Exploring Hardstyle: A Cornerstone of Dutch Dance Culture

Hardstyle is one of the most adrenaline-pumping genres in the electronic dance music scene. Defined by its pounding kicks, euphoric melodies, and raw energy, this style has forged its way into the hearts of ravers worldwide. Our latest sample pack, HARDSTYLE. RAWSTYLE. HARDCORE., dives deep into the essence of Hardstyle and beyond, offering tools for producers to craft music that resonates on dance floors and festivals across the globe. Let’s take a closer look at the history, culture, and defining characteristics of this electrifying genre.

Hardstyle emerged in the late 1990s and early 2000s, rooted in the Netherlands - a country already thriving as a hub for electronic music. Its essence can be traced to a fusion of hard trance, hardcore, and gabber - each contributing distinct elements to the genre. Gabber’s aggressive, pounding beats laid the foundation, while hard trance introduced melodic layers, creating an infectious balance between raw power and uplifting euphoria.

The rise of hardstyle coincided with the explosion of large-scale festivals in Europe, such as Defqon.1 and Qlimax, which have become synonymous with the genre, and drive the genre forward to this day. The culture surrounding hardstyle is one of unity, energy, and an unwavering passion for music. Fans of the genre embrace the music’s cathartic nature, channelling emotion through pulsating basslines and dramatic melodies.

Rawstyle, an offshoot of hardstyle, pushes the boundaries of aggression and grit. Emerging in the mid-2010s, rawstyle stripped away some of hardstyle’s melodic elements, replacing them with heavily distorted kicks, darker atmospheres, and a raw, visceral energy that appealed to fans craving an edgier sound.

With HARDSTYLE. RAWSTYLE. HARDCORE. we aim to encompass the past and present of Hardstyle providing you with a blend of classic euphoric anthems as well as more intense raw sounds synonymous with Rawstyle, while providing hints of Hardcore as a tribute to the predecessor of Hardstyle.

In the early days of Hardstyle, acts like The Prophet and Headhunterz, were pivotal in defining the hardstyle sound. The Prophet is often considered one of the "godfathers" of hardstyle, while Headhunterz brought mainstream recognition to the genre with tracks like "Dragonborn" and "Colors."

Rawstyle Trailblazers

Hardstyle is characterized by its signature distorted kicks — a pulsating, pitched kick that forms the backbone of most tracks. Melodic elements, often created using supersaws and lush pads, provide contrast to the powerful rhythm section. The genre frequently incorporates cinematic builds and breakdowns, which heighten anticipation before the drop. Rawstyle takes these elements and amplifies the aggression. Distorted kicks, industrial soundscapes, and a reduced focus on melody define this subgenre. The sound design of these genres is meticulously detailed, with producers employing advanced techniques to create kicks that punch through the mix, making it a very technically advanced genre to produce!

Creating the HARDSTYLE. RAWSTYLE. HARDCORE. sample pack required a deep understanding of these genres. We focused on capturing their defining characteristics through:

KICK DESIGN:Hardstyle kicks were meticulously crafted to achieve a balance between punch and resonance. Each kick underwent multiple layers of distortion, EQ, and transient shaping to achieve the perfect sound rich in texture and power. In order for the kicks to sound sound aggressive and raw, we incorporated layers of distortion, noise, and pitch modulation.

Creating a hardstyle kick is a meticulous process that involves layering, distortion, and precise EQ’ing to achieve the genre's signature punch and power. Start with a clean, basic synthesized kick as the foundation, then apply multiple layers of distortion to add grit and character. Each distortion stage should be carefully shaped with EQ to remove unwanted frequencies and enhance the punch. Pitch shifting and tuning your kick is essential as the Kick is the main low frequency element and drives the bassline - gradually increasing the tail’s pitch can create the iconic hardstle kick effect. Adding subtle reverb or saturation can enhance depth, while transient shaping helps maintain clarity in a dense mix. Finally, fine-tune the kick's tail to ensure it transitions smoothly into the next beat, making it sit perfectly in a hardstyle track.

MELODIC LAYERS: Hardstyle is well-known for its larger-than-life synth anthems. Creating lush supersaws, cinematic chords, and euphoric melodies were a primary focus for this release. We’ve included a range of aggressive synth leads, as well as lush Arps, and euphoric pluck loops.

Creating big supersaw leads, a staple in hardstyle, requires layering multiple detuned saw waves to achieve a rich and wide sound. Start with a high-quality virtual synthesizer like Serum, Sylenth1, or Spire. Use multiple saw oscillators, detune them slightly, and spread them across the stereo field to create a lush, wide sound. Add a low-pass filter with slight resonance to shape the tone, and automate it for movement. To enhance the power, layer an octave-up lead and a sub-layer for depth. Apply reverb and delay for spaciousness, and use EQ to carve out frequencies that might clash with the kick and bass. Finally, light compression and sidechain ensure the lead sits perfectly in the mix without overpowering other elements.

However, Hardstyle is not only about good sounddesign. Harstyle is meant to evoke emotion and you want to tell a story with your melodies. When creating anthemic synth breaks, focus on creating emotive melodies paired with powerful harmonies. Artists like Headhunterz sometimes spend more time crafting their melodies than perfecting the sounddesign. The power of these hardstyle melodies lies in their simplicty and memorability. Once you have a good melody, the supersaw leads and synth chords will take it to the next level. Create a melody with your lead synth, and layer it with chords underneath to emphasise and support the lead melody. This ensures that the listener is captured and fully engulfed in the melodic magic of your track!

PERCUSSION & FX: Alongside the kick and melodic elements, percussions and FX are a must in any hardstyle track. These elements are designed to cut through dense mixes, with sharp claps, crisp hi-hats, and powerful snares, as well as risers, impacts, and sweeps to build tension and elevate transitions.

Genres like Hardcore, Hardstyle, and Rawstyle embody freedom and catharsis. Their ability to channel raw emotion through sound is unparalleled. In the Hardstyle culture everyone is encouraged to be themselves and express their emotion to the fullest. Hardstyle is not just a musical genre, it’s a movement, and it’s an experience meant to be shared with the people around you. Euphoria, self-expression, and unity stand at the forefront of the Hardstyle scene.

For us, creating this sample pack was about capturing the power and vibrancy of these genres and giving producers the tools to tell their own stories. Whether you’re crafting euphoric festival anthems, gritty Rawstyle bangers, or blistering hardcore tracks, this pack provides a comprehensive arsenal of sounds to bring your vision to life.

Click the button below and check out the HARDSTYLE. RAWSTYLE. HARDCORE. sample pack today!