Frenchcore is defined by tempo above 160–185 BPM plus a loud distorted offbeat bassline

Frenchcore is a subgenre of hardcore techno, and what sets it apart from other hardcore is two things together: a faster tempo, usually above 160–185 BPM (and often around 200 BPM in practice), and a loud, distorted offbeat bassline — bass that lands between the kicks rather than on them. That rolling offbeat bass is the genre’s signature; it gives frenchcore a hypnotic drive distinct from gabber, where the on-beat kick dominates. A common misconception is that frenchcore is simply faster gabber. It is faster, but the defining feature is the rolling distorted offbeat bass, not tempo alone.

Examples

Listen for a long, distorted bass note landing on the ‘and’ between kicks at ~200 BPM. In gabber the kick is the primary accent; in frenchcore the offbeat bass is equally prominent.

Assessment

Given two clips — gabber at 175 BPM and frenchcore at 200 BPM — say which is which using two acoustic features other than raw BPM.