Twisted Nu Skool Preview – An Idiots Guide to Freeform
Reported by Dizzy Lizzie
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Submitted 03-06-04 12:06
The Nu Energy Collective live show has been whipping London’s harder dancefloors into sticky frenzies since January 2003. A shining point of diversity in the mind-numbingly pointless hard house/trance debate, the Collective’s effervescent, dynamic, cross-genre stage shows leave bemused and beaming clubbers looking a little like they’ve been abducted by aliens, probed with an orgasmatron, and beamed back to Earth to find a winning lottery ticket stuck to the sole of their shoe.
The Nu Energy Collective at work
The live show draws on the Nu Energy Collective’s stable of labels, where hardcore meets hard house meets breaks meets trance meets pretty much anything that rocks the party. The freeform sound has been developing since the trancecore days of the late 90s. However, it only really impacted on London when Kevin Energy and his bonkers band of DJs, producers and dancers strengthened London connections with promotions like Logic and Pendragon.
The success of the live show was so instant and obvious that London promoters fell over themselves to book the Collective and associated artists, and the freeform genre quickly became an integral part of the scene. Clubbers who had dismissed all forms of hardcore as utter cheese slowly realised that favourite DJs like Daniel Ro, Tin Tin, *Ting*, Andy Vinal and Matt Style had incorporated the sound into their sets for yonks.
But despite freeform assimilating nicely into the weekend’s shenanigans, most of us don’t actually have the foggiest what we’re having it to. As the Nu Energy Collective return their spiritual London home, the Fridge, to headline Twisted Nu School this weekend, clue up with HarderFaster’s Idiot’s Guide to Freeform:
The Collective's Kevin Energy
Genesis 1:1 In the beginning when God created the raves and the lasers, 2 the scene was a freeformless void and bass shook the speakers of the warehouses, while a whiff of Vicks from the chemist swept over the face of the ravers. 3 In 1992 God said, "Let there be hardcore"; and there was hardcore. 4 In ’93, God saw that the hardcore was good; and God separated the light from the darkness 5 God called the light happy hardcore, and the darkness he called drum ‘n’ bass.
And so it began.
Once early hardcore had mutated into two factions and the drum ‘n’ bass side disappeared off on a ragga tip, the hardcore side really went for it on the pianos, chipmunk vocals and general cheeziness that many people wrongly think is what hardcore is all about.
As early as 1996 – 97, producers like Billy ‘Daniel’ Bunter, Helix and Tekno Dred got sick of too much cheese, and started to bring a trancier element into their music. They called it trancecore, and lots of the happy hardcore lot were not best pleased at the new direction. In 1998, scene legends like Sharkey, Kevin Energy, Fury, Druid, Ramos, Marc Smith really start to come into their own, adding a tougher new hardcore twist to tracks.
The Green Man performs in front of the Nu Energy Collective (photo thanks to pink kitty)
By 1999 - 2000, it became obvious that the trance scene was a little wary of the ‘trancecore’ tag, and, as the tunes were now far more than just trancy hardcore, the name freeform was taken on the better describe the sound – a crossover of the harder end of hard house and trance, and ravier, more hardcore stuff. The Nu Energy Collective was set up with labels reflecting the freeform sound, incorporating the productions of artists like K Komplex, AMS and Eclipse. The DJs and producers involved soon found themselves jetting off to Australia, Japan, America, Finland and Canada to satisfy the growing fan bases there as the sound spread around the globe.
Freeform is a truly polymusical dance genre, breaking the energy, emotion, fun and fury of several musical styles into a bowl, and whisking them up into an irrepressible force. The wide-ranging influences of freeform make it possible for the sound to transcend the dreary perceived boundaries in dance, as Nu Energy founder Kevin Energy explains.
‘We can make the live show appeal to all types of clubbers, and tailor it to suit the promotion. The set is hand-picked for each event, so you’re always going to hear new music even if you saw the Collective somewhere else a week before’.
Freeform has its detractors, usually in the form of purists; committed hardcore ravers, heads-down hard housers and wavey-armed trance snobs, who aren’t into the mix of styles and in-yer-face energy. But those who are up for a little sonic adventure and a good hard bop will be treated to a musical roller-coaster ride they won’t forget in a hurry!
If you still haven’t popped your free form cherry, The Nu Energy Collective perform live at Twisted Nu School this Saturday night at the Fridge.
The Twisted Nu Skool are the brightest stars in extreme dance today. They’re a collection of clubland’s hottest young DJs and producers taking hold of the future of dance music. These people are the bright young things that are taking over, they’re out there – snapping at the heels of the ‘greats’ like little sharks. This is tomorrow’s line up today!
Leading the charge is The Nu Energy LIVE PA - currently one of the most inspirational and mind blowing collectives of Hard Dance DJs and record labels in the UK. Their amazing LIVE show has completely blown all others on the London hard dance scene out of the water – each totally different and down to spontaneous inspiration on the night.
Their debut set will feature a special ‘Twisted’ performance by Vinney - one of London’s most talented dancers. Once again his crazy and energetic character will become the visual point of attention for the LIVE show.
The views and opinions expressed in this review are strictly those of the author only for which HarderFaster will not be held responsible or liable.
Comments:
From: shazzabazzaon 3rd Jun 2004 14:08.42 That is absolutely brilliant! Well done Dizzie Lizzie for sheding light on the creation of what will be an undoubtedly brilliant show on Saturday at Twisted! Can't wait to see the Nu Energy boys but especially looking forward to seeing the Legendary Green Man go bonkers to some of the best music in town!
Bring. It. On!
From: Jaffa Jimon 3rd Jun 2004 14:17.32 Alright Lizzie.
Wicked stuff - well written, engaging and mad-as-a-box-of-frogs. Moira would be pleased.
PS. Freeform eh? I learned something today.
PPS. Happy Hardcore/Trancecore was being played at The Rez as early as 93...
From: gravitational pullon 3rd Jun 2004 14:37.21 informative as always lizzie.
From: Craig Paxtonon 3rd Jun 2004 15:39.56 Love your work Lizzie, love your work..
From: Red5on 3rd Jun 2004 17:03.07 Good stuff Lizzie!
From: k-complexon 3rd Jun 2004 22:40.14 hehe nice one lizzie!!
From: Tin Tinon 4th Jun 2004 09:53.18 Lizzie, great feature, fantastic writing style as always! Freeform ROCKS!
From: Flipon 4th Jun 2004 10:24.02 RAAAA!!! Freeform Been into it for years, and I never tire of it, unlike other genres.
From: BottleofWateron 4th Jun 2004 11:18.44 Nice one Lizzie, i certainly feel enlightened now
From: Exiled Angelon 4th Jun 2004 23:04.35 Lizzie your writing style is so under-rated, you should be getting paid for stuff like this! *cough*
I've definitely been seen with that winning lottery ticket, trancecore and freeform never fail to make me grin like that idiot! Top work babe!
From: Nomi Sunrideron 5th Jun 2004 11:35.32 Great bit of writing.
From: Matt Styleon 6th Jun 2004 20:30.57 Nice write up Lizzie, very well written as always and all totally true, you really know your stuff.... Thanx for the mention.... Did i ever tell you that i love you.....
From: Devianceon 7th Jun 2004 13:43.35 Good write up Lizzie. Someone else who knows the history of Freeform.
From: Dizzy Lizzieon 7th Jun 2004 17:46.06 Aw shucks, thanks guys! *hides bashfully behind decorative fan and giggles*
From: madshadowon 8th Jun 2004 10:18.01 Ok... got to ask this: How come that you're getting biggest cheers and shouts from the people that have actualy been mentioned in the article?
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Can't wait to see the Nu Energy boys but especially looking forward to seeing the Legendary Green Man go bonkers to some of the best music in town!
Nice one Lizzie, i certainly feel enlightened now 
