Masterpieces of breakcore. Recommended popular tracks.
There are many subgenres of dance music that use electronic sounds, and among what’s commonly called techno music, one genre said to have emerged from “gabber”—a style classified as one of the hardcore techno forms that appeared in the early 1990s—is the focus of this article: breakcore.
While it has some basic characteristics—such as reconstructing sampled material to the point of being unrecognizable and using high-speed breakbeats—it’s interesting that the style becomes highly subdivided depending on the artist.
In this article, we introduce standout breakcore tracks across a wide range, from classic anthems to notable recent releases.
If you’re new to the genre, be sure to check it out!
- Aggressive dance music. A masterpiece of hardcore techno.
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- Classic Goa trance tracks. Recommended popular songs.
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- What is Artcore? | Introducing Famous and Classic Artcore Tracks!
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- Classic hardcore punk tracks. Recommended popular songs.
- Intense! A roundup of classic grindcore tracks from Western music
Breakcore masterpieces. Recommended popular tracks (31–40)
OVEKEYASHIKIOVe-NaXx
Ove-Naxx is a Japanese breakcore musician based in Osaka who began his career as a street performer in the 1990s.
His sound is characterized by a fusion of breakcore with crossover music such as death metal, Latin pop, and J-pop.
Go (Blank Sea) (Xanopticon Remix)Zola Jesus
A track by Nicole Hummel, the American singer-songwriter and producer who performs under the name Zola Jesus.
It is included on her fourth album, Taiga, released in 2014.
This version is a remix by Xanopticon, an American breakcore and electronic musician.
Ellesse WarriorDJ Shitmat feat Devvo
Shitmat is a DJ with a career spanning over 25 years, who has performed around the world—including at festivals such as Glastonbury, Bestival, and Boomtown—and is signed to the same label as The Prodigy.
This track is a collaboration with MC Devvo and was released in 2005.
Cute Never DiesKid606
Kid606 is an American electronic musician.
He is well known in the glitch, IDM, hardcore techno, and breakcore music scenes.
This track is included on his 2013 album Happiness.
In conclusion
Even when we simply say “breakcore,” there are a lot of fine-grained subgenres.
Beyond orthodox elements like frantic breakbeats and noise, breakcore absorbs other genres as well—sometimes destructive, sometimes beautiful—making it a style truly worth digging into.
I’d be delighted if this has sparked even a little interest in the depth behind these artists’ intensely distinctive beats!