Hardstyle

Hardstyle emerged in the late 1990s in the Netherlands, when DJs discovered that cranking up the bass and adding a dash of synths could summon an inner raver even in the most understated types. Characterised by its pounding kicks, uplifting melodies, and the odd dramatic drop, it sounds like a dance floor on the brink of chaos, all while being serenaded by a choir of enthusiastic festival-goers. If nothing else, it has proved that there's a fine line between musical ecstasy and a mild headache, depending on your tolerance for bass vibrations.