Hardfloor – Hardtrance Acperience EP

Massive a total classic from back in the day, guys you ned to comment on The Human E.P too, don't let that one get lost!

I don’t think that this tune needs may introductions and revived the ACID sound that had drifted away a couple of years before, all be it in a beefed up more European way. A really great tune with its pounding kick intro, simplistic sounding percussion and then just building layer upon layer with that bubbling acid sound and then hard acid sounds over the top fading in and out into a crescendo and breakdown, then building right back up again. It use to send clubbers wild, as it really stood out in its day and its still great to hear today.

So boring - buildup to almost no-where. I was there at this time and if this song was played for long I would be twiddling my thumbs.

I don't know what's is so special about Acperience? The only good track is Acperience 1 the others are filler. This only made the acid sound overused after this poped out as we all know that the "acid sound" has been experimented to death. Hardfloor did nothing special except bring the sound a bit more mainstream.

Sorry to dis, but this track ruined acid house for me for quite a long time.
When this came out I was still DJing the Chicago acid of a few years before, but after this cynically-arranged acid-trance euro-monster came out, nobody wanted to hear the original tunes anymore : ( And enormous breakdowns and snare-rushes became ubiquitous. Put me right off clubbing altogether.

I agree with these 2 reviews above, although I always found it really hard to mix Acperience 1 because after the long breakdown the BPM increase a little bit and I would always forget this... anyway, it was such a classic that people would be bouncing off the walls when it got played so there was no need to mix out quickly anyhow!

Definately a genre defining record and a classic to boot. I haven't heard it for some time but I'll dig it out again soon.

I totally agree with the review above,at a time when everyone who had a drum machine was trying there best to put together a 12" with there cheetah drum machines and Roland 303s or 909s and when we all drove to certain car parks for after hours raves and partys in warehouses.When this tune came on it was a sure fire winner..
You cant fault the build up and it set me off on my tour to find venues that played this style(leeds and manchester)..
I remember carl cox playing this at the Angels in Burnley and dragging out the build up by doubling it up on the decks for ages and the Lads on the dancefloor going mental waiting for the Bass to come back in.Cause lets face it its a lads tune girls loved piano the lads loved 303s and twisted ruff beats back then...
It was where i was at anyway...
Easy
The Duck

Essentially ‘Acperience 1’ didn’t feature anything new. Acid had been done to death in the late 1980s, notably in Chicago, Detroit, London, and Manchester. All the sounds and samples used on ‘Acperience 1’ had been heard before, and this track even bears more than just a passing resemblance to ‘Acid Thunder’ by Fast Eddie. Yet when this E.P was released in 1992, no one had ever heard anything quite like it before, and in the years to pass this has proved to be possibly the most influential dance record released in the 1990s.

‘Acperience 1’ builds with ominous pounding kick drums, becoming meatier as the distinctive groove builds. The bass line drops in, and echoed clicking samples are expertly woven in as the acid drawl starts to make an appearance. The track builds and builds, adding layers, and becoming growlier and the 303s ever more tweaked. The caries on for several minutes, captivating the listener into a groovy hypnotic trance. The track then breaks for the most famous of breakdowns. It is here that the track truly reveals itself. A high pitched tonal atmospheric synth line which up until then had been running unheard in the background now comes to the fore. This builds the tension, which eventually erupts in a hail of huge snare rolls that even Wagner couldn’t have imagined. The track comes back with a vengeance and let’s rips with 303s tweaked to frequencies that could split a diamond in half. Finally it all comes crashing down for the cliff-hanger finale and winds itself down with superbly echoed acid bubbles and bleeps aplenty, until all that is heard is that tonal atmospheric synth line again. Perfect listening for the home and the dancefloor. It would take a very brave or foolish DJ to mix this one out.

So many years down the line, and ‘Acperience 1’ has not aged one iota. Thanks to its simplicity and masterful production, it probably never will.

Look out for the live performance of ‘Acperience 1’ that Hardfloor did for MTV Europe. It features a slight rearrangement, some echoed ‘Acid Acperience’ vocals at the intro, and extra tweaking at the end. Watching them at play with their hardware, you’ll also be able to appreciate the technical wizardry that went into this producing track.

A note to anybody learning to mix. At a definite 125bpm with steady and well defined beats, ‘Acperience 1’ is the perfect track for learning beat mixing. Buy yourself two copies.

Whereas ‘Acperience 1’ is an acid trance track that is most cherished by the techno fraternity, the remaining tracks on this E.P veer away from trance.

‘Acperience 2’ is mechnaoid acid techno. It boasts meaty but flat rattling deep technoid beats with tripomatic hints, quirky jazz soundscapes, and the 303 is of the drippy variety.

‘Acperience 3’ is raw acid house, much like the sort of material that would later be released on the Important imprint. This track is possibly a bit dated now.

‘Acperience 4’ is the fastest track on this E.P, and has a quick corrosive acid line over meaty banging beats. In typical Hardfloor fashion, this track displays some quirky behaviour, and would suit those latter set moments.

The only criticism I could level at this record is that it wasn’t released as a double 12” pack as it so obviously deserved to be.

This is the sort of record that changes people’s lives.

This represented an interesting turn in what is commonly referred to as dance music.

In the UK Acid House had come and gone in the late 80's to be surplanted by House, Italo House, Hip House, Garage, Techno, Rave, Bleep, Hardcore Techno and a myriad of other styles.
It was a period of hyper intensity where almost every new record seemed to spin off into a whole new genre and the sense of a tangible developing artform both musically and technologically was iminent in the form of Jungle Techno.

Yet here was Hardfloor releasing what could only be described as a retro acid house record, but one of such epic proportions that it was actually better than any other acid house record ever made, proving that sometimes you have to go back to the phuture...

For me this tune is one of the best acid tunes ever in EDM history.
Hardfloor has done so many timeless records but this one is their best work if you ask me.
The build up is simply a masterpeice and the break is massive.
No matter how many years will pass by this song will always be in my heart...