The Melody Web what each genre heard, and what it passed on

heard passed on Click or tap a node to recenter. Use a connecting line, or Influence, for the story.

Heard

EBM genre · 1981–

New beat takes EBM’s sequenced body pulse — synth, shout, club PA — and slows it into a Belgian 1987–91 floor.

Influence
New wave style · 1978–1985

New beat takes new-wave’s club 12-inch and pitches it down into a slow, heavy Belgian floor.

Influence

New beat

style · 1987–1991

Also called Belgian new beat

Late-1980s Belgian club style: slowed EBM or new-wave records, heavy bass, and a deadpan vocal (A Split-Second, Confetti’s). It hears EBM for the sequenced body-music recoded at a slower club tempo, and New wave for the radio-rock 12-inch pitched down on the same floor. It already gives Gabber the Low Countries club body Rotterdam then sped up. Acid house leftover as a neighboring 1988 floor, not a parent. Detroit Techno leftover as gabber’s other sequenced parent, not a child of this file.

Listen

  1. Acid Rock Rhythm Device (1987) YouTube · Spotify
  2. I Sit on Acid Lords of Acid (1988) YouTube · Spotify
  3. The Sound of C Confetti's (1988) YouTube · Spotify
  4. Move Your Feet A Split-Second (1988)
  5. The Beat Is Over The Maxx (1989) YouTube

Passed on

Gabber style · 1992–

Gabber takes new beat’s slow, heavy Belgian 4/4 — pitched-down body-music bass, slogan vocal, warehouse PA — and recodes it at a much faster Rotterdam tempo.

Influence

EBM → New beat

meter and groovetimbre and productionfunction and contextstrength: highscholarly consensus1987–1991recordingdance

Mechanism

New beat takes EBM’s sequenced body pulse — synth, shout, club PA — and slows it into a Belgian 1987–91 floor. Strength high. Acid house leftover as a neighboring 1988 floor, not this parent.

Evidence

A Split-Second and Belgian DJ recuts of EBM/new-wave 12-inches (Grove, Starr).

Debate

Whether new beat simply is pitched-down EBM. The body-music grammar is EBM’s; the named slow Belgian club style is the recoding.

Mediators

artist: A Split-Second; community: Belgian club DJs

New wave → New beat

meter and groovetimbre and productionfunction and contextstrength: mediumscholarly consensus1987–1991recordingdance

Mechanism

New beat takes new-wave’s club 12-inch and pitches it down into a slow, heavy Belgian floor. Strength medium. EBM leftover as the sequenced body-music parent (other edge). Acid house leftover as a neighboring 1988 floor, not this parent.

Evidence

Belgian DJs slowing new-wave and related 12-inches; Confetti’s-type pop-new-wave recut as new beat (Grove, Starr).

Debate

Whether this is still new wave at half speed. The radio-rock 12-inch is new-wave’s; the named slow Belgian club style is the recoding.

Mediators

community: Belgian club DJs; artist: Confetti's

New beat → Gabber

meter and groovetimbre and productionfunction and contextstrength: mediumscholarly consensus1991–1995recordingdance

Mechanism

Gabber takes new beat’s slow, heavy Belgian 4/4 — pitched-down body-music bass, slogan vocal, warehouse PA — and recodes it at a much faster Rotterdam tempo. Strength medium. Detroit Techno leftover as the other sequenced parent (other edge). This hop is the Low Countries club floor, not a claim that new beat became Detroit techno.

Evidence

1991–95 Dutch/Belgian hardcore from new-beat rooms sped up in Rotterdam warehouses (Grove; Starr).

Debate

Whether gabber simply is new beat at double speed. The named slow Belgian club style is new beat’s; the named Rotterdam hardcore is the recoding. Techno remains a separate sequenced parent.

Mediators

community: Dutch and Belgian hardcore DJs; institution: Rotterdam warehouse raves