How do you define "eurobeat"?

Everything that is eurobeat can be discussed here.
Jay
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How do you define "eurobeat"?

Post by Jay » 29 Aug 2010, 11:30

At first, this may seem like a very stupid question, but hear me out. I've found that one of the most contentious topics on these forums (as well as many other places on the Internet) is how to describe the genre we all know and love. There have been fierce debates just recently as to whether certain songs fall into the category of eurobeat. 'Because I Need U' by Renoir and 'Labyrinth of Love' by Aleky are two prime examples. So, how would you define the term "eurobeat"? What kinds of music fall under this term and what kinds of music do not?

The reason I ask is because I'll be appearing on a national TV program soon, and one of the (many) topics I'll be discussing is eurobeat. Trying to conjure a somewhat short definition of the genre has turned out to be much harder than I imagined. Some would say the genre is characterised by its fast BPMs, and, indeed, some eurobeat is very fast. However, as we all know, not all eurobeat is speedy (just look at the recent 'It's All Up To You' by Cy-Ro as a counterexample). Others would say that all eurobeat tends to possess a very upbeat mood, but once again there are so many counterexamples to this (take 'Remind Me to Forget' by Madison, for instance). This is only the start. Whenever we try to assign certain adjectives or definitions to the genre, there will almost always be at least a dozen counterexamples, which raises the question: can we give a concrete definition to "eurobeat"?

What do you think?

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Post by DarkSky » 29 Aug 2010, 11:51

To be honest I think Eurobeat is all about the formula, also the way I'd like to describe it: ''Versatile''

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Post by the_ditz » 29 Aug 2010, 14:10

The only way that I can effectively define Eurobeat is by using actual samples to illustrate the different sounds. For me, even if a track comes along like "Labyrinth of Love" or "Hard To Say I'm Sorry", the important thing is that the synths and percussion used to give the song its core still scream Eurobeat to me.

Labyrinth of Love could easily have been created using Cascada-style commercial pop-trance synths, but that would make it a different genre. The key to the Eurobeat genre is the sounds that the main producers have developed over the years, and even if these sounds evolve over time (which is inevitable) and the BPMs change, the core sound remains true to the classic Eurobeat sound.

Unfortunately, I have no way of concisely defining this sound into words... :???:

Vadim
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Post by Vadim » 29 Aug 2010, 16:01

Eurobeat is a style of the 80-s disco.
Derived from now defunct Hi NRG style.
Related styles: Italo (not alive), Eurodisco (S.I.B. team in Germany), Hi NRG
(nowdays mainly used for Rickrolling..).

Sound and bpm mess is related to producers not having clear direction and
understanding of what they are supposed to make out of it in the 2000-s..

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Post by WNight » 29 Aug 2010, 16:28

Eurobeat on surface level is just another variation of dance music which also includes it's eurodance and trance cousins. It's very hard, No, Impossible to classify because the genre itself is extremely diverse yet solid in it's footing. I can't really explain this but let's take songs like Ready Forever vs Here Comes The Sun vs Flash & Love, It's like the defining qualities of eurobeat are still there but in an entirely different style. The producers of eurobeat can try to infuse all sorts of influence but at the end of the day, The core essence remains so that eurobeat won't become anything like a techno song and that is definitely one of the fascinating things of the genre itself.

The uproar Labyrinth Of Love caused is amusing really, As if eurobeat cannot be "different" sounding. I am going to guess those people probably diss off old eurobeat a.k.a Italo Disco = NOT EUROBEAT as well cos it's NOT TYPICAL.



P.S. Jay, Don't mind if I ask, What national program will you be on ? And why do you want to discuss about eurobeat anyways ?
You and me like a fire tonight
Me and you 2 guardian angels
Now I feel your touch into my heart
A ray of sun~

- Guardian Angels / Oceania

Megan188
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Post by Megan188 » 29 Aug 2010, 16:54

WNight wrote:The uproar Labyrinth Of Love caused is amusing really, As if eurobeat cannot be "different" sounding. I am going to guess those people probably diss off old eurobeat a.k.a Italo Disco = NOT EUROBEAT as well cos it's NOT TYPICAL.
Well, the main problem is that Labyrinth of Love is not "old eurobeat" or "italo disco", it's just a straight, in-your-face eurodance song. "Old styled" or whatever would be something more like Hard To Say I'm Sorry or Bright Time, and yes, there is a major difference.

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Post by WNight » 29 Aug 2010, 17:40

Megan188 wrote:Well, the main problem is that Labyrinth of Love is not "old eurobeat" or "italo disco", it's just a straight, in-your-face eurodance song. "Old styled" or whatever would be something more like Hard To Say I'm Sorry or Bright Time, and yes, there is a major difference.
There's no doubt about it that Labyrinth Of Love has that eurodance feel to it but it still fits because there still exists that eurobeat sound to it and definitely not anything like the typical song coming from acts like Baracuda or Basshunter. Like I said, Eurobeat has a lot of influence but the eurobeat sound keeps it away from being another genre.
You and me like a fire tonight
Me and you 2 guardian angels
Now I feel your touch into my heart
A ray of sun~

- Guardian Angels / Oceania

drnrg
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Post by drnrg » 29 Aug 2010, 22:06

One aspect none of you have mentioned is the vocals. Not only the Pitch, but also the tone. Most Eurobeat is sung in the aggressive fasion. Just listen to most of the start of the choruses. They are sung in the aggressive tone. Even Labyrinth Of Love starts off with an aggressive drum roll of sorts and then the line Hey! and if it doesn't reflect in the chorus, then surly you will hear it in the first note of the riff.

Eurobeat vocalists sound different than other vocalists. Even the Eurobeat vocalists know this and more TIMES try to sound like other well known Eurobeat/Hi NRG vocalists. Take for instnce Pete Burns from Dead or Alive(Huge in Japan). I remeber Mega NRG Man sounding like him in the begining. "I Can be Your Dee Jay is a perfect example Same Thing goes for Oda/Mark Astly and at TIMES Mauro Farina(Virtual Reaction) Same thing can be said for the overall melody of You Spin Me Round Like A record as HRG Attack will attest to that with half thier cataloug. While I'm on the subject of Eurobeat Vocals; I cannot leave out the Accent factor. Since the Era of Gino Caria; which goes as far back as 85, the Eurobeat vocalist has always had a strong Italian accent, which IMOP also gives Eurobeat it's character.

Then there is the soundworlds. Not only the synths, but the riffs almost always borrow some kind of Italo melody from yesteryear, just played at faster bpms. If you have been listening to Italo/Hi NRG as long as I have, You will almost always pick up on this.

Finally there is the lyrics. I heard TIME and TIME again about the rehashing and lack of imagination of Eurobeat lyrics, but the truth is 98% of Eurobeat will iether have the word Fire, Higher or Desire. You can alternate those words around and have Fight, Night and High.These are the words most rymthed with and it's an essential part of the Eurobeat lyrical structure IMOP. I mean, just think about Eurobeat's most celebrated song ever! "Night Of Fire"That's not to mention the constant Racing themes of HRG Attack or Dave Rodgers material and for some reason even before Japan struck gold with Eurobeat; words like Tokyo,Samurai, Japan, and China were also a big part of Eurobeat/Hi NRG lyrics.

I could also add the structure, but even nowadays pop music is using the Verse /Bridge/chorus repeat x 3, but what really keeps Eurobeat/Italo/Hi Energy in a world all it's own is the synth Riff section immediatly after the chorus. That you seldom find in any music genre.

Anyway Jay, I too would like to know what tv program or if there is a way I can watch. Should be very interersting to say the least.

I really don't think it has anything to do with the speed , beacause eurobeat can be fast, upbeat and aggressive , but also mellow and meloncholoy as used in Aishu beat.

The important thing is that even though it has preogreesed, it still wouldn't sound out of place in a music set with 80's Hi Energy or even some Italo.[/url]

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Post by Megan188 » 29 Aug 2010, 22:26

WNight wrote:There's no doubt about it that Labyrinth Of Love has that eurodance feel to it but it still fits because there still exists that eurobeat sound to it and definitely not anything like the typical song coming from acts like Baracuda or Basshunter. Like I said, Eurobeat has a lot of influence but the eurobeat sound keeps it away from being another genre.
Well, I guess I'll respect your opinion, but honestly, I think the only reason you would call it "eurobeat" on any level is simply because it's produced by Dima Music and is on Super Eurobeat. It's kind of a difficult inclination for the mind to avoid, to be honest. The track's production style doesn't have a prominent offbeat basline, an authentic synth hook, or a percussion structure that resembles eurobeat at all. You can at least say that songs like Bright Time or some of Nuage's earlier tracks have all of these. Also, I wouldn't compare Labyrinth of Love to a more electro group like Basshunter; rather, I'd say the song sounds a lot more like something Hit'N'Hide or Solid Base would perform. If you put it all into perspective, the song really isn't anymore "eurobeat" than anything by those aforementioned groups.

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Post by drnrg » 30 Aug 2010, 22:55

Megan188
Well, I guess I'll respect your opinion, but honestly, I think the only reason you would call it "eurobeat" on any level is simply because it's produced by Dima Music and is on Super Eurobeat. It's kind of a difficult inclination for the mind to avoid, to be honest. The track's production style doesn't have a prominent offbeat basline, an authentic synth hook, or a percussion structure that resembles eurobeat at all. You can at least say that songs like Bright Time or some of Nuage's earlier tracks have all of these. Also, I wouldn't compare Labyrinth of Love to a more electro group like Basshunter; rather, I'd say the song sounds a lot more like something Hit'N'Hide or Solid Base would perform. If you put it all into perspective, the song really isn't anymore "eurobeat" than anything by those aforementioned groups.
I'm rerally going to have to agree with Meagan on this one. Though I kinda dig the song, I would have to go even further and say that it's even more dance Pop sounding than Eurodance. Think The current Lady Gaga songs. I still think Labyrinth of Love uses the aggressive aproach in the chorus too much to be concidered Eurodance. I remeber songs from Haddaway and C.O.R.O.N.A where the vocal tone remains exactly the same during the verses bridge and chorus. No build up at all; thus causing a very boring effect. Something Labyrinth Of Love does not have. The original mix of "In My Arms" - Kate project ; now that's Eurodance.

Anyway on a Eurobeat scale of 1-10 I'd have to give Aleky a 4+, but on an overall production, I still think it's damn good.

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Post by DarkSky » 30 Aug 2010, 23:53

I still don't see your point people.. if you like the track, and you're nagging about it not being a eurobeat song. What are you complaining about then? You like the song? Yea good! If you like it.. why would you complain about anything else that has to do with the track. If this didn't appear on a SEB album but on a eurodance album you probably never heard it. So be happy that eurobeat is so versatile and has so many different styles.

Why does there have to be a description of Eurobeat?, the genre is so versatile that's simply impossible.

Eurobeat is eurobeat when it appears on the SEB albums in a Eurobeat slot (so not the bonus track slot). Avex is the one who decides what Eurobeat is at the moment, because I think it's the only active company which releases Eurobeat (am I correct) ?

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Post by WNight » 31 Aug 2010, 02:49

Megan188 wrote:Well, I guess I'll respect your opinion, but honestly, I think the only reason you would call it "eurobeat" on any level is simply because it's produced by Dima Music and is on Super Eurobeat. It's kind of a difficult inclination for the mind to avoid, to be honest.
Yes really but not really. I tend to put all trust in producers and 7A to know what they're doing for the SEB.
Megan188 wrote:The track's production style doesn't have a prominent offbeat basline, an authentic synth hook, or a percussion structure that resembles eurobeat at all. You can at least say that songs like Bright Time or some of Nuage's earlier tracks have all of these. Also, I wouldn't compare Labyrinth of Love to a more electro group like Basshunter; rather, I'd say the song sounds a lot more like something Hit'N'Hide or Solid Base would perform. If you put it all into perspective, the song really isn't anymore "eurobeat" than anything by those aforementioned groups.
I get what you mean here so tell me then, How would you describe eurobeat ? No offence here but if the words in red are the way you would attempt to describe eurobeat to most people (outside of being seasoned veterans to the genre) whom I dare say, Are clueless about what the heck is it all about, (E.G. National televsion or new people) Then seriously, God help them all (And eurobeat too).

LoL wise, Personal opinion : It's a very eurodancy eurobeat, Not in your face eurodance.
DarkSky wrote:I still don't see your point people.. if you like the track, and you're nagging about it not being a eurobeat song. What are you complaining about then? You like the song? Yea good! If you like it.. why would you complain about anything else that has to do with the track. If this didn't appear on a SEB album but on a eurodance album you probably never heard it. So be happy that eurobeat is so versatile and has so many different styles.

Why does there have to be a description of Eurobeat?, the genre is so versatile that's simply impossible.

Eurobeat is eurobeat when it appears on the SEB albums in a Eurobeat slot (so not the bonus track slot). Avex is the one who decides what Eurobeat is at the moment, because I think it's the only active company which releases Eurobeat (am I correct) ?
My sentiments exactly. The word "versatile" is eurobeat's weak and strong point but none can argue that it's probably the most friendly and accurate way to describe the genre in general.
You and me like a fire tonight
Me and you 2 guardian angels
Now I feel your touch into my heart
A ray of sun~

- Guardian Angels / Oceania

Megan188
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Post by Megan188 » 31 Aug 2010, 05:36

WNight wrote:I get what you mean here so tell me then, How would you describe eurobeat ? No offence here but if the words in red are the way you would attempt to describe eurobeat to most people (outside of being seasoned veterans to the genre) whom I dare say, Are clueless about what the heck is it all about, (E.G. National televsion or new people) Then seriously, God help them all (And eurobeat too).
I was really just trynig to distinguish the fundamental parts that form a general "eurobeat" song from a "eurodance" one. In a eurobeat song, the percussion usually follows a very straight forward pattern of beat-hat-beat-hat-beat-hat... with some occasional "hits", and the offbeat usually has some sort of bassline that follows the present chord during the song. In a typical eurodance song, such as Labyrinth of Love, on the other hand, there is no such "offbeat bassline", and the percussion structure is a lot more complex, comprised often of a "clap" sound every other whole beat and a much weaker emphasis on the offbeat in general. Song structure is also usually different, not necessarily being comprised of a "synth hook".

I'm sorry if this is all just a little too complicated to understand, but basically, the overall musical feel I get from Labyrinth of Love does not make me think eurobeat at all so much as it makes me think eurodance. Granted, eurobeat and eurodance aren't horribly different genres, so I can see why you would have trouble distinguishing between songs of both genres, but in the case of Labyrinth of Love, I just can't hear, in anyway, how it's so distinctively eurobeat in such a way that deviates it from any normal eurodance track.

In short, my main question to you - can you name any songs (SEB or not) that particularly represent a eurodance context and not a eurobeat one at all?

Also, in response to DarkSky's point, I agree that any genre should have a lot of liberty in how it's presented. If all eurobeat songs sounded the same, then it probably wouldn't really have very much longlasting appeal (although I can personally still really enjoy a "generic" eurobeat track so long as it's good). The problem in this case is that if it has too much freedom, it will entirely overlap with other musical genres and ultimately become impossible to distinguish. If Labyrinth of Love is considered to be a eurobeat song, then so should Barbie Girl, Boom Boom Boom Boom, or anything else in the eurodance genre.

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Post by jeurobeat » 31 Aug 2010, 07:30

WNight wrote:My sentiments exactly. The word "versatile" is eurobeat's weak and strong point but none can argue that it's probably the most friendly and accurate way to describe the genre in general.
I think that if you say eurobeat is versatile to someone who never heard eurobeat before and then play a couple of songs, the person would have a hard time to believe that it is not one just song you're playing. Granted, I hear the differences in style as well as you do, but people who listen to other music tend to think that all eurobeat sounds the same.

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Post by DarkSky » 31 Aug 2010, 10:38

jeurobeat wrote:
WNight wrote:My sentiments exactly. The word "versatile" is eurobeat's weak and strong point but none can argue that it's probably the most friendly and accurate way to describe the genre in general.
I think that if you say eurobeat is versatile to someone who never heard eurobeat before and then play a couple of songs, the person would have a hard time to believe that it is not one just song you're playing. Granted, I hear the differences in style as well as you do, but people who listen to other music tend to think that all eurobeat sounds the same.
And that´s also true, my parents also say; every eurobeat track sounds the same. But because we listen it so much we can tell the difference.

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