Darren Styles

Born in London in 1975 and raised in Clacton-on-Sea, Essex, Darren Styles emerged on the British rave scene in the early 1990s. He first recorded with DJ Force & The Evolution before forming the duo Force & Styles with Paul Hobbs, playing a key role in the shift from breakbeat hardcore to happy hardcore with tracks such as "Heart of Gold", "Paradise & Dreams" and "Pretty Green Eyes". In the early 2000s Darren Styles moved toward a more melodic sound that blended UK hardcore, trance and hardstyle, notably through the Styles & Breeze project. As a solo artist he developed a writing style built on fast tempos, prominent vocal hooks and productions aimed at clubs, raves and major UK dance compilations. He also took part in the Clubland X‑Treme Hardcore series with Hixxy and regularly collaborated with artists like Ultrabeat, Dougal, Gammer and Stonebank. His discography under his own name includes the albums Skydivin' (2008) and Feel the Pressure (2010), continuing a sound that combines hardcore energy, melodic sensibility and the vocal formats of English dance.