New School Breaks / Nu Skool Breaks - What is it?

lj · May 9th 2009, 3:00pm

Maybe one of the New Schoolers can educate me ...
A lot tracks on the Street Sounds CD seem more like "breaks" than "electro" tracks, but I couldn't pinpoint any characteristics - it's just the atmosphere/vibe of the songs.

What's the definition of Nu Skool Breaks, where are the differences to new school electro, what are some of its characteristics, etc. ?

drschmidt · May 9th 2009, 3:08pm

NuSkool Breaks, as they were made between 1996-2004 have lots of similarities to electro but alos capture many elements of D&B. There was often mockery about the genre saying that it's just slowed down D&B. I think it's a grey area. But I'd say, non of the tracks on the album sound like classical NuSkool Breaks, like e.g. early stuff from Marine Parade, Botchit&Scarper, TCR..........

lj · May 9th 2009, 4:18pm

hmmm, i think it's more of a "breaks" influence than a fully fledged "breaks" sound.

let me try to explain: the beats seem to be a lot more straightforward (as opposed to the playful beats of the electro i know) and there seems to be little or none variation: it's mostly one beat that runs throughout the whole song. whereas the electro i know either has something like a verse/chorus stucture or at least some variations / bridges / interludes in the beat.
would you agree?

drschmidt · May 9th 2009, 6:40pm

That'd be techno influences for me. NuSkool Breaks was famous for its versatile use of beats. Lots of the Nu Electro is inspired e.g. by Anthony Rother who has relentlessly grooving but rather monotonous beats. And his background definitely is techno and Kraftwerk......

Cheers Andreas

lj · May 10th 2009, 12:30pm

makes sense to me!

defelectrobeatsv3 · May 10th 2009, 6:29pm

(as much as i like) breakbeat, i think the difference lies in substance. theres so much more to (true) electro.

drschmidt · May 10th 2009, 7:13pm

Well, the real NuSkool stuff has just as much substance as electro. The problem that the genre got one dimensional, self referencing and watered down in the recent years.....

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