| House | |
| Stylistic origins | Disco • Funk • Soul • Synthpop • Electro |
|---|---|
| Cultural origins | Late 1970s • early 1980s, Chicago, United States |
| Musical instruments | Sampler • Drum machine • Synthesizer • Sequencer |
| Popularity | Worldwide popularity |
| Derivative forms | Rave • Garage |
| Subgenres | |
| Acid house • Balearic beat • Dark house • Diva house • Microhouse • Progressive house • Electro house • Dream house • Tribal house • Disco house • Vocal house • Hardbag • Grind house | |
| Fusion genres | |
| Ambient house • Deep house • French house • Funky house • Ghetto house • Hip house • Latin house • Tech house • Skacid | |
| Regional scenes | |
| Chicago house • Italo house • UK Hard house | |
| Related topics | |
| Notable artists and DJs • Styles of house music | |
Hardbag was a genre of electronic dance music popular in the mid 1990s. Having evolved out of the handbag house scene in 1993-1994, the genre enjoyed massive, albeit brief, popularity, with several hardbag releases achieving positions in the upper echelons of the UK chart. It was at the time sometimes confused with Nu-NRG yet the styles were discernibly different.
Don't You Want Me by Felix is largely considered to be the track that launched the hardbag explosion. Produced by Rollo Armstrong of Faithless, Red Jerry and Felix, "Don't You Want Me" was released in 1992, scoring a Top 10 placing on the UK singles chart.
The popularity of the hardbag genre reached its zenith in 1995 with releases by Candy Girls, Rollo & Sister Bliss and Mrs Wood all crossing over into the mainstream. Indeed, the sound began to meld with happy hardcore, evident on tracks such as Forever young by Interactive and Rainbow islands - Seb.
The two most influential exponents of the sound were Dutch producer Patrick Prins (who, recording a variety of aliases, scored several large UK club and chart hits such as "Bits + pieces" - Artemesia) and the late Tony De Vit, whose hardbag composition Burning Up is still considered one of the definitive examples of the genre. Another great presence in the hardbag scene was Red Jerry, former head of Hooj Choons. Other influential producers include Sister Bliss and Paul Masterson, the latter of whom diversified hardbag remixes to incorporate hi-nrg elements
By early 1997 the hardbag craze had died down, and the sound began involving into what was to eventually become UK hard house. Labels such as Tripoli Trax expounded this sound via releases such as Bells of revolution by Lemon 8 and Raise your hands by Knuckleheadz
The following releases are considered classic examples of the genre:
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