Audiofreq's 10 Essential Hardstyle Tracks

Summer 2013 has now come and gone, and we're looking towards the next big thing. Trying to figure it out can be a tough, and one can never be 100% sure, but in putting the pieces together and we think we have an idea: hardstyle.

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Complex Original

Image via Complex Original

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Summer 2013 has now come and gone, and we're looking towards the next big thing. Trying to figure it out can be a tough, and one can never be 100% sure, but in putting the pieces together and we think we have an idea: hardstyle.

Just look at the pieces and it's not so crazy. Flosstradamus brought North American attention to the sound when they sampled classics from names like Showtek and Headhunterz. That said, Flosstradamus only represents the tip of the iceberg .  Not only are thousands of DJs and producers from the trap and hip-hop worlds drawing inspiration (and samples) from the previously untapped market, but house DJs are doing the same as well. Those formulaic Beatport big room bombs? That one heavy, distorted kick with a singular eurodance-esque melodic riff? That comes from hardstyle.  Carnage and Tony Junior's "Michael Jordan" and the Dimitri Vegas & Like Mike collaboration with Lil Jon and Coone (an up-and-coming hardstyle act in his own right) "Madness" are just some of the summer's big hits with a huge hardstyle influence. Tommie Sunshine spoke to us back in March and predicted that "hardstyle at 128BPM" would be the next thing, and we're definitely seeing his proclamation ringing true.  To say that hardstyle isn't relevant to the U.S. market might have been true a short time ago, but believing that in 2013 is just ignorant.

Although hardstyle can come across as obnoxious, droning, and at worst, and the epitome of what some consider to be "drug rave music" (which, to be clear, is not how DAD feels at all), this is definitely not the case. With deep but hard-hitting kick drums pounding at breakneck speeds, hardstyle is no doubt party and rave ready.  Hardstyle, though, would not be what it is without the intensely euphoric and uplifting melodies that define each track.  Quoting a fan while speaking to Beatport,  the DJ Mag top-rated hardstyle DJ in the world Headhunterz said that hardstyle is "hard on the outside, soft on the inside."

Headhunterz' comments are an interesting insight that highlights why hardstyle is the next big thing. On the one hand, ravers of the Skrillex generation are looking for the next most aggressive thing, now that dubstep has died down some and trap leans back towards its hip-hop roots. On the other, ravers are looking for something emotive and empowering that isn't cheesy (re: the current state of the Beatport top 10).

But wait! That doesn't explain why hardstyle is next... does it? Ravers will latch on to hardstyle in the same way they latched on to Skrillex because, like hardstyle, there's a complex sentiment in that while his music on the surface could be perceived as aggressive, brutal, and "metal" there's also a critical and unbridled emotional tenderness at the core of each quality track.  Though this can be said about numerous styles of music, it is more relevant for hardstyle when it's contextualized against the current situation and how we got here.

Although DAD has not covered much hardstyle or the hard dance genre as a whole, we've got our eyes on it, and to help us bring you credible coverage, we enlisted the help of hardstyle producer and DJ Audiofreq to give us the start of a proper hardstyle education. Here is Audiofreq's selection of essential hardstyle tracks.

Showtek - "Colors of the Harder Styles"

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Before Showtek took over EDM, they ruled hardstyle as a pair of titans. This track was created as the anthem for hardstyle’s biggest and most well know party - Defqon1 in 2006. It *still* rocks the festivals to this

Proppy & Heady - "Summer of Hardstyle"

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An iconic fun number that is sure to get you dancing. The Prophet & Headhunterz combine forces and take influence from the early hardstyle days of yesteryear while still staying relevant.  Rarely do modern hardstyle produce such energetic kick and basses - play it loud!

D-block & S-te-Fan - "Music Made Addict"

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This is the hit that literally catapulted D-block and S-te-fan into the hardstyle limelight. Chopped up diva vocals married with a mind-blowing euphoric riff - definitely one for the festival season!

Headhunterz, Wildstylez & Noisecontrollers - "Tonight (Alpha Twins Remix)"

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Everything about this is huge: the length of the title, the size of the artists, the kick drum, the atmosphere and the drop!

Tuneboy - "Hear This"

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Tuneboy is literally one of the creators of hardstyle, being responsible for many of the productions that have shaped this genre since it’s conception more than 10 years ago. He’s a household name, both in his native Italy or in Holland, Belgium, UK and Australia. "Hear This" was an oft overlooked gem, but a must listen for anyone that is dipping their toe into the ocean of hard.

Gunz 4 Hire - "Gangsters Don’t Dance"

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The debut track from Ran-D and Adaro’s alter-egos Gunz 4 Hire and literally put them on the map. Fun, catchy vocals, a beast of a kick drum, its not hard to see why Gunz 4 Hire, Ran-D and Adaro are some of the most in-demand artists in the genre.

Brennan Heart & Wildstylez - "Lose My Mind"

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Without a doubt, this is one of the biggest and most iconic hardstyle tracks of all time. For those that have had a taste of the genre, this track should come as no surprise! Close your eyes, put those hands up in the air and sing-a-long festival fun!

Tatanka - "Don’t Give Up"

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Italian legend Tatanka cooked up this piece of madness and its been getting slammed left right and centre both in the hardstyle world and beyond. You know you’ve done something right when Krewella have dropped this!

Technoboy & Activator - "Steam Train"

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A hardstyle top 10 would not be complete without the Italian legends Technoboy and Activator with the former being one of the pioneers of the genre, tirelessly working to re-invent, reshape and renew himself and his music. And it pays off. Its extremely difficult to single out a track from Technoboy's huge catalog but this certainly stands out. Its a collaboration is a crossover number exploring the world of "subground" with a slower, but equally hard-hitting mid section.

Chain Reaction - "The Record Breaking"

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Last but most certainly not least, Dutch stalwart Chain Reaction dropped this bomb in 2013. For those that love it on the harder end of the scale, this is sure to satiate that hunger. There aren’t many tracks that drop as hard as this in the existence of music history!

Its' very VERY hard to sum up 10+ years of music into a simple Top 10, but hopefully this should serve as a guide into the world of hardstyle!

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