I first heard about breaks (or nuskool) as a genre in about 2002, at about the same time I got a tax refund and realised I could finally afford my first pair of decks. Although, it's quite clear that I loved breaks music a long time before I was bothered about what it was called.
At the time, it has to be said, breaks was being championed as the next big thing. Over the next few years, the shops were rammed with records, the review sections and charts in dance publications were growing and it seemed like everyone in the industry had great things to say about the genre.
Rather inevitably, the hype began to dissipate and breaks sank back to the underground without ever breaking the surface. This always surprised me, as breaks seemed to be so diverse and inclusive of elements from other genres. But, in hindsight, perhaps that diversity was its downfall.
It seems fair to say that the breaks fraternity has often struggled to come to terms with precisely what breaks is.
Or what isn't breaks.
And it all seems to centre around a simple beat pattern.
Of course, rather than trying to pin down exactly what makes music 'breaks', it would make a great deal more sense to showcase the music and allow it to be heard. Hopefully, this will allow people who know about breaks to find new artists or tracks to investigate, whilst spreading the sound to people who don't.
At heart, breaks is just great music, with an incredible diversity that can fit most situations.
Breaks has something for everyone and everybody loves breaks.
They just don't know it yet...
At the time, it has to be said, breaks was being championed as the next big thing. Over the next few years, the shops were rammed with records, the review sections and charts in dance publications were growing and it seemed like everyone in the industry had great things to say about the genre.
Rather inevitably, the hype began to dissipate and breaks sank back to the underground without ever breaking the surface. This always surprised me, as breaks seemed to be so diverse and inclusive of elements from other genres. But, in hindsight, perhaps that diversity was its downfall.
It seems fair to say that the breaks fraternity has often struggled to come to terms with precisely what breaks is.
Or what isn't breaks.
And it all seems to centre around a simple beat pattern.
Of course, rather than trying to pin down exactly what makes music 'breaks', it would make a great deal more sense to showcase the music and allow it to be heard. Hopefully, this will allow people who know about breaks to find new artists or tracks to investigate, whilst spreading the sound to people who don't.
At heart, breaks is just great music, with an incredible diversity that can fit most situations.
Breaks has something for everyone and everybody loves breaks.
They just don't know it yet...
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