This mix continues into the darker, stranger and more relentless side of early hardcore — when rave was evolving so quickly that nobody seemed particularly interested in deciding where the boundaries were.
Breakbeats collide with pounding kicks, distorted basslines, stabs, samples and flashes of melody. Euphoric moments appear, only to be swallowed by something harder and more unsettling.
That’s part of what made this period so special. Hardcore, jungle, techno and the beginnings of gabber were colliding before the genres properly separated. Producers experimented, tempos climbed and records became increasingly unpredictable.
The Alice in Wonderland journey continues, but the atmosphere has changed. What began colourful and curious is becoming darker. The characters are stranger, the surroundings less welcoming, and the way back increasingly difficult to find.
