What is Slaphouse? An In-Depth Look at the Trending New Dance Music Genre

Hey friend! Have you heard the term "slap house" being thrown around lately in the electronic dance music scene? As a fellowbass music fanatic, I wanted to give you the complete lowdown on this emerging genre that‘s been blowing up recently.

The Origins: How Did Slap House Come About?

Slap house sprang up in the mid-2010s as producers began fusing house music grooves with the raw energy of hip hop and trap. But to really understand slap house, we have to go back further to trace its roots.

According to insiders, slap house takes inspiration from funk carioca – a genre that originated in the favelas of Rio de Janeiro in the 1980s. Funk carioca pioneered syncopated basslines and stripped-down drum patterns that would later influence slap house.

As funk carioca evolved into Brazilian baile funk in the 1990s, producers like DJ Marlboro started pushing the tempo up to around 130 BPM while keeping the heavy percussion. These fast-paced baile funk rhythms were a precursor to what we now know as slap house.

Slap house also took notes from Jersey club music that emerged out of Newark, New Jersey in the 90s/2000s. Jersey club combines house music with hip hop breakbeats – an early version of the house/hip hop fusion that defines slap house.

Now let‘s fast forward to 2015. This is when German producer Bizzey first coined the term "slap house" with tracks like "Slap House" and "Make It Clap." Bizzey‘s tunes mixed pumping house rhythms with percussive hip hop-inspired basslines to create one of the earliest recognized slap house records.

Around the same time, Brazilian icon Alok was also pioneering the sound with his style he called "Brazilian Bass." In 2016, Alok released the track "Brazilian Bass" under Spinnin‘ Records, using throbbing slap basslines that would shape the genre.

But it wasn‘t until 2018 that "slap house" really solidified itself as a distinct genre.Tracks like "Tic Tac" by Siks and "Make It Clap" by Bizzey showcased the signature slap house sound – hard-hitting bass slaps fused with energetic house beats.

According to Billboard, it was the viral success of "End of Slaphouse" by VIZE and ALOK in 2019 that catapulted slap house into mainstream popularity. From its underground roots, slap house blew up into one of the hottest trends in dance music.

Defining the Slap House Sound

So what exactly makes slap house so distinct? Let‘s break down the core elements that comprise its iconic production style:

Tempo

• Slap house tracks tend to sit between 120 to 130 BPM – uptempo for a house subgenre.

Basslines

• Deep, wobbling basslines are at the core of the slap house sound.

• The bass often plays syncopated patterns, hitting on the off-beats (2 and 4). This creates the rhythmic "slap".

• Sidechaining the bass to the kick drum accentuates the slap effect.

Drums

• Crisp clap, snare, and percussive samples give slap house its energetic drive.

• The drum patterns take inspiration from hip hop and trap, playing busier grooves compared to traditional 4/4 house.

Vocals

• Heavily processed vocals and vocal chops feature prominently.

• Pitched and warped vocal samples act as catchy melodic hooks.

Pads & Synths

• Sweeping pad sounds and plucky melodic synths lend an uplifting, animated vibe.

According to producer Wiwek, "it‘s all about the wild bassline" when crafting a slap house banger. The rhythmic bass is truly the core DNA.

Subgenres: How Slap House Has Evolved

From its emergence just a few years ago, slap house has already fragmented into exciting new subgenres and styles:

Latin Slap House

Adds Latin percussion and melodies to the slap house template.

Examples: "Despacito" (Slap House Remix)

Hyper Slap

Takes slap house up to a furious 150+ BPM tempo.

Examples: "Hyper House" by Siks

Future Slap

Blends elements of melodic future house with slap house grooves.

Examples: "You Know" by Malaa & Noizu

Rave Slap

Fuses slap house with hardcore rave influences.

Examples: "Acid Is My DNA" by Siks

This constant evolution demonstrates the versatility of the slap house formula for hybridization with other electronic genres.

By the Numbers: The Rise of Slap House

Slap house has absolutely exploded in popularity the last few years. Let‘s look at some stats that quantify the meteoric growth:

• 850% increase in slap house tracks released from 2018 to 2021 (ReportLinker)

• Over 2 billion streams for SLAP HOUSE playlist on Spotify

• Slap house tracks frequent Beatport‘s Top 10 charts

• Slap house DJs played mainstages at Ultra, Tomorrowland, EDC in 2022

The stats don‘t lie – slap house dominates playlists and dance floors worldwide right now. But some industry experts question whether it‘s just a passing fad…

Does Slap House Have Staying Power? My Take

In my opinion, slap house is more than just a flash-in-the-pan trend. Here‘s why I believe slap house is here to stay:

• Slap house fuses the best of both worlds. It bridges the mainstream appeal of EDM with the gritty rhythms of urban genres. This combination makes it widely accessible.

• The genre keeps evolving. Producers are continually finding creative new ways to innovate within the slap house framework as we‘ve seen with hyper slap, future slap, etc. This diversification will sustain its relevance.

• It provides a festival-friendly energy. The upbeat tempo and danceable rhythms make slap house feel right at home at parties and festivals. DJs can easily mix it with other bass styles.

• The youth loves it. Slap house dominates among Gen Z listeners who crave bass music with a bounce. Its popularity with this key demographic gives it longevity.

Of course, eventually the hype around slap house will level off. But I believe its influence will continue making waves in house music for years to come. The infectious slaps aren‘t going away anytime soon!

So there you have it – a comprehensive crash course on the sensational genre that is slap house. I hope this breakdown gave you a better understanding of where this sound came from and where it‘s going. Now get out there and listen to some stanky slap house tracks! Just don‘t forget to make it clap :).