The devolution of techno to its rawest elements under the influence of DIY DJs from England and Belgium--high speed breakbeats and vocal samples.

1988

The UK's much-hyped "Summer Of Love": ecstacy, 2,000 people at concerts in out-of-the-way spots...rave culture sees its early start. The music, a mix of house, techno and Euro sounds, becomes a lifestyle.

1991

T-99's "Anasthasia", widely identified as a true "rave" track, is the watershed record that changes the British techno landscape. * BPMs soar and techno embraces an even more industrial sound as the music becomes harder and faster then ever. New techno labels and artists abound. * In LA, expatriate Brits establish a strong local rave scene, attracting thousands to concerts featuring performances by Quadrophonia, The Orb, 808 State...spreading the word.

1992

The rave-hardcore scene has developed to such a degree that it seems to bear no allegiance to the house sound that spawned it. * Major labels jump on the rave band wagon, pulling out the big dollar contracts. * Created as a "joke" by 19-year-olds Maurice Steenbergen and Denny Scholte under the guise of Rotterdam Termination Source, the bouncing-style stutter-house anthem, "Poing", becomes the largest selling house record ever in Holland and takes off in the underground worldwide. * Strictly Hype Records does just that, as kiddie rave Alpha's "Go Speed Go" sells huge numbers in Europe with heavy mainstream radio play. * Although the sound has always been about, TRIBAL establishes a base with releases from Italy's Global House on Heartbeat, Kwanzaa Posse on Flying, and the DFC. Arguably, the roots of this genre sprout from plush, ambient projects released by David Morley on the R&S spin-off label, Apollo. Primitive rhythmic "tribal" sounds are the key.

1993

Let the licensing begin: frenzied signings of Euro-hardcore, speedbeat and techno-trance sounds. * Jeff K of The Edge, "ringmaster" in epicenter of the US hardcore scene, Dallas, Texas, declares hardcore dead. Indeed, it was! * Tribal settles into San Francisco as DJ EFX and DJ Digit are cajoled by "the majors" to pump up the heat with remixes. * C&S/MicMac plucks Germany's Adam & Eve catalog. Could this possibly the summer of North American mega-rave?* The 303 sound returns to the scene, finding its way onto many tracks, from hardcore techno to sweaty Sound Factory dubs (see "Yo-Yo Honey"). * In Holland, DJax licenses and remixes many of Chicago's classic acid cuts from the likes of K. Alexi and Armando. * In Germany, PDC, "distributors of the unknown", feed the intense indie label German acid scene. * In the UK, acid remains limp in the South, but, spearheaded by the sound of Edinburgh's Ege Bam Yasi, looms strong in the north. * JUNGLE emerges into the underground spotlight, a new style of hardcore emphasizing the breakbeat and using the raw sound of reggae drum & bass as its foundation. See labels like Ibiza and Kickin'.

1994