Florida breaks
Encyclopedia
Florida breaks, also referred to as Florida breakbeat, is a genre
of breakbeat
music which, as the name suggests, is most popular in the areas around the US
state of Florida
but is recognized as a unique sound around the world. Florida breaks became popular in the club culture of the southeast United States during the mid and late 90s. Its sound at that time was described as 'funky' and often included recognizable samples from 80s pop, funk, and hip hop. Its current sound has a lot in common with nu skool breaks
although it is also influenced by other music popular in the same area such as freestyle
, electro
and Miami bass
. Its largest influence was in the clubs of Tampa
as the more popular DJs in this genre hail from that city. More recently, Floridians have taken to calling the genre electro breaks despite the lack of electro characteristics included in the tracks, but this is most likely due to the parallel electronic dance music sub-genre of electro bass being billed at many of the same events as Florida breaks.
. His numerous labels and countless releases served as the pioneering sound of Florida Breaks, and he was the first to put Florida Breaks on the map globally. Later successful productions were followed by Brad Smith, Huda Hudia, & Dave London out of Tampa. It was the efforts of these first 6 artists that paved the way for other artists, who in their own right, successfully followed. They are in no order, Friction & Spice, Funk Lab, Mike & Charlie, Tony Faline, DJ Volume, Baby Anne
, Sharaz
, Rob-E and Security, DJ Marmik, Eric Berretta, Fixx, Infiniti, Malicious Mike, DJ Q, DJ 34, Dave Berg, Jackal & Hyde
, Merlin, Rick West, and countless others all of whom promoted, produced, and pioneered what is now known as "Florida Breaks."
Genre
Genre , Greek: genos, γένος) is the term for any category of literature or other forms of art or culture, e.g. music, and in general, any type of discourse, whether written or spoken, audial or visual, based on some set of stylistic criteria. Genres are formed by conventions that change over time...
of breakbeat
Breakbeat
In 1992, a new style called "jungalistic hardcore" emerged, and for many ravers it was too funky to dance to. Josh Lawford of Ravescene prophesied that the breakbeat was "the death-knell of rave" because the ever changing drumbeat patterns of breakbeat music didn't allow for the same zoned out,...
music which, as the name suggests, is most popular in the areas around the US
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
state of Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
but is recognized as a unique sound around the world. Florida breaks became popular in the club culture of the southeast United States during the mid and late 90s. Its sound at that time was described as 'funky' and often included recognizable samples from 80s pop, funk, and hip hop. Its current sound has a lot in common with nu skool breaks
Nu skool breaks
Nu skool breaks is a term used to describe a sub-genre of breakbeat. The sub-genre is usually characterized by its darker and heavier bass lines that are normally dominant throughout the track...
although it is also influenced by other music popular in the same area such as freestyle
Freestyle music
Freestyle or Latin freestyle, sometimes referred to as Latin hip hop, is a form of electronic dance music that emerged in the early 1980s. Mostly popular during the mid 80s to the early 90s...
, electro
Electro (music)
Electro is a genre of electronic dance music directly influenced by the use of TR-808 drum machines, Moog keytar synthesizers and funk sampling...
and Miami bass
Miami bass
Miami bass , is a type of hip hop music, that became popular in the 1980s and 1990s. Its roots are directly linked to the Electro-funk sound of the early 1980s, pioneered by Afrika Bambataa & The Soulsonic Force and later on by UK-based musician Paul Hardcastle...
. Its largest influence was in the clubs of Tampa
Tampa, Florida
Tampa is a city in the U.S. state of Florida. It serves as the county seat for Hillsborough County. Tampa is located on the west coast of Florida. The population of Tampa in 2010 was 335,709....
as the more popular DJs in this genre hail from that city. More recently, Floridians have taken to calling the genre electro breaks despite the lack of electro characteristics included in the tracks, but this is most likely due to the parallel electronic dance music sub-genre of electro bass being billed at many of the same events as Florida breaks.
Florida Breaks Artists
While Kimball Collins and Dave Cannalte were promoting the sounds of progressive house and trance at the legendary Ahzz, DJ Stylus & D-Xtreme are considered the pioneers since it is they who inspired and introduced countless patrons of the Abyss to the genre of Breakbeat. Brad Smith and Huda Hudia were regular guest DJ's at the Abyss as they too were promoting and playing breakbeat at residencies in Tampa. The first production in Florida Breaks can be attributed to DJ Icee or now known as DJ IceyDJ Icey
DJ Icey, , is a DJ and electronic music producer, credited by Allmusic as having helped to "jump-start the increasingly fertile dance scene in and around Orlando, FL, during the '90s". E, the Incredibly Strange History of Ecstasy credits him as "the prime founder of the Funky Breaks and the Florida...
. His numerous labels and countless releases served as the pioneering sound of Florida Breaks, and he was the first to put Florida Breaks on the map globally. Later successful productions were followed by Brad Smith, Huda Hudia, & Dave London out of Tampa. It was the efforts of these first 6 artists that paved the way for other artists, who in their own right, successfully followed. They are in no order, Friction & Spice, Funk Lab, Mike & Charlie, Tony Faline, DJ Volume, Baby Anne
DJ Baby Anne
DJ Baby Anne , who refers to herself as "The Bass Queen", is an Orlando-based DJ and producer who works with live sets and original mixes that fuse Electro with Miami Bass and funky breaks.-Discography:...
, Sharaz
DJ Sharaz
Sharaz is a DJ and electronica producer in the Bradenton, FL area who is known for many national remixes, especially in the form of Florida breaks and breakbeat. He is originally from East Chicago, but in 1986 moved to Florida to attend College...
, Rob-E and Security, DJ Marmik, Eric Berretta, Fixx, Infiniti, Malicious Mike, DJ Q, DJ 34, Dave Berg, Jackal & Hyde
Jackal & Hyde
Jackal & Hyde have been called "the purveyors of the hardcore-electro sound", a combination of electro beats, and psychotic keys.Jackal & Hyde was formed in 1998 by partners Scott Weiser , and Todd Walker in an effort to combine a harder edge sound with the dance floor sensibility of Electro,...
, Merlin, Rick West, and countless others all of whom promoted, produced, and pioneered what is now known as "Florida Breaks."