Music news and show business news — fresh events from the world of music | Page: 9

What is Smooth Jazz? A detailed history of the genre that blends jazz harmony with R&B and pop. Key albums by Kenny G, Dave Koz, and Grover Washington Jr.

Smooth Jazz is a subgenre of jazz where softness, melody, and a modern sound meet. It blends elements of R&B, soul, funk, and pop while preserving jazz harmony and an improvisational spirit. This is music that makes time feel slower: it’s all about calm, gentle grooves, and the warm tones of saxophone, guitar, and keys. History of the Genre 1970s: Origins Smooth Jazz emerged as a continuation of fusion…

Roland TR-909: a hybrid analog-digital instrument that became the foundation of House and Techno. An analysis of its iconic kick drum, sequencer, and the key differences from the TR-808.

Roland TR-909 Rhythm Composer is an iconic drum machine released by Roland in 1983. Sitting at the crossroads of the analog and digital eras, it became a cornerstone of the emerging sounds of house, techno, acid, trance and rave culture, shaping the signature drum patterns that are still considered a benchmark today. Historical context In the early 1980s, most manufacturers were chasing realistic acoustic drum…

How Google’s Algorithms Ignore Users and Keep Quality Content Out of Search

(A Minatrix.FM case study) Minatrix.FM is more than just an online radio station. It’s an ecosystem years in the making for electronic-music lovers — a portal for DJs, producers, and listeners featuring rare artist biographies, in-depth genre analyses, themed playlists, an archive of original shows, and a 24/7 club stream. On the site you’ll find what YouTube, Spotify and aggregators often…

The complete guide to Futurepop: a synthesis of EBM, synthpop, and trance. Analysis of tempo (120–135 BPM), supersaw leads, and cyberpunk aesthetics. VNV Nation and Covenant.

Futurepop — a subgenre of electronic music that emerged in the late 1990s and early 2000s at the crossroads of synthpop, EBM, and trance. It blends danceable rhythms, emotive vocals, synth-driven melodies, and a dark club aesthetic. The sound aims for atmosphere, euphoric choruses, and a futuristic sheen while retaining its roots in “dark electronics.” History Late 1990s After the heyday of…

What is Baile Funk? The hypnotic sound of Rio de Janeiro’s favelas. An analysis of the tamborzão, 808 kicks, chant-style vocals, and regional styles (proibidão, ostentação).

Baile Funk (often called funk carioca) is a Brazilian street movement and music style that grew out of parties in Rio de Janeiro’s favelas in the late 1980s–early 1990s. At the crossroads of Miami bass, electro, samba, and Afro-Brazilian rhythms, a fierce, noisy, hypnotic sound emerged — heavy sub-bass, chant-like hooks, and direct, spoken-style vocals. Over time, baile funk became a national…

The complete guide to British Rap: evolution from the ’70s, the influence of dancehall and grime, a hard staccato flow and UK garage swing. Documentary tone and social realism in the lyrics.

British Rap — a branch of the hip-hop culture that took shape in the UK from the late 1970s to early 1980s. Unlike its American roots, British rap evolved under the influence of: local street slang, sound system culture, Caribbean diasporas, the UK electronic dance scene. It is marked by a unique rhythmic feel, distinctive pronunciation and accent, and a stronger social focus in its…

Happy Hardcore: a fast (160–180 BPM), melodic subgenre of ’90s rave music. The UK scene’s golden era, chipmunk vocals, and an aesthetic of euphoria. Complete guide.

Happy Hardcore — a fast, emotive, and feel-good subgenre of electronic dance music that emerged in the UK in the early to mid-1990s. It’s defined by high BPM (160–180), rich melodicism, “happy” synths, chipmunk vocals (sped-up, pitch-raised vocal samples), and that unmistakable rave euphoria. This style became a symbol of early rave culture, its neon visuals, smiley icons, and…

The Complete Guide to Lowercase: a radical exploration of barely audible sounds. Steve Roden’s history, contact-microphone techniques, Max/MSP, and the concept of “listening to the world.”

Lowercase is an experimental current of sound art and electronic music built on ultra-minimal, barely audible sounds. It is a radical exploration of silence, the acoustic details of objects, noises, and textures that usually go unnoticed in everyday life. Lowercase is not merely quiet — it is focused on microscopic audio and on shifting the listener’s attention to sub-perceptual sonic events. History…

Dubwise isn’t a genre but a dub-informed lens: deep bass, live play with effects (delay, spring reverb), and negative space. A complete production guide for DnB, Techno, and Roots Dub.

Dubwise is a music approach that grew out of Jamaican dub of the late 1960s–1970s and later stuck as a label for tracks/DJ set delivery that emphasize bass, echo, space, and the “version”. Today the word appears in reggae/dub, jungle and drum & bass, dub techno, downtempo and bass music: “dubwise” means the material is made the dub way—with deep low end, a…

Complete guide to Lo-Fi culture: from vinyl to 24/7 Study Beats. Technical breakdown of sound artifacts (noise, wow/flutter) and a detailed 8-step recipe for creating lo-fi hip-hop.

Lo-Fi (low fidelity) is the aesthetics of “imperfect” sound: deliberately left tape hiss, vinyl “dust,” needle crackle, overdriven mics, home demos, and simple harmonies. Today, lo-fi is not just a recording quality but a culture of its own: from lo-fi hip-hop / chillhop and “study beats” to lo-fi house, bedroom indie rock, dreampop, and ambient. What is lo-fi: essence &…

Slow Motion House (slo-mo house / chug) — hypnotic mid-tempo at 90–108 BPM: Balearic atmosphere, warm bass, psychedelic synths, key artists, and a production guide.

Slow Motion House (also known as slo-mo house, chug, sometimes “drug-chug”) is a slow, hypnotic branch of house and disco at reduced tempos. It favors a syrupy groove and a cinematic mood over peak-time dancefloor energy: dense percussion patterns, organic basslines, an analogue feel, psychedelic synths, ethnic/rock textures, and long transitions. Key sound traits Tempo: typically 90–108 BPM…

Big Beat — broken beats, ’90s funk and rock energy: genre history, signature sound, key artists and releases, how it differs from breaks/house/hip-hop, production tips, and a starter playlist.

Big Beat is a powerful, dance-floor branch of electronic music from the mid-to-late 1990s, born at the crossroads of breakbeat, hip-hop, funk, and rock riffs. Its hallmarks: fat sampled drums, aggressive bass, shouty scratches, “dirty” guitars, short vocal hooks, and unbridled dynamics built for big rooms and festival stages. Short definition Big Beat is the “big-room sound”: heavy broken…

Dark ambient — the dark architecture of sound: the genre’s history from industrial roots to cinematic ambient, subgenres (ritual, black ambient), key artists and releases, production techniques, listening tips, and a curated album list.

Dark ambient is a subgenre of post-industrial and ambient music built on slow drones, deep sub-bass, long reverberations, and sound textures that create a sense of place—from deserted halls to underground chambers. It took shape in Europe by the mid-1980s as the “dark” branch of ambient and quickly developed its own aesthetics and circle of creators. What it sounds like Foundation: sustained…

Roland TR-808 — the iconic 1980 drum machine that defined the sound of hip-hop, electro, techno, and pop. History, facts, and its impact on global music.

Roland TR-808 Rhythm Composer — it’s not just a drum machine. It’s a cultural phenomenon whose sounds forever changed pop, hip-hop, electronic music, and the entire sonic landscape of the late 20th century. Released in 1980 by the Japanese company Roland Corporation, the TR-808 became a symbol of an era — from the underground to the global pop stage. Creation story After the success of the…

Breakstep — a subgenre of the late-1990s UK electronic scene that fused garage, breakbeat, and drum’n’bass. History, key artists, and its influence on dubstep.

Breakstep is a subgenre of the UK electronic scene of the late 1990s and early 2000s that fused 2-step garage, breakbeat, and drum’n’bass. It served as a transitional stage between old-school UK Garage and the new direction — dubstep — shaping its rhythmic foundation and bass power. Origins and evolution Late 1990s, London. After the heyday of UK Garage, DJs began experimenting with a…