestHQ)
people are ready for new sounds in the evolution of happy hardcore, especially in the states where it’s just beginning to pick up
Stonebank: He Never Lost His Hardcore (UKF)
Four million views can’t be wrong. As the EDM bubble bursts, there’s definitely a case for hardcore making more of a presence in the US
Hudson Mohawke Threw the Most Insane Warehouse Project Yet (Thump)
Seriously, we've never seen a group of people look so happy—even the security guard was finding it hard to keep his feet still
Where Are Ü Now (Darren Styles and Gammer Remix) (NestHQ)
music that’s fast, fun, euphoric, and not too serious. Coincidentally, legends of the scene, Darren Styles and Gammer have decided to label their latest remix under “happy hardcore”. It’s a rework of Jack Ü and Bieber’s “Where Are Ü Now” and it slaaaaays with a very similar energy to some of those earlier releases of the genre.
5 Reasons Why We Should Pay Attention to Happy Hardcore (UKF)
It’s certainly nothing new to take a pop tune and propel it into a totally new genre, although what Gammer and Darren Styles have done here is showcase their amazing creativity. The level of detail in their production is second to none. So much so Skrillex and Diplo elevated it from ‘cheeky bootleg’ to ‘official remix’.
**We’re doing alright on Beatport**
In 2015 - The top 2 Hard Dance artists are Happy Hardcore Producers
And 6 of the Top 10 tracks are Happy Hardcore
**Hardcore Promoters have taken more risks**
Promoters within the scene have continued to take big risks when it comes to putting on events
• HTID USA (Phoenix, AZ (USA) - Really pulled it out of the bag when they committed to a weekend-long rave with a more or less entirely international line up. PLUR was alive • HTID In The Sun (Magaluf, Spain) - Only a few tickets from selling out. HTID re-imaged the week-long rave formula by relocating to magaluf. Were you there? Shit was insane
• Ravers Reunited returned to the well loved venue ‘The Emporium’ and packed it out with 1200 people!!!!!! Top Props
• Westfest Continue to give us a shot on the MainStage amongst some of the biggest acts in the country
**Everyone Does it For the Love**
Of course I haven't forgotten about the scene itself. Alex Prospect has possible worked harder than anyone I know this year putting together his independent artist album
Billy Bunter has throw out a good chunk of artist albums. Like the Whizzkid album for example
Hardcore underground continue to support the lesser known artists with a constant flow of well produced albums. Thumpa should be given a medal for his support and passion for the freeform side of things
The flurry of new producers warms my heart, especially with the level of passion and time they’re putting into their productions.
**It continues to be most feel good music on the planet**
And I believe it. Its an awkward BPM and a nightmare for producers and DJs everywhere. But theres no denying that when the drop comes in, people just stop taking everything so seriously and end up enjoying themselves. Let me throw this quote in for the third time:-
Seriously, we've never seen a group of people look so happy—even the security guard was finding it hard to keep his feet still