Double LP
House Music is the most
powerful dance trend since the disco era of the late 70's. Two years ago a house was something you lived in, but down in the sweaty dives of underground clubs in London and the Midlands it was something you danced to.
Fresh, Exciting, Powerful. An irresistable hypnotic beat with a hard thumping bass-line that worked up dancefloors in to a frenzy of thrashing limbs
'Jackin' your body' as it was known. It was a musical style imported from
Chicaco where the phenomenon began in clubs like the
Warehouse (Hence the name
House Music), which rapidly established itself throughout the UK. When Steve Hurley's
Jack Your Bodystormed to the top of the charts early last year, it was clear that
House Music was not just a passing fad. The more aware musicians and DJs recognised the potential of
House and began building their own. The first hit from a British act came from the House Master Boyz, three Sheffield lads who journeyed to Chicago for inspiration and came back with a top ten hit. It was to all intents and purposes a straight imitation of the Chicago sound, but other artists had their own ideas about the direction
British House music should take. The Beatmasters enlisted female rap duo, the Cookie Crew, to create an unlikely combination of
Hip Hop and
House in 'Rok Da House', giving the signal that 'anything goes' with
House Music. Whilst Chicago was still exporing traditional strong tracks, it was Britain's POTENT brews that were
tearing up dance floors across the country. Nightclub DJs, who knew instinctively what their audiences clamoured for, were set to take centre stage in the evolution of
House Music. Coldcut emerged from the London club scene to spice up Eric B's 'Paid In Full'. Bomb The Bass produced an
infectious groove in 'Beat Dis', whilst S-Express captured the spirit of London's nightlife and its vogue for the sounds and styled of the 70's in 'Theme From S-Express'.
House is now exploding in all directions. There's the conventional sound in the House Doctors, the nagging synthesisers of Nitro Deluxe's 'Let's Get Brutal', and the
Fiery Beats of the Criminal Element Orchestra's 'Put The Needle To The Record', the production of New York's Wally Jump Junior.
Sampling plays a fundamental role in some hits like the DTI's 'Keep This Frequency Clear', which derives it's hook line from a phrase in 'Beat Dis', whilst Gene & Jim combines original music with movie soundtracks for 'Shake'. The major record companies are falling over themselves to jump on the bandwagon, eager to cash in on the phenomenon just as they did a decade ago with disco. Limp pop tunes are being beefed up with
'House' mixes to give the more exposure on the dancefloor.
House Music has demonstrated its universal appeal by dominating the pop charts and nightclubs alike. The Hits of House are here to stay.
Tim Jeffery
