Editing Speed garage

{{Short description|Genre of electronic dance music}}
{{Infobox music genre
| name              = Speed garage
| stylistic_origins = {{hlist|[[Garage house]]|[[jungle music]]}}
| cultural_origins  = Early to mid-1990s, United Kingdom and United States
| derivatives       = {{hlist|[[Bassline (music genre)|Bassline]]|[[Donk (music)|donk]]}}
| subgenrelist      =
| subgenres         =
| fusiongenres      =
| regional_scenes   =
| other_topics      = [[UK hard house]]
}}
'''Speed garage''' (occasionally known as '''plus-8'''<ref>''DJ magazine'', 1996&ndash;97, "''Raggage''": "...earning the scene the slightly mocked nick-names of 'plus-8' or 'speed garage'."</ref>) is a genre of [[electronic dance music]], associated with the [[UK garage]] scene, of which it is regarded as one of its subgenres.<ref>[http://www.toucanmusic.co.uk/articles/speedgarage.html History of Speed garage]: "There are many different forms of garage music, most of these were of little interest to UK hard dance fans until the latest mutation came along, speed garage."</ref>

==Characteristics==
Speed garage features sped-up [[New York garage music|NY garage]] [[Four to the floor|4-to-the-floor]] [[rhythm]]s that are combined with [[breakbeat]]s.<ref>[http://www.toucanmusic.co.uk/articles/speedgarage.html History of Speed garage]: "Speed garage can be broadly defined as a mixture of slightly sped up garage beats..."</ref> [[Snare (percussion)|Snare]]s are placed as over the 2nd and the 4th [[kickdrum]]s, so in other places of the drum pattern.<ref>[http://www.garagemusic.co.uk/2step.html 2Step]: "In the original 1997 speed garage, the snares are fussy and clattering over the stomping 4-to-the-floor kickdrum."</ref> Speed garage tunes have warped, heavy [[bassline]]s, influenced by [[Oldschool jungle|jungle]]<ref>[http://www.toucanmusic.co.uk/articles/speedgarage.html History of Speed garage]: "Speed garage can be broadly defined as a mixture of slightly sped up garage beats with a heavy almost junglistic bassline"</ref> and [[reggae]].<ref>(2004) "Popular Music Genres: An Introduction", {{ISBN|0-7486-1745-0}}, {{ISBN|978-0-7486-1745-6}}, p.216: "Speed garage basslines were drawn from Jamaican reggae..."</ref> Sweeping [[Bass (music)|bass]] is typical for speed garage.<ref>(2004) "The Dance Music Manual", {{ISBN|0-240-51915-9}}, {{ISBN|978-0-240-51915-9}}, p.157: "The sweeping bass is typical of UK garage and speed garage tracks and consists of a tight yet deep bass that sweeps in pitch and/or frequencies"</ref> It is also typical for speed garage tunes to have a [[breakdown (music)|breakdown]].<ref>[http://www.toucanmusic.co.uk/articles/speedgarage.html History of Speed garage]: "Speed garage can be broadly defined as a mixture of slightly sped up garage beats [...], and usually with a break in the middle where the beat is stripped down and then builds up for a long period of time."</ref> Speed garage tunes sometimes featured time-stretched vocals.<ref>[http://www.toucanmusic.co.uk/articles/speedgarage.html History of Speed garage]: "Speed garage can be broadly defined as a mixture of slightly sped up garage beats [...], sometimes with timestretched vocals"</ref> As it is heavily influenced by [[Jungle music|jungle]], speed garage makes heavy use of jungle and dub sound effects, such as gunshots and sirens.<ref>(2004) "Popular Music Genres: An Introduction", {{ISBN|0-7486-1745-0}}, {{ISBN|978-0-7486-1745-6}}, p.216: "Jungle and ragga-style sound effects, such as the rash of gun shot volleys heard on popular speed garage tracks,..."</ref><ref>(2004) "Popular Music Genres: An Introduction", {{ISBN|0-7486-1745-0}}, {{ISBN|978-0-7486-1745-6}}, p.216: "Overall, two-step [..], less relied on the dub sound effects [...] of speed garage"</ref>

A widely regarded pioneer of the speed garage sound is [[record producer]], [[Disc jockey|DJ]] and [[remix]]er [[Armand van Helden]], whose Dark Garage remix of the [[Sneaker Pimps]]' "[[Spin Spin Sugar]]" in 1996 helped bring the style of speed garage into the mainstream arena.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Keith|first1=Jonathan|title=The 15 Greatest Remixes of All Time|url=https://www.magneticmag.com/2016/02/15-greatest-remixes-of-all-time/|website=Magnetic Magazine|access-date=10 September 2017|date=19 February 2016}}</ref>

== Resurgence in the 2020s ==
In the early 2020s, speed garage experienced a notable resurgence within the UK music scene. This revival was marked by a renewed interest in the genre's distinctive basslines and energetic rhythms, leading to a fresh wave of productions and chart successes.

A pivotal moment in this revival was the release of "[[B.O.T.A. (Baddest of Them All)]]" by Interplanetary Criminal and Eliza Rose in the summer of 2022. The track, featuring a Korg M1 organ bassline characteristic of speed garage, achieved the number one spot on the [[UK Singles Chart]], underscoring the genre's renewed popularity.<ref name="mixmag">{{Cite web|url=https://mixmag.net/feature/speed-garage-bassline-trend-popularity-north-sheffield-bota |title=How Speed Garage Returned as a Club Staple |date=2022-09-20 |work=Mixmag}}</ref>

Interplanetary Criminal, a Manchester-based producer, has been instrumental in this resurgence. His work blends traditional speed garage elements with contemporary sounds, appealing to both longtime fans and new listeners. In April 2020, he released "Pride (Speed Garage Mix)", which showcased his commitment to revitalising the genre.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://interplanetarycriminal.bandcamp.com/track/pride-speed-garage-mix |title=Pride (Speed Garage Mix) |work=Bandcamp}}</ref>

Collaborations have also played a significant role in the genre's revival. In November 2024, Interplanetary Criminal teamed up with [[Sammy Virji]] to release "Damager", a track that fuses speed garage with donk influences, further highlighting the genre's evolving sound.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://djmag.com/news/sammy-virji-and-interplanetary-criminal-link-new-speed-garage-single-damager-listen |title=Sammy Virji and Interplanetary Criminal Link Up for New Speed Garage Single 'Damager' |work=DJ Mag}}</ref>

This renewed interest in speed garage has been accompanied by a broader UK garage revival, with artists and producers drawing inspiration from the genre's classic sounds while infusing them with modern production techniques. The resurgence has been evident in clubs, festivals, and charts, indicating a vibrant and enduring appreciation for speed garage in contemporary music culture.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.beatportal.com/articles/433891-how-uk-garage-conquered-2021 |title=How UK Garage Conquered 2021 |work=Beatportal}}</ref>

==Notable songs/remixes==
The following is a list of notable songs and official remixes which not only [[Record chart|charted]] but were popular within the speed garage scene:
*"Let's Groove" (1993) – [[George Morel]]<ref name="mixmag" />
*"Dancing for Heaven" (1995) / "Saved My Life" (1996) – [[Todd Edwards]]
*"[[Sugar Is Sweeter]] <small>(Armand's Drum 'n' Bass Mix)</small>" (1996) / "[[Spin Spin Sugar]] <small>(Armand's Dark Garage Mix)</small>"<ref name="mixmag" /> (1997) / "[[Digital (Goldie song)|Digital]] <small>(Armand Van Helden's Speed Garage Mix)</small>" (1997) – [[Armand van Helden]]
*"[[Gunman (187 Lockdown song)|Gunman]]" (1997) / "[[Kung-Fu (187 Lockdown song)|Kung-Fu]]" (1998) – [[187 Lockdown]]
*"[[Deeper (Serious Danger song)|Deeper]]" (1997) / "[[God Is a DJ (Faithless song)|God Is a DJ]] <small>(Serious Danger Remix)</small>" (1998) – [[Serious Danger]]
*"Hype Funk (Dub)" (1997) – Reach & Spin
*"[[RipGroove]]" (1997) – [[Double 99]]
*"Vol. 1 (What You Want What You Need)" (1997) – Industry Standard
*"I Refuse (What You Want)" (1997) – Somore featuring Damon Trueitt
*"Oh Boy" (1997) – The Fabulous Baker Boys
*"A London Thing" (1997) – Scott Garcia
*"[[Something Goin' On (In Your Soul)|Something Goin' On]] <small>(Loop Da Loop Uptown / Downtown Mix)</small>" (1997) – [[Loop Da Loop]]
*"[[Ripped in 2 Minutes]]" (1998) – [[A vs B]]
*"[[Superstylin']]" (2001) – [[Groove Armada]]

==References==
{{reflist|35em}}

==External links==
*[http://www.discogs.com/Sneaker-Pimps-Spin-Spin-Sugar/release/746295 Discogs listing for Spin Spin Sugar]
*[http://speedgarage.net/ Speed Garage fans community]

{{UK garage}}

[[Category:Speed garage| ]]
[[Category:UK garage genres]]
[[Category:English styles of music]]
[[Category:Electronic dance music genres]]
[[Category:1990s in music]]
[[Category:1990s in British music]]