What is House Music?

Since house music tracks were first put on to vinyl, technology has changed electronic music beyond recognition, but left the basic structure of House intact. This type of music grew out of the post-disco dance club culture of the early 1980s, when certain urban DJs, particularly those in gay communities, altered the music to make it less pop-oriented.

Many believe that the term "house music" can be traced to The Warehouse, a nightclub in Chicago, USA, where resident DJ, Frankie Knuckles created his own unique house music tracks from old disco classics and Eurosynth pop. However, since Frankie's house music tracks weren't new, some people argue that Chip E. in his early recording "It's House" defined this new form of electronic music.

It was thought that House couldn't last, but then the music reinvented itself until it gradually dawned on people that house music tracks weren't just another phase of club culture, they were club culture, the continuing future of dance music. The reason being, that people like to dance to House.

How House Music Evolved

As house music tracks developed, the beat became more mechanical and the bass grooves deeper, while elements of electronic synth pop, Latin soul, dub, rap, and jazz were added to enhance the music's somewhat monotonous 4/4 beat. Very often, house music tracks were purely instrumental although they sometimes included vocalists who tended to remain "faceless and wordless".

Chicago's Warehouse and New York's Paradise Garage are the two clubs of dance music legend - the breeding grounds for the type of house music tracks that eventually came to be known after the clubs - house and garage. It didn't take long for the new trend in house music tracks to spread to Britain, which had already undergone a massive boom in club culture in the mid-eighties. 'Move Your Body' was undoubtedly the record that really kicked off house in the UK. This was first of the house music tracks played repeatedly by the established pirate radio stations in London, which at the time played right across the Black music spectrum. The track was subtitled 'The House Music Anthem', because that's exactly what it was.

European House Music

The Italians would go on to become an integral part of house music, with one of the most consistent labels, Irma, proving acceptance in New York by opening up shop there. Even Spain underwent its own acid house craze in 1989, with talented Barcelona producer Raul Orellana creating his own style of house music tracks, merging flamenco with house.

In 1989, when house music had become world property, Chicago was still coming up with new ideas, and a new, minimalist, rough and raw sound emerged that was to join acid and techno in forming the roots of the hardcore scene.

Robert Owens' comment in 1988 on the UK TV documentary 'Club Culture' has proved to be true. "It's not just boom boom boom. They're telling me something here. Something I can dance to and learn from. I can see house music becoming universal one day. It'll just take time for people to receive it."

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