Electronic Music That Is Not Dance

Discover electronic music that is not dance, but still gets your heart pumping and feet moving. From trip-hop to glitch-hop, find new favorites here.

The Different Types of Electronic Music

Electronic music is a genre of music that is produced using electronic musical instruments and electronic music technology. It covers a wide range of styles, from the thumping bass of dubstep to the more mellow sounds of downtempo. Despite its name, electronic music is not just dance music. In this article, we’ll explore the different types of electronic music.

Ambient

Ambient music is a genre of music that emphasizes tone and atmosphere over traditional musical structure or rhythm. Ambient music is intended to induce a sense of relaxation, and is often used for study, yoga, massage, and other forms of relaxation.

The genre is said to evoke an “atmospheric”, “visual”, or “unobtrusive” quality. Environments often featured in ambient music include cityscapes, forests, mountain ranges, and outer space; sometimes it takes the form of “slow house” or dub techno.

Originating in the 1970s with artists such as Brian Eno and Kraftwerk, ambient music was initially developed as a reaction against the fast pace and focus on traditional song structure in pop and rock music of the time.

Chill

Chill is a subgenre of electronic music characterized by slow tempos and relaxed moods. This type of music often incorporates mellow and atmospheric soundscapes, and may include elements of downtempo, ambient, and trip hop. Chill music is perfect for relaxing, studying, or simply unwinding after a long day.

Experimental

Experimental electronic music refers to music that challenges the common structures and assumptions of traditional music. This type of music is usually created with electronic equipment, but it can also be created with non-electronic instruments or a combination of both.

Experimental electronic music is often characterized by its use of unusual or unconventional sound sources, such as found objects or field recordings, and by its exploration of new forms and sounds. This type of music is often inspired by other art forms, such as painting or literature, and it often incorporates elements of chance or chance procedures.

Some famous experimental electronic musicians include: Stockhausen, Terry Riley, Steve Reich, Brian Eno, and Aphex Twin.

The Different Styles of Electronic Music

Over the past few years, electronic music has exploded in popularity. The genre now encompasses a wide range of styles, from the heavy bass of dubstep to the mellow melodies of trance. In this article, we’ll take a look at some of the different styles of electronic music and what makes them unique.

IDM

IDM, or intelligent dance music, is a style of electronic music that emerged in the early 1990s. It is characterized by complex, often novel sonic structures and eclectic arrangements. IDM is typically produced for home listening rather than dance clubs, and its stylistic range includes everything from ambient and electronica to glitch and noise. IDM artists often make use of unusual time signatures, nontraditional track structures, and irregular rhythms.

Techno

Techno is a style of electronic music that emerged in the mid-to-late 1980s. It is characterized by a repetitive 4/4 beat, a strong emphasis on basslines and synthesizers, and occasionally vocoded or otherwise processed vocals.

Techno music originated in Detroit, Michigan, USA in the mid-to-late 1980s. The first recorded use of the word “techno” in reference to a specific genre of music was in 1988. Many of the early pioneers of techno were African American DJs from Detroit who were influenced by the electronic music that was being played in European clubs.

Techno is often associated with the rave culture, because it is often played at raves and nightclubs. However, not all techno music is meant for dancing. Some forms of techno are more experimental and intended for listening rather than dancing.

Trance

Trance is a genre of electronic music that emerged from the British new age and rave scenes of the late 1980s and early 1990s. A mixture of techno and house, trance became hugely popular in Europe in the 1990s. It is characterized by a tempo lying between 115 and 150 beats per minute (BPM), repeating melodic phrases, and a musical form that builds up and down throughout a track.

Trance tracks are often lengthy, with an introduction and several “buildups” or “drops”, climaxing with a powerful bassline kick after which the music calms before starting to build up again.

Although trance is sometimes referred to as techno, it is actually quite different. Techno is characterized by a 4/4 beat, while trance has a more flexible tempo which can range from anywhere between 100-160 BPM. In addition, techno is generally more minimalistic than trance, with fewer melodies and chord progressions.

The Different Sub-genres of Electronic Music

Electronic music has come to be categorized into various sub-genres. The four main sub-genres are house, techno, trance, and drum and bass. Within these main sub-genres, there are many more sub-sub-genres.

Dubstep

Dubstep is a genre of electronic music that evolved out of the UK garage scene in the early 2000s. The music is characterized by heavy bass, syncopated rhythms, and often features samples from other genres such as hip hop, dub, and grime.

Drum and Bass

Drum and Bass is a type of electronic music that emerged in the late 1980s. It is characterized by fast breakbeats (typically between 150 and 180 beats per minute) with heavy bass and sub-bass lines. Drum and Bass often incorporates elements of other genres, such as Hip Hop, Reggae, Jungle, and Techno.

Glitch

Glitch is a type of electronic music that emerged in the 1990s. It is characterized by its use of short, abrupt, and often distorted sounds. Glitch music often has a raw and unpolished sound, and it often makes use of lo-fi production techniques. Glitch music is often quite experimental, and it can be difficult to define.