(Free) Is There a Link Between Enjoying Breakcore and Being Neurodiverse?
It's been said before that enjoying breakcore requires a certain type of person.
For those who don’t know: a quick introduction to breakcore
Breakcore appeared in the mid-1990s, and took inspiration from many other genres, such as industrial, techno, jungle, and drum n’ bass. The genre of music is best described as being dynamic and chaotic, often heavily utilizing drum breaks (hence the name) and a high BPM (beats per minute). The following of the genre was small and internal but dedicated, until late 2019 and early 2020 when the genre began becoming more popular, with artists such as goreshit, Sewerslvt, and Machine Girl further growing the genre.
In this new revival, the genre started changing into something more focused on using internet culture in its songs and following this change, breakcore started to become more well known and mainstream. The drum breaks are still a staple of the genre, but now it’s very common to hear existing samples of music or media to create something new and very complex to the ear.
What seems to draw neurodivergent people to breakcore?
If you are someone who is neurodivergent (autism, ADHD, ADD, anxiety are some common ones) you may already see why this genre tends to draw in those who are on the spectrum. That is not to say that everyone who is on the spectrum will enjoy breakcore, or that breakcore does not have neurotypical people who enjoy it, but that the genre is often associated with those who either have autism, ADHD, or some other neurodivergent conditions to some degree.
Multiple discussions by users on social media platforms such as Reddit and Tumblr have been posted discussing this exact subject. User Puzzleheaded-Tie2505 started a thread on the r/breakcore subreddit asking the community: How many of you are neurodiverse? “I'm autistic and ADHD and I'm obsessed with breakcore,” continued Puzzleheaded-Tie2505 in the description of their post. “I listen to it almost constantly and I'm also making my own [breakcore music] … the few people I know who also enjoy it tend to be either autistics and/or adhders aswell.”
As of today, the thread has a total of fifty-four comments all with users discussing their own experiences with the genre. “I'm ADHD and it shaped my whole life,” said user dafkes in response to the thread. “Music sounded tedious and boring until I discovered metal and breakcore.”
On Tumblr, user cometiny posted the image below with the caption: “Being autistic and also a Hyperpop/breakcore/ect enjoyer is really funny [because] the sounds of being outside in the real world are often so tiring to me but if I wanna unwind and have a good time I will listen to the the most unnatural noises conjured up by evil computers and specifically designed to make your head explode.” Other users added their own notes, affirming the statement.
On another Reddit thread started on the r/Ultrakill subreddit, user Napakii asks: Why is breakcore associated with neurodivergent people? Forty-seven comments discuss the question, some with objective answers and others with jests: user Effective-Jacket-33 jokingly states: “The normal human brain cannot comprehend it.”
Another user, sarkmodule, offers up their perspective on the question: “Speaking as one [a neurodivergent person], loud, fast music drowns out the racing thoughts. It’s fantastic. A good stim too.”
There seem to be many reasons why this genre attracts neurodivergent people, but many responses have to do with the tempo and the style of music. This is especially true for those with ADHD, as the fast tempo and erratic nature of the music seems to have a calming or focusing effect, similar to playing white noise while trying to sleep or playing lo-fi while studying.
As someone with autism and anxiety myself, I find that aggressive music like breakcore can help disrupt negative thought patterns that, left unbroken, can lead to a panic attack or obsessive thinking that makes it hard to complete everyday tasks. I also find that listening to breakcore while studying can help me type more words per minute consistently and with less of a gap between developing major concepts, as if the music is funneling all of my attention into the subject. It would seem that other breakcore fans who are also neurodivergent feel similarly.
How large of an impact does neurodivergence have on enjoying breakcore?
While many of the previous comments highlight how being neurodivergent can impact the way someone interacts with fast-paced music like breakcore, being neurodivergent is not a requirement for enjoying this type of music. Some of the comments on these threads were often confused by the question of relating the genre to autism, ADHD, and other conditions. Under the previously mentioned thread How many of you are neurodiverse? by Puzzleheaded-Tie2505, a user stated: “Maybe you guys need another subreddit. You guys confessing your mental issues is awkward.” Another user responded to that comment, agreeing: “Yeah wtf, I liked noise in the 80s, jungle and gabber in the 90s, I like breakcore too. I'm just an old raver who likes weird music. I think maybe a lot of the people in this thread are mistaking zoomcore for breakcore.”
On user Napakii’s thread Why is breakcore associated with neurodivergent people?, another user simply responded: “Is it?”
It should be noted, however, that a portion of these “neurotypicals” who enjoy breakcore can very possibly be A) undiagnosed, or B) rejecting the label of being neurodivergent. This is especially so with older generations who are less likely to accept a label they see as “negative,” i.e., not neurotypical.
I don’t say this directly in relation to either of the above comments, but because their responses remind me of my dad who also listens to erratic music and is certainly neurodivergent but will never, ever accept that label. It’s not impossible that there are older fans of breakcore that enjoy it subconsciously because of its positive impacts on their well being, but refuse to acknowledge it outwardly.
What about neurodivergence and the production of breakcore?
In a thread on the r/breakcore subreddit posted by a now deleted user, the user asked: Are there any autistic [breakcore] producers you know of? User schikanederGangrene jokingly responded: “All of them.” Many other users reply with a similar responses, mentioning breakcore producers such as goreshit, Shoebill, gurowinter and Richy Da Raccoon as some examples.
Another user, TangerineHealthy5510, responded with: “I'm neurodiverse and can find breakcore really relaxing. Spent years falling asleep listening to gabber before even finding out I was neurodiverse.”
The takeaway
While many neurodivergent people may be drawn to the genre of music for its perceived positive impact on their well being, the genre is not dominated by neurodivergent people. There are, as some of the above examples show, neurotypicals who enjoy breakcore music perhaps not for its positive impact on their well being but for its unique strangeness and complex nature.
Regardless of what percentage neurodivergent people occupy in the entire breakcore sphere, and whether they are a majority or minority, neurodivergent people can be very vocal about their love for the genre of music, as well as its benefits.