Schranz
Encyclopedia
Schranz (ˈʃʁants) is a European style of music derived from techno. It originated in Germany
.
-based DJ Chris Liebing
and The Advent
described a certain type of techno while searching for records at the now closed "Boy Records" store. The next time he visited the shop, the owner had a selection of harder techno records filed under Schranz. "For me personally, since that day in 1994, Schranz is a description for various dark and distorted sounds in techno", Liebing said in 2002.
To this day, speculation remains about the meaning of the word Schranz within the techno scene. Many believe it to simply imitate the sound of a crunchy low fidelity (lo-fi) percussion loop. For example, schranzen means to eat loudly and voraciously in German
(and Dutch
) slang and it is also a surname found predominantly in Austria. Meaningful speculations indicate that it was meant as a contraction of the two German nouns Schrei (scream) and Tanz (dance), i.e., Schr-anz.
style inspired by Detroit Techno
with reduced melodic elements. Schranz often features just single synth stabs or atmospheric sweeps with an emphasis on percussion. A trademark of this style are heavily compressed and filtered loops, combined with Roland 909 kick drums, snares, and high hats. A prime example of this are Chris Liebing's records The real Schranz 1-3 and the Stigmata series by André Walter.
sub-genres in 2002. In its infancy (1999–2001), the genre was prominently represented by, e.g., Carl Cox
. When it was popularized, modern Schranz artists such as Chris Liebing
and Adam Beyer
became its most well known producers. The music is set at a tempo which usually is between about 130 and 170 BPM.
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
.
Etymology
The term emerged in 1994 when FrankfurtFrankfurt
Frankfurt am Main , commonly known simply as Frankfurt, is the largest city in the German state of Hesse and the fifth-largest city in Germany, with a 2010 population of 688,249. The urban area had an estimated population of 2,300,000 in 2010...
-based DJ Chris Liebing
Chris Liebing
Chris Liebing is dj, producer, radio host of a weekly show and the driving force behind the labels CLR and Spinclub Recordings. His sound has continuously evolved during his dj career, always true to his Techno roots. He was one of the first djs that used the new possibilities in the course of the...
and The Advent
The Advent
The Advent is a British electronic music act. It was originally founded in 1993 by Cisco Ferreira and Colin McBean. Soon after leaving school, Ferreira began working as an engineer at Jack Trax Records, a job which enabled him to glimpse first-hand the work of such artists as Derrick May and...
described a certain type of techno while searching for records at the now closed "Boy Records" store. The next time he visited the shop, the owner had a selection of harder techno records filed under Schranz. "For me personally, since that day in 1994, Schranz is a description for various dark and distorted sounds in techno", Liebing said in 2002.
To this day, speculation remains about the meaning of the word Schranz within the techno scene. Many believe it to simply imitate the sound of a crunchy low fidelity (lo-fi) percussion loop. For example, schranzen means to eat loudly and voraciously in German
German language
German is a West Germanic language, related to and classified alongside English and Dutch. With an estimated 90 – 98 million native speakers, German is one of the world's major languages and is the most widely-spoken first language in the European Union....
(and Dutch
Dutch language
Dutch is a West Germanic language and the native language of the majority of the population of the Netherlands, Belgium, and Suriname, the three member states of the Dutch Language Union. Most speakers live in the European Union, where it is a first language for about 23 million and a second...
) slang and it is also a surname found predominantly in Austria. Meaningful speculations indicate that it was meant as a contraction of the two German nouns Schrei (scream) and Tanz (dance), i.e., Schr-anz.
Characteristic
The original Schranz sound is a harder, uptempo (about 150 BPM) TechnoTechno
Techno is a form of electronic dance music that emerged in Detroit, Michigan in the United States during the mid to late 1980s. The first recorded use of the word techno, in reference to a genre of music, was in 1988...
style inspired by Detroit Techno
Detroit techno
Detroit techno is an early style of electronic music beginning in the 1980s. Detroit, Michigan has been cited as the birthplace of techno music. Prominent Detroit Techno artists include Juan Atkins, Derrick May, and Kevin Saunderson...
with reduced melodic elements. Schranz often features just single synth stabs or atmospheric sweeps with an emphasis on percussion. A trademark of this style are heavily compressed and filtered loops, combined with Roland 909 kick drums, snares, and high hats. A prime example of this are Chris Liebing's records The real Schranz 1-3 and the Stigmata series by André Walter.
Current trends
Starting as a simple hard-techno sub-genre in 1998, Schranz evolved into a blend of hard and minimal technoMinimal techno
Minimal techno is a minimalist sub-genre of techno. It is characterized by a stripped-down aesthetic that exploits the use of repetition, and understated development. This style of dance music production generally adheres to the motto less is more; a principle that has been previously utilized, to...
sub-genres in 2002. In its infancy (1999–2001), the genre was prominently represented by, e.g., Carl Cox
Carl Cox
Carl Cox is a British techno and house music DJ.-Biography:Cox grew up in Oldham, Lancashire, before attending Glastonbury High Boys secondary modern school on Glastonbury Road in Morden. Cox began his career as a hardcore and rave DJ in the mid 1980s...
. When it was popularized, modern Schranz artists such as Chris Liebing
Chris Liebing
Chris Liebing is dj, producer, radio host of a weekly show and the driving force behind the labels CLR and Spinclub Recordings. His sound has continuously evolved during his dj career, always true to his Techno roots. He was one of the first djs that used the new possibilities in the course of the...
and Adam Beyer
Adam Beyer
Adam Beyer is a Swedish techno producer and DJ. He is the founder of Drumcode Records, Truesoul Records, Code Red and Mad Eye Recordings...
became its most well known producers. The music is set at a tempo which usually is between about 130 and 170 BPM.
External links
- Techn0.eu - Techno portal dedicated to electronic music community, including DJs, producers, artists, promoters, organizations and fans.
- Bluezone Corporation - Hard Techno & Schranz Audio Samples.
- Global Hardtechno International Hardtechno & Schranz Community
- Hardtechno.lt
- USB - The Hardtechno Family
- TECHNOMOSHPIT - Hard-Techno, Schranz, & Industrial Hardcore Label