Thursday, May 2, 2024

From the Warehouse to the world: Chicago and the birth of house music : NPR

what is a house music

Led by Mark Radford and his Audio Rehab label, the sound blurred the edges of tech house with UK bass with tracks like “On Point”, opening up the scene to more multiracial crowds than before. All of this set the pace for a decade of massive expansion in the 2010s. Tech house became the sound of vast events from Buenos Aires to Beijing, and of course the superclubs of Ibiza and of the pristine beaches of Tulum.

Jersey Club

House Music is the freedom to be who you are and stomp your feet to that hard beat. Ron Hardy’s sets at The Music Box have been cited by many later House and EDM DJs as being central to their education of House music. For this, he is now regarded as a key figure in the development and eventual spread of House music. In 1983, Ron took over The Warehouse, which was closed and then reopened as The Music Box when Frankie Knuckles left. Frankie’s other labors would eventually culminate in the now legendary PowerPlant club, later to be renamed The PowerHouse. And, which also came from Disco, was the slow shift from traditional orchestral arrangements (often with big horn and string sections requiring many players) to almost all electronic pieces.

What is House music? The Evolution of an Iconic genre

Invented by deejay-producers such as Frankie Knuckles and Marshall Jefferson, house reached Europe by 1986, with tracks on Chicago labels Trax and DJ International penetrating the British pop charts. Chicago had a thriving underground dance scene throughout the 80s and DJs were seeking new music to energize the dancefloor. And with the advancement of music technology, more Chicago DJs produced and released original compositions. By the mid-80s, subgenres of house music emerged such as deep house and acid house. The most revered of these labels was Chicago’s Trax Records on North Clark Street. This iconic label released pivotal house music records, such as “Move Your Body” by Marshall Jefferson, “Acid Tracks” by Phuture, “Can You Feel It” by Larry Heard, “Your Love” by Frankie Knuckles, and many others.

Progressive House, Tech House, and Minimal House

To this day, the cultural impact of house music continues to inspire new generations of fans, music, technology, and innovation. Trax Records and DJ International Records, Chicago labels with wider distribution, helped popularize house music inside and outside of Chicago. Knuckles helped bring house to life by blending disco, funk and German electronic pop. In order to keep the dance floor going, Knuckles experimented with an eclectic mix of beats and styles as disco’s popularity faded and fewer dance tracks were being released. Disco house connects the uplifting grooves of 1970s disco with the jackin’ beats of house music.

Madonna’s 1990 house song “Vogue” topped the US charts and became an international hit. Soon after, other major acts such as Janet Jackson, Paula Abdul, CeCe Peniston, Robin S, Björk, and many more incorporated house music into their work. Take a journey back through the history of house music and explore this genre’s explosive cultural evolution. In the late 1980s, Nu Groove Records launched and nurtured the careers of Rheji Burrell and Rhano Burrell, collectively known as Burrell (after a brief stay on Virgin America via Timmy Regisford and Frank Mendez).

Dance Yourself Free (Throwback) : Throughline - NPR

Dance Yourself Free (Throwback) : Throughline.

Posted: Thu, 22 Feb 2024 08:00:00 GMT [source]

Inspired by Bmore tunes, Jersey Club is very similar in structure to Baltimore Club but has very choppy, sharp samples (staccato) instead of sounds that blend in. The iconic song, Rhythm is a Dancer, belongs to this equally-iconic genre, which developed alongside Eurodance in the late 1980s. One of the earliest, biggest albums to have popularized Electro House is Discovery by Daft Punk. This subgenre follows the mantra of “anything goes” according to its pioneer, Alfredo Fiorito.

what is a house music

” I know I have, and I’ve been listening to all sorts of electronic music for a couple of decades. The song contains horns, organs, and a synth line, as well as house beats. Lyrically, the song is about falling in love with a romantic interest after only one kiss.

Electro House

Its infectious beats, uplifting vibes, and spirit of inclusivity have made it a staple of dance floors around the globe. Historically deeply influenced by musical trends coming from England, France, and the US, Montreal has developed a distinct house music scene. Rachel Cain, better known as Screamin' Rachael, co-founder of the highly influential house label Trax Records, was previously involved in the burgeoning punk scene. Cain cites industrial music (another genre pioneered in Chicago) and post-punk record store Wax Trax! Records (later a record label) as an important connection between the ever-changing underground sounds of Chicago. You’ll see the classic 4/4 beat in this subgenre, along with some synth sounds that are pretty Matrix-like.

Progressive House

Let’s explore how this niche underground sound originated and how it became globally recognized as the soundtrack to modern dance music culture. Though it has evolved and expanded greatly, house music is unequivocally about freedom of expression, bonding over sound and finding solace in it. House isn’t just about the music, but about the energy it can create in a room. The beauty of the rhythm produces pockets of joy and connection — something rare and necessary in this world. We tend to make a mockery of the way that everyone wants to be a DJ nowadays, but maybe it’s not such a bad thing. In my experience, house music welcomes everybody — that’s what the genre set out to do and still does today.

Unfortunately Paul Johnson has passed recently due to COVID, but the impact of his music still goes on. Somewhat similar to electro house, what is considered progressive house today was completely different than when it was first established in the 90’s. Today progressive house makes use of synths but has a focus on music and melodic progression rather than driving loops and riffs. Progressive house also tends to have less of an aggressive feel of electro or tech house and people often feel that progressive house can be “trancey” but with a house groove.

With their fusion of house, disco, and techno, hits like “Digital Love” and “One More Time” from their “Discovery” album became anthems of the era, and spawned a million disco sampling club hits and pop tunes. When I first heard Show Me Love, I almost turned it down; I didn’t feel like the right person to handle the song. The closest I had come was singing covers of Don’t Stop ’Til You Get Enough and Donna Summer’s Last Dance; I really didn’t have a point of reference. Alongside Knuckles, it’s impossible to talk about house music without at least mentioning Hardy. He was one of the earliest producers of house music at his home club the Muzic Box and would later be recognized for his innovations in music editing. Those clubs played music that called for equality, unity, and freedom regardless of racial or sexual prejudices.

Although layering sounds such as drum machine beats, samples, and synth basslines, are key components of house production, the overall texture is relatively sparse. House music could be created using cheap and consumer-friendly electronic and sound equipment, making it easier for independent labels and DJs to create tracks. Combined with a deep bassline, a synthesizer-generated riff, and the occasional soulful or funk-inspired vocal rounds out a classic house record. They were responsible for fusing house music stylings with current Detroit dance music and adding futuristic sounds to their albums. House music has been evolving for several decades, and its prominent role in dance music does not seem to be fading any time soon. As you open your DAW and begin to explore different types of house music, remember these techniques.

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