broken beat
what it is
Broken beat is an electronic music genre which can be characterized by syncopated rhythm typically in 4/4 metre, with staggered or punctuated snare beats and/or hand claps. It first appeared in the 1990s and was pioneered by IG Culture. Appearing in the western parts of London, the genre is also referred to as West London, mainly because Goya Music's offices were in London's Ladbroke Grove, W11, as were most of the participating artists studios.
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✦ who's making it, level by level
level 4 · further
art pop, hyperpop, and the underground
level 5 · all the way
deep experimental
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questions
What is broken beat?
Broken beat is an electronic music genre which can be characterized by syncopated rhythm typically in 4/4 metre, with staggered or punctuated snare beats and/or hand claps. It first appeared in the 1990s and was pioneered by IG Culture. Appearing in the western parts of London, the genre is also referred to as West London, mainly because Goya Music's offices were in London's Ladbroke Grove, W11, as were most of the participating artists studios.
What are good broken beat albums to start with?
Try Theme for a Broken Soul by DJ Rels, New Forms by Roni Size, Black Focus by Yussef Kamaal, and Kwiatostan by Błoto.
Who are some women making broken beat?
musicisforgirls.com/genres/broken-beat/girls lists women, non-binary artists, and bands with women making broken beat, from mainstream to underground.
genre notes from last.fm listeners · artists and albums from last.fm, updated 2026-10-20