A fan-written "guidebook" about Digital Hardcore Recordings

Books or E-books about Electronic Music, Hardcore, or Experimental stuff are still very hard to come by. So we are happy to announce a new one, this time dedicated to DHR out of Berlin!


All the infos about the book:

It was due time that Digital Hardcore Recordings aka DHR got its own, unofficial guidebook. It was an important part of music history, of 90s culture, and of history.

This book lists and reviews all Digital Hardcore releases; all albums, EPs, and single releases, CDs, Vinyls, including those that got put out on sublabels.

It's not just a dry, music-centered look at the tracks alone. But also mentions the cultural context, the philosophical context, the political context. And goes way off on various ways sometimes - by looking for connections to other media, movies, movements...

The book is for the dreamers, the restless minds, that were looking for a true alternative in the 90s, or are (still) looking for it in today's times.

We put it on Blogspot for the time being, but working to get it into a real .pdf etc.
Note: No AI has been used in any of these texts.

Chapters:

About Digital Hardcore Recordings
All Digital Hardcore Recordings Albums listed, rated, and reviewed
All Digital Hardcore Recordings single and EP releases reviewed and rated
All DHR Limited releases listed, rated, and short-reviewed
A look at DHR Video releases
All Geist releases reviewed
Credits

https://dhrfanbook.blogspot.com/

Free Drum Sample Packs

It's Bandcamp Friday,
And a lot of artists and labels will message you and tell you to download their tracks and releases for you to listen to.
But isn't that a bit boring?
So I will instead let you know about my sample packs. Which help you produce your *own* tracks instead of merely listen to that of others! And they are all free.

Here are the links:

1. https://lowentropy.bandcamp.com/album/low-entropy-sample-pack
2. https://lowentropy.bandcamp.com/album/low-entropy-sample-pack-2-doomcore-gabber-and-speedcore-bassdrums <- try that one first
3. https://lowentropy.bandcamp.com/album/123-hardcore-techno-and-gabber-drums-that-were-used-in-the-90s-sample-pack-3
4. https://lowentropy.bandcamp.com/album/47-hardcore-techno-and-gabber-drums-that-were-played-in-club-and-squat-parties-sample-pack-4
5. https://lowentropy.bandcamp.com/album/121-royalty-free-909-related-drum-samples-for-producing-techno-hardcore-and-more

They might be useful for producing Techno, Hardcore, and other genres.

And here are some example tracks that were made with the sample packs and have been released on actual labels (so you can see this is some legit stuff, and not just some baseless claims (pun intended)).

1. Rotterdam Is Everywhere https://rotjecore.bandcamp.com/track/low-entropy-rotterdam-is-everywhere
2. Acid Chant https://teknolandproduction.bandcamp.com/track/acid-chant
3. Hakken With Wolves https://doomcorerecords.bandcamp.com/track/hakken-with-wolves-short-mix
4. Gabber *** https://gabbaretrecords.bandcamp.com/track/gabber-sex-extended-edit
5. You Can't Stop Rotterdam https://rotjecore.bandcamp.com/track/low-entropy-you-cant-stop-rotterdam

My Producer's Diary: Sonic Boom Production

Recently, people commented on a claim I made: that I produced the audio material for an album with a runtime of over 60 minutes in only around 30 minutes. Is that really possible, because that means the production time is less than the length of the tracks?

And I think it's an interesting music production topic to explore.

There is a thing I call "sonic boom production", and to me, it is one of the holy grails of the music producer profession, an outstanding achievement. At least if the result is meant to be somewhat audible and meaningful.

But first, we must cross and denounce two popular myths and assumptions.

The first:
Production length is related to the length of the track or the song. But it is not defined or limited by it.
Yes, most of the time, a longer track means "more work".

But if an artist does an album, and it has the tracks:

A 3 minutes
B 4 minutes
C 5 minutes
D 8 minutes
(and so on)

This does not mean the artist *really* spent double the time on the 8 minute track, compared to the 4 minute one
It could even be that the shortest track - A
3 minute - was the most work-intense one.

The second is that music production would be hard work, or takes time, or is complicated, etc.
Yes, it is, but it also is not.
It's like any other activity, being a chef, athlete, tightrope walker, writer, whatever. It might be impossible to some people. But for those for whom it comes natural, it comes natural. And if they're initiated and they're used to it, it's more a rather simplified task, like slicing bread or dicing onions.
Yeah I know, musicians like to wear the halo of being a hard-working martyr, but the truth is that a lot of the famous hit songs you hear on the radio or the tube were conceived, created and completed in bare minutes.

So, if you consider the above facts, it's indeed possible to beat up the clock, and outrun the speed of sound by producing a track in a shorter amount of time then it takes the listener to fully appreciate it from start to finish.

Sonic Boom!

Nikaj Mix

Doomcore Records Pod Cast 097 - Nikaj - 170 to 400 BPM Mix

Nikaj returns to the Doomcore Records Pod Cast with a kickin' set.
This is oldschool and the sound of the 90s. Starts with Techno, Acid and ends in Terror+Speedcore.
Cold, metallic, Loud.

Tracklist:

*Private Productions-
Looped-VIP1033.
*2 Uninterested-I don't care(Lenny Dee mix)-Dyao001.
*Moka Dj-Hei Dieghito-HSR002.
*Hocus Pocus-Hocus Pocus(Gabberianic version)Did1284446.
*Simstim-Other Dimmensions.
*UNR-X911-Rot032.
*The Carpenter-Zagûh
-Hardstuff0009.
*Dj X.D-Flat Chesty Bitch-Hell004.
*Nosferatu-The Future-CPC08.
*Dj X.D-Uncle X-Hell004.
*Ruffneck-Sound Of The Drum & The Bass-Ruf034-5.
*Sigma 909-
MechanicaKN034-5.
*Syclo S9 ft Search & Destroy-The Masterplan-Mono014.
*Rob Gee,Buzz Fuzz & Gizmo-What The Fuck Are You Laughing At?-TP001.
*The Prophet-Pump Up The Volume-DT004.
*Moka Dj-Hard Wind-DFC207.
*Sub Space Distorters-Nova 166-DBN043.
*Zoomroom-Gabastard
-SPW002.
*Dj Choose-Slogan-DBN021.
*Manu Le Malin & The Dj Producer-Better The Devil You Know(U Ziq remix)-Scum010.
*Death Syndicate-
Adrenosceptor-Deathchant45.
*Total Output-Pulse-Hanni007.
*Auto tropp-Devose-PTH004.
*Headcrash-Blasphematik-
Test3.
*Stickhead-
Frankfurt Hools No 1.-Kotz005.
*Xylocaine-Street Sam-Fist09.
*Xylocaine-Dooms-Strike021.
*Max Death-Low Level Thugery-Tuff002.
*The Destroyer-Fuck The Dream-DB042.
*BSE Dj Team-
Disease-Kaka002.
*Bold Bob-
Bold Bass II-Kotz009.
*Passenger Of Shit-Crush Your Enemy-Global002.

https://hearthis.at/omnicore-records/doomcore-records-pod-cast-097-nikaj-170-to-400-bpm-mix/

30 years in the underground: My journey as a Hardcore and Techno producer (Part 1)

Who is Low Entropy? Who am I?

It's weird, when I get into contact with new people online, the reaction is usually either "who the **** are you?" or "omg, you are a legend, for so many years"! And it's never in between.
I guess I have achieved some kind of shadowy, liminal "fame"...

And, as I have written many bios and features about other artists, labels, projects... maybe it's time I talk about *me* for a while... and spill the beans... even though this might be a dreaded "ego" thing!

So let's go right back.

1.

I was born in the cozy metropolis of Hamburg which is located in Northern Germany in 1980.
As I got into my teens, I got into the new rave / techno wave that swept Europe as well.
Eventually, my interests became much more Hardcore, and finally, I decided to step into this underground scene as well.

It was the mid 90s, and it was kinda a turning point for the German Hardcore Techno scene (and I guess for the global one as well). Hardcore clubs closed, clubs that used to play Hardcore stopped, records stores were not interested in Hardcore records anymore... everything dried up and went bust very quickly.
The underground was still there, there were countless of fans and freaks, a lot of music was still produced... but there were fewer outlets in the "real world" for this...

Partly because of this, I decided to focus my energy elsewhere:
There was another brand spanking new thing: the internet, the information superhighway, cyberspace.
Websites, groups, communities, dedicated to Hardcore and underground music were already set up, and I joined these.
Sites like c8.com, and later the Widerstand forum, or the paranoid section (run by dr macabre), DJ Skinner's Gabber Mailing List, #gabber on efnet irc or #gabba.de on euro irc...

(yes, c8 was the official host for all the labels you can see on this menu)

Things were a bit different then. Today, online communities still exist, and they are a lot of fun... but these older sites were not just for chat, sharing favorite tracks or funny pictures.
They were a vital part of the scene, a backbone, that was used to organize and build projects, set up labels, create parties... the majority of the "major players" in the underground were an active part of these sites and groups.

For example, the "biophilia mailing list" had The Speed Freak, Somatic Responses, Christoph de Babalon, "Thaddi" from the Sonic Subjunkies, Christoph who ran Praxis Records... #gabber on efnet had The Outside Agency, Rotterdam Termination Source, Miss Bones, DJ Fishead, the Canadian Speedcore Resistance, Satronica... and lots others. There were only few users online that were not artists like that, or otherwise busy people.

It's almost as if the underground movement had "re-grouped" online now that prospects in the real world had become more grim.
And I, as a young newcomer, was somehow pulled into this maelstrom.

This very interesting part of strange music culture then got lost over time and is almost forgotten now. I guess people failed to properly achieve it, hah.

2. The Millennium came, some people thought the world would go bust, but it did not.
I realized that sitting alone in a room with a computer and being part of the cyberspace underground was fun, but was not enough.
I got a new hair cut and bought new jeans, and decided to have a try with the real world, too.

My first self-produced vinyl EP was then released on Blut Records in early 2000. I actually had some "physical" releases a bit earlier - my 800 bpm speedcore track "adrenaline junkie" was put out on the "biophilia allstars" 2x12" compilation (related to the mailing list mentioned above!), and there were tracks on tape labels ("orange socks", released by FFF), CD-Rs etc.

This Blut EP was still very much in very noisy Speedcore and Breakcore style. Also had my first "hit", Sadstep, which was meant as a joke (as it had the then popular "two step" kind of beat), but received international club (or rather, squat) play.

Later releases, like the "anarcho psychotic ep" on praxis or the self-titled widerstand album were calmer (but still noisy)... more influenced by Dark Ambient, Neue Musik, or even Goth stuff (hello Gary Numan).

Then things flipped around once more, I did the "acid massacre" EP on Black Monolith, my first Acid and Techno vinyl. Followed by "Emerald Planet", a doomed Hardcore / Techno creature.

The earlier eps had been occasionally reviewed in music mags or played in radio shows, too, but "acid massacre" was the one that really put me into the spotlight. You can still find its tracks in the playlist of old and new DJs, and I guess that's not bad for a 20+ years old record.

maybe because of this, I was also being booked at "bigger" clubs like tresor now.

3.
So let's talk about gigs. The first tresor one happened in 2003, but I had played at parties in the years before, too. Mostly organized by friends and acquaintances... the parties and opportunities slowly became bigger, and all of this felt more like being pulled by a wave than really an actively controlled journey by yours truly.
So I would suddenly stand in front of thousands of ravers in Berlin, or being lured into the Netherlands by people and crews I had never heard before (was a nice trip, though!).

Other parties I have fond memories of are "headlining" Nordcore for their santa hardcore event (with one of the most crazy after parties ever), playing on the speedcore floor of schwerin hardcore while Tanith kept the Techno crowd happy, having a 14 hour train drive to southern germany to crash at one of the hugest squat mansions i ever saw... and the recurring berlin gigs, of course.

4.

And our own parties! Because we decided that the world, and hamburg, needs more hardcore, we decided to set up our own parties as well. And "we" were the "maniac menschen" crew of hamburg locals, which included dj sampler19, bakalla, the man unknown, dj escada, plus a few other people...

The parties were a blast, but also a bit hit and miss in terms of attendance...

Sometimes only 70 "paying guests" showed up, and sometimes the basement was filled by waves of people, I guess something like 800+ during the whole of the night.
That a kind of "anarchist / communist" market and festival took place in the same area a few hours earlier might have helped us in that regard though, and might have pulled new people in.

A very surreal and strange thing, as a whole!

5.

Our crew did not just run these parties. We also set up the "hamburg hardcore radio". It was broadcast from a DIY leftwing radio station - a bit like legal pirate radio. So, this wasn't online at all, if you wanted to hear it, you needed to turn on your radio receiver at home or at work.

This show ended up becoming very popular in hamburg. and by "very popular", I don't mean that it was known to the normal population of hamburg. but it was definitely known amongst the hamburg freaks and weirdos, the people who frequent squats and underground stores and other bizarre places.

In fact a lot of people told me that listening to the show was their first introduction to hardcore techno music for them.

Eventually, we decided to put the recorded DJ mixes of the show online as well... to put things on the international sector.

Some of the artists that played in the studios of the Hamburg Hardcore Radio:

Rod Bolts
Cybermouse
Taciturne

Nihil Fist
The Speed Freak

Bakalla

Igoa

Low Entropy

Sampler 19

Betty Bombshell

DJ Gore

The Man Unknown

6.
And another community effort... the fan-zines!
Xeroxed paper fan-zines were a very, very important part of earlier subcultures, like the 70s / 80s punk and new wave movements. When I met Christoph Fringeli in Berlin he suggested I should set up one, too, so I dutifully did this, together with a bunch of friends.

The "Aurals*x" magazine was born! As I was on the forum of Dr Macabre (as mentioned above), I thought it was a good idea to interview him for one of the early issues... but we did some other stories as well, for example about parties in Berlin, and most importantly, record reviews...!

Even though it was a xeroxed paper mag, we had a good set-up and distribution in various cities in german and also other german-speaking countries (all of the mag was in german language, sorry!).
I don't know exact numbers, but I guess some of the issues had a run close to 10.000 copies... and that's not bad at all for a purely "underground" magazine!

7. so, this was my attempt at a "short bio" and an incomplete list of my activities... for those who care about things like that.

This only covers the "early years", and I might write about other stuff at a later time.

Why am I not more "famous" or well-known these days, if I was involved in "so many" different stuff that even had an impact (or at least I hope that it had) ?
Well, see the intro to this text. I am well and widely known - but only partially (at the same time). Maybe one could term this whole thing a case of "Schrödinger's fame"... :-)

Listening suggestions:

Really Into This Space Stuff

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ni567hvEG_U

Funeral Doomcore Techno (60 BPM)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ifmCjuinoI4

Hamburg Hardcore Anthem

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v7iUNHQU6Ac

Some opinions by others about me:

"If you are familiar with the hardcore underground you probably heard of Low Entropy."

"The untouchable Low Entropy"

"The actually legendary Low Entropy"

"German Hardcore legend Low Entropy"

"Low Entropy you are a legend, a myth almost"

"Low Entropy's lifelong work in the strife to perfection"

"Low Entropy is close to a house hold name, world wide known for its unforgivable beats and noise'

"while he was still producing breakcore. He was one of the best around at the
time doing So. [...]Low Entropy proved very early into his music lifespan that he
Was not a one trick pony. And like many great electronic producers, can approach
any style that interests him and still leave a unique and signature mark on it.'

"A formidably prolific techno producer and master of hardcore techno. Low
Entropy needs little introduction to most.
Developing his craft in Germany at a time when the country was becoming well
known for being at the forefront of darker and heavier techno styles. He has
been exploring the boundaries of electronic music since the mid 90s."

"Low Entropy continues to explore new possibilities while still unashamedly a
fan of the production alchemy and rebellion against preconceived notions like
the hardcore pioneers of old."

French producer Umwelt playing one of my tracks in 2020

Links:

https://lowentropyproducer.blogspot.com/
https://www.discogs.com/artist/22777-Low-Entropy
https://lowentropy.bandcamp.com/

Deadraver - In The Shade

...and now here is a new project by Deadraver: the "In The Shade" EP.
With Deadraver, you know what to expect: powerful, twisted Doomcore & Slowcore.

This one comes with a special t(h)reat:
There is also a lathe cut 7" version of this release.
Most of the copies have been given to DJs and other artists... and a few were sold.

Ultra-rare collector's item for the true doom-heads. Those who own this record know who they are.

Good luck if you are trying to find or even buy one in the future. But you know what they say... "opacity is king".

Info:

Deadraver - In The Shade

Doomcore Records 223
Doomcore Records Vinyl 001

https://doomcorerecords.bandcamp.com/album/in-the-shade

New Mainstream Pollution Videocast

Info:

Saturday the 27th of September at 19:00.
Low Entropy and Nikaj Njb will bring you a new chapter of the Mainstream Pollution Podcast.
This one will include a large variety of styles.
A videomix of Blues,New Wave,Disco,Miami bass
Electro,Electro,Turntablism
,Doomcore,Techno,Hard Techno,
Acid,Acidcore,Industrial,Breakcore,
Hiphouse,Rap,Ambient,Grindcore,Gabber,
Hardcore,Terror and many more genres.

We have no musical boundaries as long as its music that we enjoy and can relate to.

77 tracks mixed by the 2 of us.
Over 3 hours of diversity.
Tracklist.

Part 1 Low Entropy:

1. Static Radio Intro
2. Babylon Zoo - Spaceman
3. Peter Schilling - Major Tom
4. Shakespeare's Sister - Hello (Turn Your Radio On)
5. David Bowie - Space Oddities
6. F.u.s.e. - Nitedrive
7. Battlestar Galactica - 1978 TV Intro
8. Night Moves - Transdance (UK Club mix)
9. Visage - Frequency 9 (Vocal Mix)
10. Hashim - We Are Rocking The Planet
11. I-F - Space Invaders are Smoking Grass (XL Mix)
12. Umwelt - Dead City
13. War Of the Worlds - Monologue
14. Cybotron - Cosmic Cars (Enter LP Mix)
15. Cyborg Unknown - Year 2001 (Deep In Detroit - U.S. Mix)
16. Destination - The Trip
17. Zodiac Mindwarp - Wolfchild Speech
18. Oliver Chesler - Speeding Through Time
19. The Mover - Comet Swarm Rising
20. Electric Light Orchestra - Prologue
21. Genlog - Mockmoon
22. Alien Factory - Destiny
23. Nyloc - The Capricorn Ep - The 10Th Sign
24. Mescalinum United - Jupiter Union
25. 100% Acidiferous - Nu Horizons
26. Steel - Soundtrack for Sex with Aliens
27. Altered States - The Final Truth.

Part 2:
28. Santana Abraxas-Oyo como ya-CBS S 64087(1970).
29.Bombdogs 'N' Krude-Cancel The Apocalypse-SMB 09(2002).
30.Fade X-Curiosity-MMI9078(1991).
31.Mr Lee-Get busy (Chicago mix)Jive 1274-1(1989).
32.Cj Bolland-Carmague-
R&S92024(1992).
33.Bee Gees-The woman in you-RSO813269-1(1983).
34.Ancronix-Crapshoot-Ruff lm 2(2002).
35.A Simetric-?-Killit 14(1994).
36.Hamunaptra-
Knowledge of death-Enzyme023(2006).
37.Rexanthony-Technoshock six-SOB255(1996).
38.Peaky Pounder-Positivista-
T3RDM0127(2007).
39.Dj Hooligan & Dj Rob-Love Time(1994).
40.Mindustries-Instru mental Disorder.Enzyme19(2005).
41.FFM Shadow Orchestra-Killing zoo-Interzone002(1995).
42.Zongamin-Cretaceous
-Flesh02(1999).
43.EPMD-You gots to chill(Acapella)Fresh80118Y(1988).
44.Prodigy-Molotov Bitch-XLT70(1996).
45.Knife-Dekoder Paul Blackout mix-Fist31(2004).
46.Ruffneck & Nosferatu-
Shades of desperation-Enzyme033(2010)
47.Hellfish-R2-DC20(1999).
48.GHS-Columbian chaos-Trashcan017(1996).
49.P Server-Plunger-
Fischkopf007(1994).
50.Tumor-Von Himmel Hoch/Cannibal christmas/Pressurize till headburstFWR#5(1994).
51.Rioteer-The only difference-Keta004(2009).
52.Dj Isaac-Bad Dreams-Rave45th(1995).
53.Ingler-R kor markine-épitéth005(1995).
54.Kovert-Murderous Style-Damage12.003(2002).
55.Noisebuilder(Heretik)-Chaine-Plvm 2(1999).
56.Celblock X-Kolikalv-Hardstuff011(1993).
57.Overcast-Attack-Fist16(1998).
58.S37-Frontal attack posse- Chud02.
59.Geroyche-Body talk-Kougai3(2002).
60.Somatic Responses-Vaster-Six07(1998)
61.Direkt Jive-Peripheral diversion-Detund02(2006).
62.LL Cool j-Ahh let's get ill(Def450515 1(1987).
63.Bomb 20-Play da game-DHR20(1996).
64.Messiah-There is no law Joey Beltram & Program 2 mix-Kick10TR.(1991).
65.Atom X-Octav 8-Reload9417(1994).
66.Herbie Hancock meets Coldcut-Rockit-Label?(2002).
67.Dr Macabre-Poltergeist-
Pow003(1996).
68.Dj Scud & Panacea aka The Redeemer-Lonely Soldier-AmbushX04(2005).
69.Fallen Angel-The walls are alive-Ravefrontier002(2001).
70.Flx-Elocin-Cannibal Society28(2009).
71.The Stunned Guys & Darrien Kelly-Our definition of the Old Style-Trax9605(1996).
72.Chosen Few-Feel the dream-Mokum18(1994).
73.Eye D-
SlipgevaarCamo6(1999).
74.Delta 9 & Lenny Dee-Nobody likes the records that i play-AWW002(2005).
75.George Vagas-Hyperdome experience-VIP1016(2004 originally 1994 by Zombie Rec).
76.The Bug-Warrior Queen-Cat158(2004).
77.Hamunaptra-Limytz-Enzyme023(2006).

Time zone transmat:

The show takes place at 7:00 PM Hamburg / Amsterdam time.
6 PM London Time
1:00 PM New York Time
2:00 AM in Tokyo (on the next day)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T3aaU6bPqv0