Nu skool breaks (or nu breaks as it is sometimes referred) is a subgenre of

breakbeat Breakbeat is a broad type of electronic music that tends to use drum breaks sampled from early recordings of funk, jazz, and R&B. Breakbeats have been used in styles such as hip hop, jungle, drum and bass, big beat, breakbeat hardcore, and UK ...

originating during the period between 1998 and 2002. The style is usually characterized by more abstract, more technical sounds, sometimes incorporated from other genres of electronic dance music, including

UK garage UK garage, abbreviated as UKG, is a genre of electronic dance music which originated in England in the early to mid-1990s. The genre was most clearly inspired by garage house, but also incorporates elements from dance-pop, R&B, and jungle. It ...

, electro, and

drum and bass Drum and bass (also written as drum & bass or drum'n'bass and commonly abbreviated as D&B, DnB, or D'n'B) is a genre of electronic dance music characterized by fast breakbeats (typically 165–185 beats per minute) with heavy bass and sub-ba ...

. Typically, tracks ranged between 125 and 140

beats per minute Beat, beats or beating may refer to: Common uses * Patrol, or beat, a group of personnel assigned to monitor a specific area ** Beat (police), the territory that a police officer patrols ** Gay beat, an area frequented by gay men * Battery ( ...

(bpm), often featuring a dominant bass line. In contrast with

big beat Big beat is an electronic music genre that usually uses heavy breakbeats and synthesizer-generated loops and patterns – common to acid house/techno. The term has been used by the British music industry to describe music by artists such as ...

, another subgenre of

, the sound set consisted less of hip hop samples and

acid In computer science, ACID ( atomicity, consistency, isolation, durability) is a set of properties of database transactions intended to guarantee data validity despite errors, power failures, and other mishaps. In the context of databases, a sequ ...

-type sounds, instead emphasizing dance-friendliness and "new" sounds produced by modern production techniques using

synthesizer A synthesizer (also spelled synthesiser) is an electronic musical instrument that generates audio signals. Synthesizers typically create sounds by generating waveforms through methods including subtractive synthesis, additive synthesis and ...

effect processors An effects unit or effects pedal is an electronic device that alters the sound of a musical instrument or other audio source through audio signal processing. Common effects include distortion/overdrive, often used with electric guitar in el ...

, and

computers A computer is a machine that can be programmed to carry out sequences of arithmetic or logical operations (computation) automatically. Modern digital electronic computers can perform generic sets of operations known as programs. These programs ...

Origins

The term "nu skool breaks" is widely attributed to

Rennie Pilgrem Rennie Pilgrem is an English electronic music producer. He is often considered responsible for the creation of the nu skool breaks genre. Before moving into breaks, Pilgrem was part of the influential rave group Rhythm Section along with Richie ...

and

Adam Freeland Adam Freeland (born 7 August 1973) is an English record producer and DJ. He is also the owner and creative director of the record label Marine Parade, which has released material by artists including Evil Nine, ILS, Alex Metric and Jape. Born ...

, who used it to describe the sound at their night Friction, which was launched at Bar Rumba in 1996, with promoter Ian Williams. The tracks "Renegades" by Uptown Connection and "Double Impact" by Boundarie Hunters are considered to be the earliest produced to formally adopt the genre. In 1998, the term "Nu Skool Breaks" was used on two compilations, ''Nu Skool Breakz, Volume 1 and 2'', mixed by Rennie Pilgrem and released through UK-based

Kickin Records Kickin Records is an independent record label founded by Peter Harris (who died in 2008) in 1988.Ben CardeKickin Records founder and independent champion Peter Harris has died.January 9, 2008 Music Week The record label released music by artists ...

. The first volume of these was recorded live at the aforementioned London club night Friction. Labels that featured early Nu Skool Breaks releases included Botchit & Scarper, Fuel Records (UK), Hard Hands,

Marine Parade Records Marine Parade is an independent record label set up and owned by the electronic music DJ and producer Adam Freeland in 1998. Details The name of the label originates from the street on which Freeland used to live in his hometown of Brighton ...

, TCR, and Ultimatum Breaks.

Artists

* Aquasky * BLIM *

Dylan Rhymes Dylan may refer to: Arts and entertainment * Bob Dylan (born 1941), American singer and songwriter ** ''Dylan'' (1973 album), a 1973 album by Bob Dylan ** ''Dylan'' (2007 album), a 2007 compilation album by Bob Dylan * Dylan (musician), profess ...

* Buckfunk 3000 *

Evil Nine Evil Nine are an English electronic music duo comprising members Tom Beaufoy and Patrick Pardy. Their musical style is primarily classified as breakbeat, although it additionally encompasses other influences. Biography The duo first came t ...

Freq Nasty Darin McFadyen, better known by his stage name FreQ Nasty, is a DJ and producer of breakbeat electronic music, currently based in Los Angeles, California, United States. Originally from New Zealand, McFadyen's artistic career has taken him acros ...

General Midi General MIDI (also known as GM or GM 1) is a standardized specification for electronic musical instruments that respond to MIDI messages. GM was developed by the American MIDI Manufacturers Association (MMA) and the Japan MIDI Standards Committ ...

* Hexadecimal *

Hybrid Hybrid may refer to: Science * Hybrid (biology), an offspring resulting from cross-breeding ** Hybrid grape, grape varieties produced by cross-breeding two ''Vitis'' species ** Hybridity, the property of a hybrid plant which is a union of two dif ...

* Hyper * Ils *

Koma and Bones Koma may refer to: People * Koma clan, a Japanese clan descended from the royal family of Goguryeo * Koma (rapper), French rapper of Algerian origin * David Koma, Georgian fashion designer based in London * Gaolese Kent Koma (1918-2006), Bots ...

* Lee Coombs *

Meat Katie Mark Pember, also known as Meat Katie, is an English electronic musician. He creates music making hybrid sounds by combining several genres of music; tech-funk, techno Techno is a Music genre, genre of electronic dance music (EDM) which is g ...

Plump DJs Plump DJs are an English dance music duo consisting of Lee Rous and Andy Gardner, considered to be early pioneers of the breakbeat genre in late 1990s. Throughout the 2000s, they have been very prolific creatively, releasing many celebrated und ...

Stanton Warriors Stanton Warriors are a British DJ and production duo consisting of Dominic Butler and Mark Yardley. Originally from the West Country, the duo have performed internationally with their infamous Stanton Sessions parties in Europe, North Americ ...

* Tipper

References

External links

the international breakbeat awards

NSB radio

Nuskoolbreaks.co.uk Forum and industry promotion

Nubreaks.com online radio and community

Future Funk Squad won "Album of the Year" at Breakspoil Awards 2015

New generation of nu skool breaks - The Sables and Future Funk Squad "Right Time Is Now" {{Breakbeat-footer Breakbeat genres English styles of music