Rave Mix
A rave mix is a DJ set composed of music from multiple dance music genres. Popular genres include techno, house, hardcore and alternative dance.
Rave events usually take place in warehouses or clubs and promoters advertise their events through flyers or posters.
Origin
Rave mix is an electronic dance music genre featuring fast-paced beats. While its origins are debated, some believe that rave mix began in 1970 when Frankie Knuckles programed drum rhythms and played disco records.
Early rave DJs spun music in a variety of genres, but house and techno were particularly influential. These tracks typically featured heavy bass drums on every beat, electronic drum machine hi-hats, and synth basslines.
This style of music rose to become one of the most beloved forms of dance music during the late 1980s and early 1990s. Its success inspired many DJs and dancers around the world to emulate their favorite rave DJs’ styles.
In the UK, rave culture reached its peak during the Second Summer of Love in 1988, spurred on by Ecstasy use and music inspired by disco. Parties featuring live, deejay-mixed techno mixed with all-night dancing took place at secret locations such as warehouses, aircraft hangars, fields and country clubs.
As rave culture spread, it became politicized and increasingly targeted by British politicians. Authorities fined promoters who organized unauthorised rave parties, while police crackdowns drove many into rural areas.
The dance movement was marked by laser lights, fashion and an attitude reminiscent of 1960s hippies. It wasn’t uncommon for raves to draw thousands of people in just a few days.
Rave dancing, also known as “afro dance,” is an innovative form of traditional dancing that involves pulsating music and body movements tailored to each dancer’s mood. These techniques are not taught in schools but instead developed through trial-and-error by experienced ravers themselves.
Styles
Rave music ranges in style and genre from breakbeat hardcore to nu skool breaks and fusions of house and trance music. Drum ‘n bass is the most popular genre among ravers, while other popular genres include breakbeat hardcore, nu skool breakbeat, trance music, electro beats like Miami bass or crunk beats are fusions as well.
Rawstyle: Considered the pioneer of modern rave music, rawstyle is a type of electronic dance music that features heavily compressed and side-chained kicks, percussion and rhythms with manipulated high-pitched synthesizer stabs known as “screeches.” Additionally it usually incorporates reverse basses, chaotic drops, tense vocal samples (sometimes taken directly from sci-fi/horror cinema) and dark atmospheres with menacing melodies.
Colour Bass: Originating in the UK in the mid-to-late 2000s, colour bass is an evolution of brostep that blends snarling midrange wobble with euphoric drops and repetitive synth work from similar bass music genres such as Melodic dubstep and Future bass. Additionally, it draws influence from chiptune and future beats’ bloopy sounds.
Hexd: Hexd, an electronic music genre that emerged in the late 2010s, is characterized by heavily bit-crushed vocals that are pitched-up or sped-up along with highly compressed and distorted production. These tracks strive to encapsulate a dreamy or surrealistic atmosphere; many artists strive for futuristic near-mechanic vibe.
Pure Rave: Detroit collective Pure Rave is exploring “chance dance.” Utilizing various turntables, damaged records and drum machines, they create looped rhythmic sonic collage in real-time. As a result, listeners must focus on what they hear to make sense of it all.
Subgenres
Rave mix music consists of various subgenres, each with its own distinctive sound and style. Some are more popular than others, so it’s essential to understand these before hitting the dancefloor.
Hardcore techno is a subgenre of rave music that originated in Western Europe but has now gained global appeal. This genre has developed over time into various styles and sub-styles; early hardcore (which tends to be more prevalent in Europe) features heavy drums, kicks, distortions with BPM up to 190.
Industrial hardcore is an electronic genre developed in the UK, Netherlands and Belgium in the 1990s that features darker sounds with BPM up to 500. It draws influences from techno, hardcore and house music styles alike.
Glitch is widely considered to be one of the most distinctive forms of electronic music. Utilizing digital production techniques, this genre creates a distorted and dissonant soundscape.
Garage is an electronic dance music genre that utilizes well-produced drums and basslines to get people moving. What sets Garage apart from other forms of EDM is its fast tempo and percussive nature.
Techno is an electronic music genre with roots in the 1970s and heavily influenced by disco. It is characterized by build-ups, drops and shifting emotional melodies.
Progressive house is an electronic dance music genre with roots in the 1970s. It has since evolved to become more energetic and uptempo, featuring a steady foundation of four beats with plenty of bass.
Within this genre, there are various subgenres; the most popular being:
Drugs
Drugs are an integral part of rave culture, yet they can also be dangerous. Ecstasy (MDMA) is the most popular drug used at rave parties; however, ketamine and gamma-hydroxybutyrate (GHB) are also frequently found at these events.
Ecstasy often elicits feelings of friendship and compassion for others, yet it also has potential harmful effects on its users, such as death through intoxication or self-inflicted accidents. Furthermore, it could lead people to take other drugs like heroin or cocaine without realizing it.
Other drugs commonly found at raves include psilocybin and LSD. Though these substances are usually prescribed to treat depression, anxiety or alcohol abuse issues, many teenagers who have used these substances during a rave have reported negative repercussions in their lives.
Another drug commonly found at raves is ketamine, a hallucinogen which was little-known until the 1990s. Studies have demonstrated that it has an almost identical effect on the brain as Ecstasy and has been implicated in several gang-related deaths across America.
Many young people who take club drugs like ecstasy or GHB also experiment with other substances. Some of these, such as methamphetamine or opioids, can be highly addictive when combined with club drugs to achieve the same effects.
Many communities have taken action to reduce rave activity and drug use. Some are enforcing fire codes, health and safety ordinances, liquor laws, juvenile curfews, and licensing requirements for large public gatherings. Furthermore, promoters and clubs are being required to fund onsite ambulance and emergency medical services, uniformed police security personnel, as well as obtaining either a licensed building or liquor license for each event.
Venues
Rave events take place in a variety of venues, from large, open areas to more private and intimate settings. These tend to take place indoors such as warehouses or factories; outdoors such as parks or circus tents; however, warehouses, factories and carpet showrooms also play a role.
In the 1990s, many promoters of raves continued to keep event locations secret. Most raves are advertised only through flyers distributed at record stores and music shops, other rave parties/clubs, as well as on rave Internet sites. These flyers usually list only the city and date with a telephone number for further enquiries.
Raves are a popular social gathering and can be an important source of income for some venues. This income helps cover costs such as food, drinks, security personnel and venue rent.
Raves are considered public gatherings and must comply with laws requiring them to obtain building licenses and liquor permits. These regulations exist for the safety of ravers and other patrons at these events, while protecting local communities from liability claims by helping prevent raves from being organized in hazardous or unsanitary conditions.
Due to a growing awareness of the issues caused by rave activity, many communities have taken steps to regulate event size and enforce existing fire codes and health and safety ordinances.
In the United States, government authorities have been taking action against raves and club drug use. They’ve issued warnings about potential risks from club drugs, as well as imposed fines and penalties on rave promoters for hosting such events. Furthermore, laws require these organizations to pay for medical services and fire safety at their events.
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