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Description

Bloghouse is a mid-to-late 2000s internet-born strain of electro/house that thrived on MP3 blogs, Hype Machine charts, and MySpace-era sharing.

Sonically it blends distorted, over-compressed electro-house with indie-dance and dance-punk attitude: crunchy saw leads, bit-crushed drums, four-on-the-floor kicks, pumping sidechain, and hyper-edited drops. Bootleg remixes and unofficial edits of indie bands were central, as was a high-energy, party-first approach geared for small clubs and warehouse floors.

Culturally it was anchored by labels like Ed Banger and Kitsuné, a fluorescent “fluoro” aesthetic, and a DIY remix economy where tracks spread virally via blogs rather than traditional promo channels. The result is a loud, fun, irreverent sound that bridged indie scenes and the club mainstream.

History

Origins (early–mid 2000s)

Bloghouse emerged as electroclash cooled and as affordable DAWs and file-sharing exploded. French labels (notably Ed Banger) and Parisian parties shaped the distorted, compressed electro-house template, while indie-dance and dance-punk scenes in the US/UK primed audiences for rock-meets-rave energy.

Rise via MP3 blogs

Between 2005 and 2009, MP3 blogs and Hype Machine aggregated remixes and unofficial edits, letting producers bypass traditional label promo. MySpace pages, forum culture, and DJ-centric blogs (e.g., Fluokids, Discobelle, Palms Out) were the distribution and discovery network. The scene’s visual identity—neon colors, pixel fonts, DIY flyers—mirrored its fast, lo-fi audio aesthetics.

Peak years and global spread

Albums and singles by Justice, Digitalism, Boys Noize, MSTRKRFT, Simian Mobile Disco, and The Bloody Beetroots defined the sound: clipped, saturated drums; squelchy basses; and hands-in-the-air drops. Kitsuné compilations and Ed Banger releases traveled globally, while club nights in Paris, London, LA, New York, Sydney, and Milan connected indie bands, blog DJs, and fashion-forward crowds.

Decline and transformation (2010s)

As streaming platforms displaced blogs and EDM festivals rose, bloghouse’s rough-and-ready distribution model faded. Its sound morphed into and informed mainstream electro-house and complextro, while many of its key artists pivoted toward techno, electro, or pop-leaning production.

Legacy and revivals

Bloghouse is remembered for collapsing the distance between indie and club culture and for normalizing bootleg remix culture. Periodic nostalgia waves and reissue campaigns highlight its role as a bridge between electroclash, French electro-house, and the EDM boom—an enduring influence on indie dance floors and internet-native dance music communities.

How to make a track in this genre

Core palette
•   Tempo: 124–130 BPM, four-on-the-floor kick. •   Sound sources: aggressively saturated saw/square leads, fuzzed basses, noisy drum hits, bit-crushers, sample chops. •   Dynamics: heavy sidechain compression for a pronounced pump; don’t fear tasteful clipping and saturation.
Rhythm & structure
•   Keep the kick steady; layer snappy claps/snares on 2 and 4, with open hats driving off-beats. •   Use short turnarounds every 4–8 bars; bigger build-ups every 16–32 bars. •   DJ-friendly intros/outros with filtered drums or isolated motifs.
Harmony & melody
•   Simple, hooky minor-key riffs (Aeolian, Phrygian flavor works well) built from 1–2 bar loops. •   Call-and-response between a distorted lead and a chopped vocal or synth stab. •   Employ filter sweeps and pitch bends for movement rather than complex chord changes.
Sound design
•   Stack detuned saws; apply OTT/parallel compression and tape/console saturation. •   Sidechain nearly everything to the kick (bass, pads, even leads) for the classic pump. •   Add ear candy: white-noise risers, bit-reduced fills, stutter edits, and reverse cymbals.
Vocals & sampling
•   Flip indie/rock acapellas or short phrases; chop into rhythmic hooks. •   Use lo-fi processing (telephone EQ, distortion) to match the gritty instrumental.
Arrangement tips
•   Start with a filtered motif; reveal the full mix at the first drop (~0:45–1:15). •   Alternate between riff-driven drops and lighter breakdowns; keep energy high and sections concise. •   Aim for club utility: memorable lead hook, strong first drop, quick return to groove.
Mixing
•   Embrace saturation but keep sub-bass tight (HPF non-bass elements around 100–150 Hz). •   Glue bus: mild bus compression and tape sim for cohesion; leave transient space for the kick.

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