First appearing in the late 1990s, and solidified by DJ and label owner Ben Sims, the subgenre of techno known as hardgroove has had numerous evolutions since its inception. Hinging around a relentless, driving energy, hardgroove's key elements can be detected within tracks by modern DJs and music-makers like Chontane, West Code and Baugruppe90.
But, while the genre is (as you can probably infer from its name) primarily oriented around hefty, uncompromising beats, there are also other arrangement components that are integral to any hardgroove template.
Firstly, a little history. The genre known as hardgroove had its early origins in many classic DJ approaches to classic hip-hop and funk sets - namely the arbitrary extending of a section of a record, the looping of a drum break or a more full-on section of a track to encourage intense dancing from the masses.
