Before the pandemic, Baby Weight (Cara Eser) and Worthy (Kristy) had established themselves within the American dance community as sonic forces. Esser’s blend of bouncy tech house and ability to make pop-leaning vocals still sound underground put her on a path to national headlining status. The DC native was gaining a national following and had cosigns from lauded house acts like Walker & Royce and Shiba San. 
 

Worthy was already a well-established house icon. The San Francisco-based artist and Dirtybird co-founder was an architect of the nu-school West Coast house sound. Her label Anabatic had long been a breeding ground for the future of underground dance boasting releases from the likes of Kill Frenzy, Nick Monaco, Justin Martin, Yolanda Be Cool, and Will Clarke. Her status as a forward-thinking artist was clear.
 

That sense of sonic clarity however wasn’t reflected in their personal journeys. And as the pandemic eviscerated the chance of a certain future in the near term, they were both forced to reckon with an internal struggle that blossomed into two compelling stories that reflect the very foundation of dance music’s cultural beginnings. 


 

Both Worthy and Baby Weight came out as Trans. And while they may not be the first to be open and honest about their struggles and triumphs, they do serve as shining examples of how we can re-establish dance music as a safe space for those who feel like they are on the fringe.

Do you feel like, because you are part of the dance music community, you had kind of a safety net to fall back on when you came out?


Kristy: I wasn't sure what I was expecting when I came out. There was a deep fear that maybe this is gonna destroy my career in some way. And I think that fear just came from the repression that I felt all my life around this, hiding it from everybody. For me coming out was super scary. And I feel blessed to have come out and see the level of support that I've gotten. I feel blessed that I'm in this world, this dance music world that's so accepting and so loving, and I've never felt so much love before. I ended up here for a reason.




Cara: I was absolutely terrified. But ultimately, for me, I was pushed into the deep end by somebody on social media to kind of come out and I wouldn't change it in a million years, because I feel like it was the right kick in the ass to finally get me to kind of openly bleed or share that part of myself with the world. I would say that the response is not surprising from the community. Just because I feel like most people read me as a good person, and I'm a good person first, and transgender second.



Dance music was built on marginalized people, but the scene has changed. Do you feel like your story helps shine a light back on those who don't feel seen?


Kristy: I'm not sure if it has. I know my coming out process has definitely inspired a good amount of people to confront stuff within themselves, including a lot of people coming out as trans to me or queer and saying that my story helped them. 


Cara: The more that you have marginalized voices put in front of people that challenge their worldview, the more you get to normalizing those voices … It makes people more comfortable coming out … All the arrows point to this reality that trans people are part of the music industry. The conversation is not that there is a lack of trans voices. The conversation should really be, the trans voices are here, how do we get those voices shared to more people so that other individuals can feel comfortable enough to then say, ‘Yes, I want to be a part of the community because I see myself, I feel validated, I feel seen, and that there are other people like me in front of me doing the things that I want to do.’





What gives you the strength and courage to be so open and honest about your journey?


Cara: Christy makes me cry once a week at least with her social media posts. I’m legitimately tearing up sobbing seeing her journey. And knowing that she and I are on the same journey together—timeline-wise—gives me a lot of courage because we're going through the same things together. That's what keeps me going.


Kristy: I think it's because I was so closed off for so long that I feel like I need to let myself out there into the world. I know that by letting myself out there I’m helping others process their own journeys. It feels visceral. Like I have to do this. I want people to understand what the trans experience is and how difficult it is at times. But also, how happy it is at times. If I'm helping anybody else and come to terms with being transgender, that is everything for me. Being visible helps others so much.



When did you realize you were trans and when did you decide to be public about it?


Kristy: I realized I was most likely transgender in July of 2020. I was working through the feelings and internal struggle of coming to terms with being transgender into the fall, and I started HRT shortly after because I can sit in therapy for five years talking about this, or I can just get this new life started. Pretty quickly, I was on HRT. I shaved off my beard, [started] dressing a little bit differently, and I was just feeling hidden. It felt really weird to be in front of people and not be my authentic self. I was on a mushroom journey at the end of November and in that journey, it came to me that like “your next step is to come out. You need to come out to the world and shine your light.” 


Cara: I privately came out to myself about six years ago. I had the realization that was simmering under the surface at least since college. But I didn't feel safe coming out to my family. There was also this unfounded fear I had—and it sounds so terrible to say now in retrospect—but I was really afraid that if I had come out, and I was openly queer, that would somehow put me in a corner. And I didn't want to be limited in terms of the kind of shows I played, the kind of bookings I got. 






I came out to my partner in 2019 as non-binary but she knew that eventually, I would come out as full-blown trans. Not to say that identifying as non-binary is a steppingstone of some kind. I felt in my mind that maybe it might be easier transitionally if my family and my friends saw it. It was my intention to come out in 2020. This stranger on Facebook dug into my personal life and made some comments publicly on Facebook about me. I came out as a result of that. 




Kristy, How have you navigated the conversation with your daughter?


I think she had a little bit of a hard time with it at first. I remember she cried to me about me not being my old name anymore. 


I was talking to my ex, having these conversations about gender and this transition and what that entailed. And we would have these intense conversations and at times they would be outside someplace. And obviously, my daughter overheard us. And we were having dinner and my daughter is like, ‘Hey, wouldn't it be funny if daddy was a girl?’ And we were just like, ‘oh, crap.’


We were very honest with her. And she got it. And she understands. And she's been super supportive. She accepts me for who I am. And she's been one of my cheerleaders. And she calls me Mom, sometimes. It feels like she sees me. I was really depressed in my marriage and really cut off from everything that was going on around me. And so, she knows this is the right decision. And she is super supportive of it. And she just wants me to be happy. And I want her to be happy, too.



What is the most striking lesson that you've learned in your journey that you want to pass on to others?


Cara: I would just say the moment you come out publicly, things don't happen right away. And there's this idea that maybe the world all-of-a-sudden gets better, and in some ways it does. But you have to have patience, you have to have resilience. You have to understand that for some people that you're close to, they're losing someone that they've spent a good part of their life with. And for them, it may take some time to process the fact that you're still the same person.


Kristy: It’s taken me a while to learn this is [but] everybody's journey’s really different and you really can't compare where you are to somebody else. Hormones treat everybody differently. And just the process of it all is super individualized. It takes time and everybody moves differently, and you need to be patient with yourself. 



Worthy and Baby Weight Are Courageous Trans Voices 

Will Clarke, the bearded Britt with the pounding techno beats has completely reshaped his career over the last two years. His shift from Dirtybirdesque house to thumping techno, with a purpose, has been effortless. And the veteran DJ and producer is clearly in the most comfortable space of his career. Releases like "U Take Me Higher," "Hallelujah," and "My Church" (with MK) have proven his aptitude for crafting warehouse-ready cuts that are body rocking and emotionally reverent. 



“I'm trying to write songs that have a bit of a meaning,” Clarke told Gray Area earlier this year. 

He also revealed his dance music origin story. He was first inspired to DJ after seeing 90s icons Faithless perform when he was still quite young. Clarke began DJing as a teenager. And with such a long history, the thought occurred to us that he'd be the perfect person to tap for a playlist of classic techno cuts. His knowledge of dance music is deep, so we knew his list would be a treat. You can check out what he has to say about his favorite jams below, and listen to the playlist via Spotify.

Joey Beltram - Mentasm (1991)

“Absolute belter, I've always loved what Joey did for the techno scene way before I was even working in the genre. However, I recently met him and he’s such a lovely dude which just made it all even better. Do meet your idols, it's key."



Laurent Garnier - Crispy Bacon (1997)

“This came out in 1997, I was seven and it still sounds fucking amazing today and better than most techno tracks currently being released.  If there was an Electronic Music Hall Of Fame, Laurent would be the first person to be inducted”



Maceo Plex - Conjure Sex (2014)

“More of a modern day classic for me, this record just hits different on the dancefloor. Maceo is current day god, everything he touches is unreal."



Jeff Mills - The Bells (1996)

“Do I really need to explain why I love this record? Nope didn't think so”


MK - Burning (1992)

“Yes to all the techno snobs out there saying this isn't techno. No shit Sherlock! It's still better than any record out there and was released 20 years ago”




Bobby Peru, Paul Woolford - Erotic Discourse (Dense & Pika Remix) [2008]

“The original is fucking solid but I remember hearing this in a club once and falling in love with it. It started my love for the Dense & Pika boys who I personally think are some of the best producers around today”


Plastikman - Spastik (1993)

“So simple yet so beautiful, the first time I heard this I was a little confused but after a few listens I was sold, absolute genius record”


Burial - Archangel (2007)

“I have spent many nights in the studio listening to this whole album, it brings back so many memories of when I first started going to Ibiza and I would play his records during the sunset. Again, not quintessential techno but an absolute masterpiece.”


Green Velvet - Stalker (1996)

“I have loved this record for years, played it many times and although its 13:24 long it always amazes me how it doesnt get boring and slams every time”


DVS1 - Black Russian (2014)

“From the first time I heard this I knew it was special and to this day its one of my go to records to put me in a good mood, I love it and it works soooo well on the dancefloor”

Will Clarke Shares His Essential Classic Techno Tracks

This month, we’re celebrating the Latinx artists transforming house and techno music as we know it. Artists on this list originate from Lima, Guadalajara, and Bogota to name a few, but their music transcends borders and even genres. 

These 10 musicians are purveyors of new flavors of house and techno, inspiring their peers in the genre to experiment with sounds, sin miedo. These artists are tastemakers and community builders—working to keep the music scene thriving in their respective cities like Los Angeles and Mexico City, after the past two harrowing years. 

Their projects are infused with the vibrant sounds of colorful indigenous instruments, lyrics of cultural lore, and ancestral wisdom. Get to know these 10 Latinx producers and musicians, you’re sure to see them on the main stage at a festival near you soon enough! 

Sofia Kourtesis 

Born in Lima, Peru, Sofia Kourtesis had a trans-Atlantic education between New York and Hamburg. After organizing many university parties in Berlin, the young jetsetter aptly became a club booker, working some of Hamburg's most renowned clubs such as Prinzenbar, Docks, and Große Freiheit 36. Kourtesis eventually graduated to the mixing deck in Berlin’s Funkhaus and caught the attention of several high-profile fashion houses, like Levis and Adidas. Since then, Kourtesis has played at several festivals and released widely acclaimed projects. Her first two EPs, the 2019 self-titled Sofia Kourtesis and last year’s Sarita Colonia, were both deemed cult hits. Kourtesis’ brand of house music is so uniquely and distinctly hers—much of her work features distorted, harmonized vocals and splintered film samples, expertly weaved into joyful, buoyant house music that only Kourtesis can create. Her latest EP, Fresia Magdalena, is as pulsing as her previous EPs, though more meditative and reflective.

Follow Sofia Kortesis on Instagram | Facebook | Soundcloud

SandJake 

After spending a few years creating and djing independently around Spain, Sandro Merlucci and Jacobo Morata decided to meld their professional projects into one musical persona—Sandjake. The Madrid duo’s discography hovers over tech-house territory, though many of their latest drops have a classic house sound, heavy on drums and synths. 

Follow SandJake on Instagram | Facebook | Soundcloud

Ela Minus 

The Colombian composer is finishing up her BBC Radio 1 residency this Thursday and has recently announced she’ll be supporting Caribou on his 2022 tour. Her work has a consistent theme, that dissent is vital and necessary.  “I want people to feel like they have the power to change the world,” she recently told Pitchfork. The techno producer believes that small acts can lead to big changes. Her debut album, acts of rebellion, is as jarring as it is hopeful. Minus creates powerfully evocative techno that is layered and driving with breathy, minimalistic vocals—it’s a beautiful combination and a unique one at that.

Follow Ela Minus on Instagram | Twitter | Soundcloud

Suricata

26-year-old Mexican musician Suricata, produces house music, big-room, and electronic dance music in Mexico City. He incorporates indigenous sounds into the context of rave culture in Mexico City’s electronic music landscape through his work. “Music is not the expression of ideas but the experience of ideas, that same fact has always made sound the perfect tool for self-transformation,” said the house artist. He works with Drecords.mx in the neighborhood of La Doctores in México City, whose current roster includes other Latinx techno and house acts, Kitschy Kitsch, Prudd, and CasaNegra.

Follow Suricata on Instagram | Soundcloud

Prudd

Prudd has DJed in clubs all around Mexico City, London, Palma de Mallorca, and Tulum within the past decade. His projects are hypnotic, filled with plenty of layers of oscillating deep chords and rhythms. This Latinx DJ, hailing from Guadalajara, México, doesn’t shy away from experimenting slightly into the realms of dub techno and minimal house. His latest EP features expertly integrated sequencers and intensive drum machines to create these warm, memorable techno tracks you won’t readily forget. 

 Follow Prudd on Instagram | Soundcloud

Leimantour 

Born in Monterrey, Mexico, the LA-based producer known as Leimantour brings live instruments to his mixes and does his own vocals and live percussion. Leimantour’s latest projects fluctuate between melodic house & techno, and progressive house. His work is powered by driving basslines and vibrant sounds and melodies that ricochet throughout his projects, inspiring a fresh take on techno and house music, ultimately honing his unique recipe of music. Leimantour is a tour de force, and one musical act not to be missed.

Follow Leimantour on Instagram | Soundcloud

El Irreal Veintiuno

Bryan Dálvez is a Latinx producer and visual designer based in Mexico City. His musical endeavor, El Irreal Veintiuno, hybridizes euphoric sounds with peripheral tribal rhythms to explore new possibilities within contemporary Latinx club music. Dálvez’s music strikes perfectly between ancestral spirit and electronic dance music. He regularly DJs throughout Mexico City and is highly active within the capital’s electronic music scene. His latest releases are introspective and incredibly danceable. Tracks dropped within the last year have ranged from footwork-cumbia anthems to dance-floor ready tribal house cuts, intense and full of personal and mythological narratives.

Follow El Irreal Veintiuno on Instagram | Twitter | Soundcloud

Kaleema

Argentinian violinist, vocalist, and multi-instrumentalist Heidi Lewandowski, known in the Latinx electronic music scene as Kaleema, produces uplifting, experimental electronic music. The classically trained artist released her debut album in 2017, Nómada, which was positively received, in large part for her seamless execution of pairing irresistible hypnotic electronic elements with traditional Latin American instrumentals. Kaleema’s latest studio album, Útera, is an immersive experience—one that is full of sophisticated electronic arrangements that merge into downtempo and elegant, electronic ambient sounds.

Follow Kaleema on Instagram | Twitter

Pelada

Pelada is a Montreal-based electronic duo that produces a blend of techno and club music featuring themes of power, gender, and environmental politics. The duo consists of Tobias Rochman, who produces for the duo, and vocalist Chris Vargas. Their work as Palada spans various styles of dance music from house to cumbia. Vargas’ cutting vocals and biting lyrics sung in Spanish, paired alongside Rochman’s pulsing techno music, create a dynamic listening experience. 

Follow Pelada on Instagram | Twitter

Mitú

Mitú is Colombia’s best electronic music act. The duo, formed by Julián Salazar on synths, and Franklin Tejedor on percussions, create techno with a primal flavor. Salazar played guitar for Bomba Estéreo for over a decade and Tejedor comes from a lineage of San Basilio de Palenque musicians—the town was the first free black town of the new world, and as such was classified by UNESCO as an Intangible Heritage of Humanity. Tejedor previously played drums with Las Alegres Ambulancias, San Basilio de Palenque's most iconic band. The history of their lives and careers have inspired their latest works, which contain overarching punk themes reflective of society’s oppressive structures.

Follow Mitú on Instagram | Twitter



10 Hispanic House & Techno Artists to Watch

Hispanic artists have played a prominent role in dance music since its inception. Their contributions to the culture can’t be understated. Dance music history is synonymous with the rise of Latinx producers in mainstream music. And as music has evolved, those artists have continued to be the backbone of the culture growing into global superstars.

 Hispanic DJs played a vital role in developing dance, hip hop, and pop acts. People like DJ Charlie Chase paved the way for the DJs of today. He was a member of the Bronx hip hop crew The Furious Five. Led by legendary DJ Grandmaster Flash, they were architects of the hip hop movement in the late 70s and early 80s.

David Morales, the DJ turned super-producer, helped change the face of remix culture with his multiple credits for Mariah Carrey. His work on "Fantasy" earned him a GRAMMY. He was one of the first producers to work in parallel with an artist on a remix, completely reworking their music. Before Morales, it was unheard of to have the remixer in the studio with the original artist.

In celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month, we'd like to shine a light on the icons who continue to influence house and techno.

 

Louie Vega 

Bronx-born Luis Ferdinand Vega Jr. was born into a musical family. His dad was a jazz saxophonist, and his uncle was a singer in a salsa band. “Little” Louie started DJing at 13, and over three decades changed the face of dance music countless times. He held residencies at New York institutions like the Sound Factory and Studio 54. Vega was also one-half of three-time Grammy-award-winning duo Masters At Work with Kenny Dope. They became sought-after remixers when dance music was still in its infancy and worked with Michael Jackson, Donna Summer, Earth Wind & Fire, and Madonna. He continues to etch his mark on global dance music culture today. His 2020 release, “Let It Go,” is the perfect example of the Nuyorican Soul sound he established with Kenny Dope in the mid-90s. A masterful blend of classic soul, Latin sensibilities, and house music.

 

 

Oscar G 

Award-winning DJ and producer Oscar G’s sonic footprint has endured for over three decades. The Cuban-American artist kicked off his career as one-half of the group Liberty City. Tracks like "Some Lovin,'" and Interceptor's, "Together," on their label Murk quickly found their way into the sets of Danny Tenaglia and Junior Vasquez. The four-time ASCAP songwriting award winner has officially remixed pop icons like Madonna and Jennifer Lopez. He continues to educate dance floors on the intersection of Latin American music and dance with residencies at Space Miami and Pacha, where he regularly transports dancers on 12-hour marathon journeys. 

 

Rebolledo 

Mexican-born, multimedium artist Rebolledo is noted as a forward-thinking artist and self-described Experience Creator. His creativity expands beyond his bass-forward psychedelic beats. As one of the creative minds behind the Burning Man art car, the Mayan Warrior, he exhibits how music, visual art, and cross-continental collaboration coalesces in one epic ode to movement and sound. He also brings a unique slant on music as part of Pachanga Boys with German producer Superpitcher. Their lilting tribal beats are the perfect engine for sunrises over the Playa. In 2014, FORBES Magazine named him one of 50 Mexican creatives with the most worldwide influence.   

 The Martinez Brothers 

The Martinez Brothers were born for a life of performance. Their father instilled a love for a diverse set of influences early on. He put Steven and Chris in church bands and encouraged them to collaborate with older musicians. Growing up inspired by house, disco, salsa, and soul, their musical selection is always ahead of the curve and versatile. They were noticed early on by New York legend Dennis Ferrer, who became a mentor and signed them to his label Objektivity. In 2011 they began their decade-long residency at DC-10 in Ibiza. They have become fashion icons, producing music for Givenchy and starting their own line with Seth Troxler, Tuskegee. In 2014 they did percussion for the Nile Rodgers album, It’s About Time. They were the only artists not associated with Rodgers band Chic invited to contribute.

 

Luciano

Luciano was born in Switzerland but moved to Chile when his parents divorced at age 11. He carved the path for dance music to flourish in Chile. When Luciano began DJing in the late 90s at 16 years old, rock music was the sound of the clubs. He worked tirelessly to legitimatize techno in Santiago. In 1999 he moved to Europe, just after he DJed for Chile’s installment of Love Parade, proving his years of hard work paid off. His work is heavily influenced by his Hispanic heritage. He incorporates the rhythmic sensibilities of traditional Chilean music into his music, be it minimal techno or tech house. 

 

DJ Sneak

Dj Sneak may be a polarizing figure in house music, but the Puerto Rican artists’ contributions to the culture are clear. Sneak was one of the many Chicago legends who worked the counter at Gramophone Records. He met Cajmere—aka Green Velvet— while working there. He helped launch his career as part of the second wave of house music makers in the Windy City. Sneak has released over 10 albums since 1996. He was name-checked on Daft Punk’s 1997 record, “Teachers.” And went on to write the lyrics for their 1997 release, “Digital Love.” His rapid-fire mixing skills continue to make him a crowd favorite around the world. His infamous I’m A House Gangster brand is all about bringing house music back to its roots and drawing the focus away from the sounds of commercial dance music.

 Ricardo Villalobos

Ricardo Villalobos is a Chilean-born DJ and producer who came up in the early 90s in Germany. While he never envisioned himself as a musician, he eventually forged a path that saw him travel the world studying percussion, a skill he applied to his expansive music. Known for his winding compositions, his gorgeously minimal tracks stretch and swell, incorporating influences of his home country and organic worldly soundscapes. His 2006 single “Fizheuer Zieheuer,” is a 37-minute long epic based on a horn sample from a Roma folk song “Pobjednički Čoček" by Serbian group Blehorkestar Bakija Bakić. It’s evidence that Villalobos is one of the few in dance music to push the envelope. Renowned for melting the dancefloor into a mass of liquid minimal bliss, he was selected as Resident Advisor’s top DJ of the year in both 2008 and 2010.

 

 Hernan Cayetano 

The Colombian-born DJ founded BAUM nightclub in Bogota. Before it closed its doors in 2020, it was Bogota's premiere spot for house and techno. Built in an old home that sat abandoned at the center of the capital city, Cayetano envisioned a nightclub and community building project. The tree growing through the middle of the house became the central focus of the DJ booth. And the community that coalesced around the club was truly unique. Despite the club's closure due to increasing residential complaints, Cayetano continues to produce BAUM Festival, which returns to Bogota on May 21, 2022. As a musician, he blurs the lines between house and techno. He can be found on the exclusive circuit of global festivals captivating dancers with his compelling sound.  

Kenny Dope 

Kenny Dope came up in the 80s DJing for block parties in Brooklyn under the name Masters At Work. He famously let Todd Terry borrow the name to record two releases. Todd returned the favor by letting Kenny borrow a drum machine and introducing him to “Little” Louie Vega. It sparked his career as a producer. His 1994 release under the moniker the Bucketheads, “The Bomb! (These Sounds Fall into My Mind),” is an iconic piece of house music. But his career stretches beyond one hit. He was among the first dance music DJs to be commissioned for remix projects from the major labels and helped pave the way for the remix culture that persists today. His expansive catalog includes remixes for Luther Vandross, Daft Punk, Geroge Benson, and Tito Puente.

Nicola Cruz

Ecuadorian artist was born in France and spent his first three years there until he moved home to Quito. His parents encouraged his musical leanings and gave him a drum kit when he was 12. At 25, he collaborated and toured the US with the iconic Nicolas Jaar. His interest in the oral traditions of his ancestors and the rituals of native South Americans inform his explorative music. Highly organic, intensely creative, and strikingly beautiful, Cruz melds the worlds of the traditional with modern sound design masterfully. His blinding creative output saw him release five albums in the last five years while touring regularly. At only 33 years old, Cruz has a lot of musical experimenting ahead of him. 

10 Influential Hispanic House and Techno Artists

So much of our recent chat with Shelley Johannson centered around her musical roots. She opened up about the songs that made her fall in love with dance music and how they’ve made such a lasting emotional impact on her life. Her podcast One-Eighty and her Instagram feed perfectly encapsulate her love for moving forward while never forgetting where she came from. She’s a dance music encyclopedia and regularly shares her knowledge with the community.

We thought it’d be a great move to hit her and have her share her favorite classic dance tracks. It was a welcome trip down memory lane for the Toronto-based techno artist. It was also a reminder of the rich tapestry of sounds that have made up dance music for the last three decades.

Follow Shelly Johannson on Spotify | Instagram | Twitter

And grab a pre-save her upcoming Bedrock Records release here.

 

1. Reese - Rock To The Beat (1989)

Released on Kevin Saunderson’s KMS records this classic Chicago house cut features a slinky soulful vocal from Latonya Saunderson, Kevin’s sister. Saunderson adopted the Reese moniker for the first time on "Just Want Another Chance" in 1987. It was the first time the iconic reese bass was used in dance music, a sound that has gone on to be the foundation of jungle and D&B.

 

2. Age Of Love - The Age Of Love (Jam & Spoon Watch Out for Stella Mix) (1992)

Long before Charlotte DeWitte and chart-topping remake by Charlotte de Witte and Enrico Sangiuliano, this trance classic captivated the murky warehouse dancefloors of the early 90s. The Jam & Spoon remix was released two years after the original and was much more successful than the original. The remix takes its name from Jam El Mar's daughter of the same name. While it’s not the first trance record released, it’s one of the finest examples of early trance.

 

3. Bedrock - For What You Dream Of (1993)

Written by progressive icons John Digweed and Nick Muir, the vocal that carries this rousing emotional beat into the stratosphere was written and performed by noted playwright and vocalist Carol Leeming. It was just one of the many classic dance tunes featured in the movie “Trainspotting.”

 

4. New Order - Confusion (Pump Panel Reconstruction Mix) (1995)

There are few synth riffs more recognizable than the bouncing acid line from this remix. Often mistakenly called “Blood Rave” by The Crystal Method, no such song exists in their catalog. Aside from the distorted vocoded vocal version of the original’s acapella, Pump Panel’s remix bears no resemblance to the original and has become an iconic piece of dance music history all its own. 

 

5. Armand Van Helden - U Don't Know Me (1998)

Armand Van Helden sent German vocalist Duane Harden a loop of samples from “Dance With You” by Carrie Lucas, Plastic Dreams by Jaydee, and oddly a clip from 90s Nickelodeon cartoon Dexters Laboratory, to write a vocal for. What resulted was a disco house tune for anyone that has ever felt judged in their life. Thirty years later it still results in a giant dance floor sing-along.

 

6. Stardust - Music Sounds Better With You (1998)

This is the only release by French band Stardust, made up of Thomas Bangalter of Daft Punk, DJ and producer Alan Braxe, and vocalist Benjamin Diamond. The song was originally performed live by the trio at the legendary Rex nightclub in Paris. The lyrics were co-written by the bandmates, and were originally much longer. The shortened version ended up sounding like a mantra, and when completed the trio felt like they had written something groundbreaking.

 

 

7. Mr. Oizo - Flat Beat (1999)

 

Flat Beat was a wonderfully weird beat written for a loveable orange puppet named Flat Eric. Oizo thought it was just a “stupid loop” that he created solely to make Flat Eric dance in a Levi’s commercial. Oizo didn’t even consider himself a dance music producer at the time, but he unknowingly gave birth to the electro house movement several years before it had a name. 

 

8. ATB - 9PM (Till I Come) (1999)

Taken from German producer ATB’s debut album Movin' Melodies, the iconic pitch-bent synth comes from a pipe organ hook played on a guitar. The sultry suggestive vocal from spanish model Yolanda Rivera’s appearance on “The Way You Make Me Feel” by Ricky Rich and Julio Posadas. According to legend, ATB spent just a bit too much time in a studio session, giving the song it’s name 9PM.

 

 

9. Zombie Nation - Kernkraft 400 (1999)

I bet you thought the name of this song was Zombie Nation, so did I at one time. “Kernkraft 400” had a slithery hook that was inescapable after its release. It echoed from the rave to sports arena’s around the world. It’s seeped so far into the fabric of popular culture that its become genre-less. Elements of breakbeat, trance, and german techno are all heard, but who cares what genre it is, it still slaps.

 

10. Motorcycle - As The Rush Comes (2003) 

Motorcycle was a collaborative effort between Gabriel & Dresden and vocalist Jes. Released at the height of trance’s popularity, it was a crossover hit in the US and UK. It hit #1 on the US Billboard Dance Charts in 2004, remarkable for an underground record in the pre-EDM era. Proving that sometimes the best things in life come when you’re in the flow, the trip says they wrote and recorded the song in one day.

Shelley Johannson's Essential Classic Dance Playlist

House music was born in the 80s but really hit its height in the 90s. As its sonic footprint expanded, many directions of influence emerged. And in the process gave birth to countless genres making it a global phenomenon. At the turn of the decade, the grips of the house movement expanded to the far corners of Europe. Tracks with origins in Chicago, Detroit, and New York were studied, reconstructed, and sampled. And a vast web of subgenres emerged, elevating rave culture. 

The great producers of the 90s are known for successful singles that grew beyond the rave into mainstream radio culture. Many are sampled, covered, and remixed (sometimes ad-nauseam) today. Below you can dig into some of the house tracks that made an impact in the 90s. 

 

Stardust - Music Sounds Better With You (1998)

A collaboration between Thomas Bangalter (1/2 of Daft Punk) and musicians Alan Braxe and Benjamin Diamond, the track samples the disco classic "Fate" by Chaka Khan. It took house into uncharted territory. The simplicity of this beloved feel-good house track is warm, inviting, and timeless.  




Harddrive - Deep Inside (1993) 

Harddrive is made up of artists Louie Vega and Kenny Dope, a powerful and innovative duo championed by the label Strict Rhythm. Released in 1993, its catchy and evocative hook is sampled from Barbara Tucker's 1993 track “Beautiful People. Since the original release, the song has been remixed countless times.  




Cajmere - Coffee Pot (Percolator) (1992) 

Cajmere—aka Curtis A. Jones or Green Velvet— released this iconic track in 1992 during the second wave of Chicago House. This vocal-heavy track is minimal and raw. Composed of a drum machine, Cajmere on the vocals,  and a bed of silly synth sounds it paved the way for a free frame structure not common in house music. It was also a trailblazer for the tougher sounds of ghetto house.   




CeCe Peniston, “Finally” (1991) 

Background singer turned vocal queen Cece Peniston's bright and colorful  “Finally” was a strong debut for the former gospel singer. Considered one of the top house tracks of all time, it showcases Peniston’s bold voice, a euphoric riff, and chorus quintessential of the disco influences in house music. Next time you go to a festival, count how many times you hear that iconic synth line break through the mix. 




Paul Johnson - Get Get Down (1999)

This smashing 1999 release put iconic DJ and Producer Paul Johnson on the global radar. "Get Get Down" is one of those tracks that everyone has heard at least once. It's beyond catchy and a blissfully simple concept. A bangin' 4/4 beat sampling Hamilton Bohannon’s disco hit, "Me And The Gang." The simple lyrics have made this a nostalgic icon of 90s house. 




Daft Punk - Around the World (1997)

Daft Punk dominated the music scene in the 1990’s so of course, they had to be included in this list. The acclaimed duo’s 1997 track, "Around the World" was their introduction to the mainstream. It's a perfect example of Daft Punk’s French house sound. The robot vocals, with a disco boogie bassline, a sprinkling of synth, topped with a catchy hook. You would never guess that it was recorded in a bedroom. Regardless of the DIY recording, this track retooled dance music as we know it and still echoes today.  




Armand Van Helden (feat. Duane Harden) - U Don’t Know Me (1999)

Armand Van Helden's lengthy discography includes remixes for Tori Amos, Brittany Spears, Katy Perry, and Janet Jackson. One of his most iconic tracks hit the airwaves in 1999, sparking a surge of disco house tracks that dominated dance floors. "U Don’t Know Me" has proven to be a timeless, good vibe creator. The groovy four-on-the-floor beat features the rousing soulful vocals of Duane Harden. It easily tugs on the heartstrings, if it doesn't touch you, you may not be alive.




Deee-Light - Groove is in the Heart (1990) 

The pop crossover trio Deee-light is quintessential as it gets. The 1990s hit single “Groove Is In The Heart" is ageless. The song is full of hype, led by the sultry and charismatic vocals of Lady Miss Kier, backed with a playfully funky '70s inspired house groove. Showcasing influences of hip hop and disco it took the clubs by storm and has appeared on multiple greatest dance hits of all-time lists.




 

Crystal Waters, “Gypsy Woman” (1991) 

This memorable track, produced in 1991 by the Basement Boys harmoniously fuses a crispy house beat with Waters' background in Jazz. House was still very much underground when "Gypsy Woman," was released. And despite its crossover success, Waters kept her day job for two years after the record hit the top of the charts. The iconic heavy bass line layered with chunky, shuffling beats and the iconic keyboard riff tells the story of a homeless woman who panhandled in front of the Mayflower Hotel in Washington DC but still wore her makeup so she should look presentable while asking for money. With that, the hook and perspective of the song were crafted, leading to the first socially aware classic house track to top the charts. 

 




Everything But the Girl - Missing (1994)

"Missing" is a song by English popular music duo Everything but the Girl, taken from their eighth studio album Amplified Heart (1994). It was written by band members, Tracey Thorn and Ben Watt. Released in August 1994 as the second single off the album it was an initial failure until their label Atlantic commissioned a remix by Todd Terry. Re-released in 1995 it received worldwide acclaim, peaking at or near the top of the charts in many countries. 

 

 




10 House Hits That Defined the 90s

The birth of tech house is symbolic of the tenacity of electronic music. Dance music is malleable, constantly changing, and evolving. This is the key to its decades of success.



Tech house is the warm and funky child of dance music’s most revered genres. A union formed in the ’90s, it’s evolved into the sound of mainstage dance music. Like Chicago house, it’s heavy on loops, vocals, and syncopated basslines. It adds the weight of techno’s percussion and sometimes a touch of acid from the Roland TB-303. By merging the symbolic genres of dance music, a whole new scene developed with new creative feasibility.

Where did this all begin?   

Tech house was born in historic London events like The Wiggle, Heart & Soul, The End, and The Drop. The Wiggle—hosted by Terry Francis, Nathan Coles, and “Evil” Eddie Richards—spearheaded the genre’s modern moniker. According to legend Eddie Richards received a mixtape from Mr. C, a resident DJ at The Drop. One side was labeled “Tech,” and the other side “House.”

Swag Records, a record store located in Croyden, London, and owned by the late Liz Edwards adopted the term and became a hub for the burgeoning subgenre. Swag Records (which opened in 1993) had an in-house record label that birthed a litany of sub-labels that helped form the foundation for early house music. Funknose, Surreal, London Housing Benefit, Pirate Radio, and Uhuru Beats all had a hand in expanding the UK house sound.

The staff at Swag was just as vital to the proliferation of the genre. Carl Cox and Colin Dale may have been its most well-known employees. Producers and DJs like Terry Francis, Jazzy M, Archticht of French Touch, Richard Grey, and Grant Dell also served behind the counter. 

Tech house steamrolled the UK scene. Chicago had house, Detroit had techno, London now had (another) unique sound that defined the dance floor. The emerging genre’s goal was to spotlight the unique local approach to DJing. UK ravers and clubbers had already responded positively to the harder edge of acid house and jungle. Tech house found the sweet spot between heavy and funky.

Labels in the United Kingdom dominated the early days of tech house and were instrumental in defining its sonic footprint. Songs like “Blue Wig” by Terry Francis and Giddy Jackson, “Loop,” by LFO and F.U.S.E. (with Richie Hawtin on editing), and “Tech House” by Mr. C are some of the greatest tracks to come from those halcyon days.

As the ‘90s ebbed into the aughts, tech house drowned under the rise of progressive house and minimal techno. It wasn’t until 2005 when the synth-based, Euro-flavored sound began to prove popular again. M.A.N.D.Y. and Booka Shade’s 2005 classic “Body Language” beautifully reflects the resurgence of the sound with deep clarity. Tech house didn't hit its stride until 2010, though.  

The New Kids on the Block

Labels like Jamie Jones’ Hot Creations, founded in 2010, began to redefine and popularize tech house to the masses. Artists like Steve Lawler, Lee Foss, Miguel Campbell, Solomun, and Marco Carola were responsible for the new class of tech house. Production techniques had progressed exponentially since the early days, and dance music was at the advent of streaming, so tech house could now reach a global audience.

The summer of 2011 marked a turning point. The Jamie Jones remix of “Hungry For The Power” by Azari & III and “Around (Solomun Vox Mix)” by Noir & Haze dominated global dance floors. Even with EDM looming large in the public eye, it felt like a new beginning for tech house.   

In the past decade, dozens of tech house-leaning DJs and producers have risen to prominence and become household names. As a result, Tech house has started to eclipse harder-edged EDM styles as the most popular (or hated) genre of electronic music.

Dubfire, Pan-Pot, Hot Since 82, Fisher, and John Summit are just a small sample of a much wider and diffuse scene that exists everywhere. Most global electronic festivals have some, if not the majority of, real estate devoted to tech house, as it has become the defining sound of the moment in modern electronic music.  

The true legacy of tech house is, much like its original spirit, something both subtle and special. DJs reacting to audiences defined the genre. It was born in a community of dancers, DJs, producers, record shops, and promoters, created in the ashes of genres before it. 

 




The History of Tech House: Dance Music's Beloved and Derided Genre

Colin Tyler and Joe Domingo pulled double duty at ARC Music Festival. Both as the DJ duo GoodSex and as co-conspirators in charge of the ARC Car. Otherwise known as the GoodBus, the art car was central to the festival grounds. It's made from a reclaimed 45-foot school bus purpose-built for spreading positive energy and bangin’ beats. The 10,000-watt four-point VOID audio was at the center of the action and was the perfect spot to enjoy the vibes of a barrage of top-tier local talent.

The GoodBus is an extension of the GoodSex brand of hip-moving beats that defy genre lines. Tyler and Domingo are staples in Chicago and hold residencies at some of its most iconic venues including, Primary and Spybar. They exemplify what makes ARC's production crew so special. A group of like-minded people with a deep love for dance music and the community surrounding it. Chicago is beautiful, vibrant, and united.

GoodSex was one of our first interviews of the weekend. Their sunny positivity, hilarious dynamic, and insight were a preview for the kind of hospitality we continued to receive throughout the weekend. Check out our chat with them. We discussed the importance of ARC’s first year in the birthplace of house music, what makes Chicago such a dope city, and shared some laughs.

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GoodSex Share the Best of Chicago's House Music Community

Hailed as one of the most iconic house artists of all time, Paul Johnson died on August 4th in his hometown Chicago, Illinois. The self-taught producer has ignited dancefloors globally since the late 80s with house hits such as “Get Get Down,” “Let Me See You Butterfly,” and “Follow This Beat.” Johnson’s music has a sincere and addictive quality—filled with soulful sounds and irresistible basslines. We sifted through the Chicago legend’s expansive discography and put together a list of the essentials for your enjoyment. You can stream the playlist on Spotify below.

1. Get Get Down

As infectious as it is iconic, “Get Get Down” is easily Johnson’s most famous track. Released in 1999 and still sampled and played by many DJs today, this track is one that will stay in your mind long after the music stops. The iconic shuffled and chopped sample of Hamilton Bohannon’s 1978 disco tune, “Me And The Gang” is the centerpiece of the iconic dance floor rocker. 

2. The Groove 

The chopped and pitched vocals combined with its groovy bassline demonstrate Johnson’s aptitude for borrowing elements from vintage disco cuts and transforming them into inimitable, gorgeous house bangers. Paul knew exactly what he was doing when he produced this entrancing track. 

3. Hear the Music

One can’t help but also feel the music when they hear this disco-house tune. This sped-up, squeaky-soul track is the title track off of Paul Johnson’s second LP, Hear the Music, released in 1996. The soulful vocals are sampled from the disco-era classic, “Hear Music in the Streets,” by  Unlimited Touch.


4. Music’s In Me (Original Mix) 

The piano riff takes center stage in this swirling spacious disco-house track produced and mixed by Johnson. The sexy bassline and lyrics evoke a euphoric feeling. This sophisticated masterpiece is as delightful as it is enthralling. Keep this feel-good cut on hand for a lively Sunday brunch. 

5. Everybody Have a Good Time

The message from Johnson is loud and clear, get loud (now, this is mandatory), be inclusive, and most importantly, have a damned good time! This track is off of the Various Artists 01 EP released only a few years ago on Black Jack Records, with fellow house collaborators Superfunk, EEEdiot, and Vantage. Put this on and have a good ass time!

6. You Make Me Say Do Be Do

With full-toned drums and subtle bells heard juxtaposing charming Do Be Do’s, it's clear that no one can produce house cuts of this caliber better than Chicago’s own Paul Johnson. ‘You Make Me Say’ is inviting, dynamic and illustrates Paul’s adeptness at combining contrasting song elements, which reveal a tireless house track that just won’t quit.





7. If You Ever Call Me

The looping, hypnotic vocals in this sexy house track are simply iconic. The track features tight mixing by Paul, and the beats are light and fun. This is one to have on your day party playlist.




8. Honest (with Innocent Soul) [Original Mix]

There is no question about it, the loudness wars are real. Allow Innocent Soul & Johnson to show you how it’s done with “Honest.” This track is the one to play at around 2 am, when it’s time for a reinvigorating second wind to bring the party back up to speed. Believe me, you’ll want to turn this one all the way up. 




9. He Loves Me 2 (Paul Johnson Vocal Dub) - Cece Peniston, Paul Johnson, Steve Hurley 

This particular vocal dub is a special one. Paul Johnson's Dancefloor Dub remix of CeCe’s single actually entered the Billboard Hot Dance Music/ Club Play chart in 1999 and peaked at number 24. The vocal dub is a more subtle melodic take on the dancefloor remix, yet just as danceable. 




10. Housebreak Hotel

“Housebreak Hotel” is a continuous, euphoric symphony of strings, cowbell, and a killer bassline. At 128 BPM, this blazing beat is one that will get you up and moving. Paul released this track on the newly established Italian label Discodelic on July 14th of this year as a part of his I Can Make You a Big Freak EP. 





The Essential Paul Johnson Playlist

Chicago celebrated the fading days of summer with ARC Music Festival. An ode to the birthplace of house music, the festival brought together a diverse lineup of house and techno artists for a one-of-a-kind open-air event just south of downtown. 

It was a first-time event of this caliber for Auris Presents and the veteran group of Chicago dance music promoters proved that their years of experience were the key to a successful weekend. The finely curated music and art experience rivaled that of European festivals. This kind of event is long overdue. 

Spread out over four unique stages at grassy Union Park, ARC was a carnival of the senses featuring performances from Camelphat, Deborah De Luca, Meduza, Seth Troxler, Fisher, Zhu, Eric Prydz, and more. The international lineup gave just as much shine to Chicago heroes like Steve Gerrard and Hiroko Yamamura as it did to house music legends like DJ Heather, Derick Carter, and Gene Farris.

Here are five reasons why ARC blew us away

The Colors of Elrow

If you had streamers in your cup, you were definitely at the elrow stage. The Spanish experience creators brought the circus to Chicago for the first time. And the tent tucked away behind the main stage was the first to be full each day. The stage was a day-glow flashback to the ‘60s, appropriate for the end of our very own summer of love. It was a party within a party with its tie-dye color palate, vibrant décor, stilt walkers, actors, jugglers, and elrow’s dancing avian mascot, Rowgelia.

The stage produced some beautifully wholesome moments. Like when the crowd erupted in unison as Fisher dropped an appropriate remix of Jefferson Airplane’s, “Want Somebody to Love.” Or when Hot Since 82 spotted a Baby Yoda stuffy raised high in the center of the dance floor, and eventually placed it front and center on the DJ booth to silently watch over the crowd as he closed the festival out. Apparently the t-shirt Yoda is wearing was made by a fan for the DJ's baby, Enzo.

Arius marketing director Joe Calderone said that the elrow stage required 70 pounds of streamers and confetti. If you were anywhere in the vicinity of the stage you would know when the hourly confetti blasts happened because you could hear the crowd shout in collective joy every single time. It’s the first time many at the festival heard of elrow, but it won’t be the last. Elrow returns to Chicago for a full venue take over at Radius nightclub in October 2021.




Extended Sets Are Good for Everyone

Photo Credit: Kursza



ARC organizers clearly understand the value of letting a performer stretch their limbs a bit. Many of the sets at ARC were longer than an hour, with some headliner slots stretching out for two. Longer set times meant artists like Camelphat, who played during a picturesque sunset on Sunday, could take the audience on an aural journey, shift moods, build emotion, and tell a complete story. It also meant that set time conflicts weren’t the end of the world because you could easily bounce between artists and catch enough of each set to make it all worth it.




The Stages Were Works of Art

Photo Credit: Kursza



The festival’s two main stages the Grid and Expansions were an example of how Arius hopes to build unique spaces. The production was impressive, especially for a first-time festival. The Grid, ARC’s mainstage was a magnificent build of cascading shipping containers, a massive mural, and a web of LEDs and lasers that came alive at night. Let's be clear though, it was a captivating spectacle during the day as well. The arena was spacious and the sound was incredible.

Photo Credit: Kursza



Expansions was smaller but a gorgeous work of art just the same. A cross between an alien spacecraft, bird's nest, and a raver treehouse. The natural build felt at home nestled among the trees. It was the proper environment for people to get a little bit soaked in the rain during the Saturday night Cirez D set.

Photo Credit: Lunar Speedboat



Let's not forget the ARC Car! The hometown team took over a purpose-built 45-foot rear-engine school bus for the weekend. With a 10,000-watt VOID audio system and a lineup of local legends, the GoodBus was the smallest of the four stages, but it was mighty.




Community Took Center Stage

The sense of community felt at ARC was undeniable. From the camaraderie between the DJs to the hugs and high fives we saw on the dance floor, there was a unifying spirit that hung in the air throughout the weekend. For many ARC was a return to festivals after a nearly two-year break during the pandemic. So the feeling of being back on the dancefloor amongst our people was palpable. It was also a destination festival, with festivalgoers converging on Chicago from throughout the country.

Those who came to the festival went because they hoped to be part of a historic event. Enjoying a weekend of underground dance in the sun with thousands of your closest friends is one of the best feelings life has to offer. There were multiple times I felt the spirit of old-school rave culture.

When you dive deeper beneath the surface, you realize that the sense of togetherness is part of the construction of the ARC itself. The founders include a list of industry legends who helped push the culture forward in Chicago and beyond. They joined forces to build an event company that puts fan experience above all else. Their love for the culture permeated through the festival grounds all weekend.




Chicago is More Than Just a City

The Midwestern charm of Chicago is one of the main characters in the story of ARC. The city’s people are some of the most welcoming and genuine in the country. 

Chicago’s food culture is outstanding. I got a Chicago hotdog and an Italian Beef in the same meal. I skipped the Malort. 

The delightful city that birthed a youth culture movement that’s lasted for nearly four decades is a hearty, honest, and non-pretentious place that is full of natural and architectural beauty. And an amazing music culture that stretches back to the days of the blues. ARC harnessed the vitalic energy of Chicago, its deep-seated history, and charming appeal and put it on display for all to experience. We can't wait to return to ARC for year two. 
















5 Reasons ARC Music Festival Blew Us Away

Chicago House is one of dance music’s most prominent subgenres. The unforgettable spawn of disco, it boasts stylistic origins from electro, Italo disco, and hip hop. Its high-energy sound is anchored by drum machines such as the Roland 808 and 909. And its heavy use of samplers and synths illustrate the innovation that occurs when technology and art intersect with no regard to the constraints of popular culture.

Chicago House was a direct response to the decline in mainstream popularity of disco. It’s not a coincidence that the birthplace of house music was also the site of one of the most memorable and extreme anti-disco rallies. On July 12, 1979, at Comiskey Park people were invited to burn their disco records on the field. Disco Demolition Night turned into a riot. A substantial decline in radio airplay soon followed as it seemed a nail was put in the coffin for the genre. It can be considered a major trigger of a nationwide sentiment against disco. It forced artists to explore new approaches to create dance music.   

Advancements in music tech helped fuel the rapid evolution of Chicago house.  The Roland 808 and 909 were considered to be commercial failures for the Japanese music instrument manufacturer. Yet in the hands of young hip hop and electronic music producers these discarded artifacts were repurposed and pushed to unheard of limits.

It wasn’t just the music. A cultural movement quickly coalesced in Chicago around the burgeoning genre. People flocked to The Warehouse (or the “House”) the venue considered to be the birthplace of house music. Located at 206 South Jefferson Street in Chicago, The Warehouse was a members-only club patronized by a gay Black and Latino crowd who came to dance to the music played by resident DJ—and "Godfather of House Music"—Frankie Knuckles. He grew up in the Bronx during the early days of disco. His signature sound layered disco or pop vocals, catchy electronic samples with pulsating beats. It became the hallmark of early house, a sound many Chicago producers were beginning to adopt. During his tenure in Chicago, he recorded some of the most influential tracks known to house music. “The Whistle Song,”  ‘‘Your Love,” and “Baby Wants to Ride”  featuring Jamie Principle, still stand strong today as shining examples of the genre. 



Equally important to the birth of the genre is Jesse Saunders who produced one of Chicago house’s first documented singles, “On and On” in 1984. Saunders innovated the sound and advanced the culture. He was a founder of The Chosen Few DJs, a DJ collective that alongside other architects of house music helped spread the sound of Chicago to the world.

Chicago commercial radio’s role in exposing early house records to the community can’t be understated. WBMX featured a stable of leading DJs of the era who were referred to as the Hot Mix 5. Farley “Jackmaster” Funk, Mickey “Mixin” Oliver, Ralph Rosario, Scott “Smokin” Silz, and Kenny “Jammin” Jason.  The Hot Mix 5 was the first house music show featured on mainstream radio starting in 1981. These amazing DJS were remixing songs on the fly, live in the club with reel-reel tapes, cassettes, Casio keyboards, drum machines, and playing the freshest music right off acetates and test pressings. They were widely listened to by DJs and dance music fans in Chicago as well as visiting DJs and producers from Detroit.    

An uptick in the growth in popularity of the genre came with the founding of house-specific labels like Trax Records. When Trax released Marshall Jefferson’s iconic track, "Move your Body,’ Chicago house was catapulted to international attention. 

Other records that followed like “Jack Your Body,” by Steve “Silk” Hurley and “Love Can’t Turn Around” by Farley “Jackmaster” Funk climbed the dance charts in the US, but reached an unprecedented level of success in the UK. Subsequently, house scenes began to appear in New York and London.

By 1988 Chicago house began to decline in popularity in its birth city. Production never stopped though, because the sound was already global. The London club scene hit its peak in 1988, termed the Summer of Love. The emerging rave culture fueled by the introduction of ecstasy can be considered Chicago house’s highest point. Tracks were produced at a rapid rate. And for the first time, Chicago house DJs were invited overseas to showcase their work at massive raves throughout the UK. 

During this time there was a notable shift from traditional Chicago house to acid house, which exploited the squelching power of the Roland TB-303 bass machine. When rave culture migrated to the United States in the 1990s, Chicago House found its revival. Ravers in the '90s looked back to the roots of the music they partied to and realized the importance of Chicago in the zeitgeist. DJs dug deep into the origins and threw classic Chicago house tracks into their mixes. Remix culture began to emerge as producers reimagined iconic tracks. And the sound of Chicago found new homes in San Francisco and Los Angeles.



Green Velvet, aka Cajmere, is one of the most significant contributors to the 90s revival of Chicago house. He left graduate school to pursue his passions of DJing and production. His mission was to throw himself into the energy and lifestyle of house music. Specifically shining a spotlight on Chicago house with his 1994 release on his Cajual Records imprint, “The New Chicago House Sound.”  This again propelled the sound abroad and increased its domestic footprint through the early 2000s. However, the increasing commercialization of dance music coupled with the explosion of other genres of electronic music took the forefront of the dance music scene.   

In recent years with the rise in DJs and music festivals, Chicago house music classics continue to be re-released, remixed, and played in sets with ever-growing traction. The genre that was born over 30 years ago continues to bring people together from all identities. Chicago has ushered in a new wave of artists and DJs that honor its legacy. Artists such as Kayne West, The Blessed Madonna, Mark Farina, and Honey Dijon may not live in Chicago anymore but their craft still pays homage to the genre. Even the iconic Daft Punk has paid respect to Chicago by name-checking the late trailblazing producer and DJ Paul Johnson at the top of their 1997 song “Teachers.”

Needless to say, the momentous genre of Chicago House isn’t going anywhere. Artists will always find a way to revive and recreate classic beats to pay homage to the forefathers of house.  






How Chicago House Arose From the Ashes of Disco

There’s no shortage of exciting destination festivals for house heads and techno tourists. And nothing beats the experience of exploring a new city as you take in the sensory bliss of a far-flung festival. From established powerhouses like Awakenings and Creamfields, to underrated gems like Street Parade, let us be your guide as we tour some of Europe's remarkable rave experiences.

Creamfields | Daresbury, United Kingdom | Aug 26-29, 2021

Creamfields is notorious for being the UK’s biggest music festival of the year. Located in the beautiful countryside in Daresbury, England, the four-day campout is a marathon. For those who prefer a race two-day tickets are available. Creamfields features sets from hundreds of world-renowned DJs and incredible live acts. The lineup for this year's sold-out event is absolutely stacked this year, with over 300 performances set to take place.



DGTL Barcelona | Barcelona, Spain | September 3-4, 2021 

DGTL: four letters associated with unmistakable prestige. The DGTL Music Festival is global, with editions in Tel Aviv, Santiago, São Paulo, Bengaluru and Madrid. This sustainable house and techno festival is known for its impressive, raw industrial stages, mesmerizing light effects and visual treats. DGTL Barcelona will take place the first week of September this year at the Parc del Fòrum. A park with a fabulous coastal view and close proximity to divine local eateries and delightful attractions. 

Ticket preregistration is now open.



Lobster Fest | North London, United Kingdom | Saturday, September 4, 2021

London-based label, Lobster Theremin, home of DJ Kush Boogie, Route 8, DJ Seinfeld, Hidden Spheres, and SONIKKU, will make their festival debut with a 50 artist lineup at The Cause in London this September. Lobster Fest is five years in the making, so the house and techno label is pulling out all the stops. The organizers vocalized their commitment to diversity and revealed that the artist lineup will consist of roughly 50% women and non-binary artists and 50% POC & Black artists. Though not released yet, the headliners will span five stages of live music all day from noon to 10 pm. 

Tickets are on sale now

Caprices Festival | Crans-Montana, Switzerland | September 17-19, 2021 & September 24-26, 2021

Outdoor adventurers, rejoice! This Swiss festival takes place in one of the best ski resorts  in the Swiss Alps, Crans-Montana. Not only are the snowy mountain top views incredible, so is the production, line up, and gorgeous glass tents. Don’t think twice about it, come make mountain memories at this stunning party above the clouds! 

Tickets are available now.

Elrow Town Amsterdam | Westpoortweg, Amsterdam | September 25, 2021

Elrow Town is a quirky, colorful whirlwind of a dance party that takes place during the best time of the year to visit Amsterdam. Expect to see plenty of glitter, inflatables, and whimsical characters as you make your way around the various stages in the venue. You’ll leave with confetti in your hair, a smile on your face, and a fortified love for tech house in your heart.

 Tickets are available now.

AVA Festival | Boucher Roads Fields, Belfast, Northern Ireland | September 24-25, 2021 

Hailed as “one of Europe’s smartest young festivals,” by Resident Advisor, AVA is Ireland’s most innovative and inspiring festival yet. The outdoor multi-stage event  pushes boundaries with prodigious music productions and remarkable art exhibitions and installations. Dance under oscillating lights and reverberating beats at this unforgettable avant-garde showcase of music and art in Belfast. 

Buy tickets now


Time Warp | Maimarkt, Mannheim, Germany | April 2, 2022

Boasting six floors of techno and house, Time Warp is on every techno lover’s bucket list. Since 2000, there have been 53 editions, its played host to more than 300 artists, and made over 600,000 dancers sweat it out. It continues to stand out globally due to it’s phenomenal production and incredible headliners. Expect an immersive visual and sound experience from this 19 hour, techno fan-favorite festival.

Tickets will go on sale in late 2021



Awakenings | Spaarnwoude, Netherlands | June 2022 

This European festival is on its 25th anniversary year, and for good reason — Awakenings is the largest outdoor techno festival in the world. Boasting 80,000 visitors in a single weekend, it is undoubtedly the best of all techno gatherings. The festival delivers the ultimate techno experience, with a series of non-stop parties and the best headliners in techno music today. 



Street Parade | Lake Zurich, Switzerland | August 13, 2022

If you love the energy of block parties and the spontaneity of bar crawls, you need to experience Street Parade in Switzerland. Since 1992, this it continues to generate enthusiasm and excitement for techno and house music. Taking place around the culturally rich Lake Zurich, brightly decorated trucks packed with booming sound systems and DJs drive slowly through and around the Lake. In addition, nine stages are planted along the route, headlined by top DJs and other live acts. Watch the city of Zurich come alive, and vibrate to the sounds of house and techno on the lakefront.

Sonus Festival | Zrce Beach, Novalja, Croatia | August 21-25, 2022

From the legendary creators behind Time Warp comes Sonus Festival—a 5-day techno beach party at Zrce Beach in Croatia. The festival is spread out over Zrce’s three world-renowned open-air clubs: Aquarius, Kalypso and Papaya. Experience booming techno sets day and night while taking in the views of the sparkling Adriatic Sea. Have yourself a perfect rave vacation in Croatia next September.

Tickets are on sale now.





10 European Destination Festivals to Add to Your Dance Music Bucket List

From thick sub-bass to cortex-tickling supersaws to metallic growls and every texture in between, dance music has birthed no shortage of novel sounds. Almost 40 years ago, though, the most alien timbre any producer could imagine came from an unexpected culprit: the Roland TB-303 Bass Line. At that, it was discovered by accident.

The device is responsible for the instantly recognizable squelch sound associated with acid house. What unfolded in the genre’s wake carried implications reaching far beyond worldwide music, let alone its creators’ local community. It converged with other factors to bring forth a full-fledged youth culture movement that influenced politics, commerce, technology, and the arts. Perhaps most importantly, it opened a generation’s minds to less conventional forms of music.

The manufacturers of the 303 most certainly didn’t expect it to have such an impact. In fact, they intended it to serve an entirely different purpose.

Roland Corporation engineer Tadao Kikumoto designed the transistorized bass synth (where the “TB” in TB-303 comes from). It was meant to emulate the sound of an electric bass guitar and be taken on tour by solo artists in lieu of a live human bassist. Roland released it alongside their TR-606 drum machine as a package deal in 1981 - less than a decade after Ikutaro Kakehashi founded the Japanese company, and when it was arguably still finding its identity. 

The 303 proved decidedly unfit for the task at hand. Its unassuming hum and elastic resonance hardly resembled any sound conceivably produced by a bass guitar, leaving much to be desired by musicians accustomed to the organic warmth of live instrumentation. The learning curve necessary to program a sequence that could accompany the rest of a band didn’t win it any points for convenience, either.

Roland permanently discontinued the TB-303 Bass Line in 1984. Forbes reports that only 10,000 units were ever made, most of which were relegated to bargain bins in electronics stores. It was there that the commercially unsuccessful synthesizer would find new life, though.

In the mid-‘80s, U.S. dance floor culture still suffered from stigmas lingering from Disco Demolition Night. After the 1979 promotion-turned-riot at Comiskey Park in Chicago, major labels wanted nothing to do with the genre - which had initially gained popularity in Black, Latino and queer nightclubs. Without advances to cover the costs of singers, session musicians, studio engineers or any other ingredient of disco’s oft orchestral style, recording artists began to seek out more cost-effective alternatives.

In Chicago, young, Black musicians like Vince Lawrence, Jesse Saunders, Adonis, and Frankie Knuckles began to reimagine disco as house music - so named for the Warehouse, where Knuckles was the resident disc jockey. House tracks - not songs at first, but tracks - originally served to repurpose the classics for DJ sets. They consisted of samples from electronic, soul, funk, and disco records paired with drum machines and synthesizers. 

Speaking with Beatportal, Saunders said that “On And On,” his 1984 collaboration with Lawrence that’s often cited as the first recorded house track, was produced with the Roland TR-808 drum machine, the Korg Poly-61 synthesizer, and as luck would have it, the 303. The device also featured in Italo disco like Alexander Robotnick’s 1983 international hit “Problèmes D'Amour,” and Adonis’ 1986 dance floor favorite “No Way Back.”

Enter Nathaniel Pierre Jones, known professionally as DJ Pierre. While working to develop a unique signature style of house music alongside collaborators Herbert J and the late Earl Smith Jr. aka DJ Spank-Spank, he learned about the 303 from a friend named Jasper J. 

According to Jones, Smith found one at a secondhand shop for around $40. What happened when they brought the unassuming Roland TB-303 Bass Line home changed the course of history.

Lining the top of the 303 are knobs that manipulate the timbre of a note played by adjusting tuning, resonance, accent, envelope modulation, and other parameters. The right combination of qualities, with a knob or two turned farther than they’re meant to be turned, yields an otherworldly squelch that immediately captivated Jones and his colleagues.

“The acid squiggle was there to start with,” Jones is quoted as saying In Simon Reynolds’ 1998 book on rave history, Energy Flash. “The machine already had that crazy acid sound in it that you were supposed to erase and put your own in, because it was just some MIDI gerbil. But we liked it.”

“We had it synched up, and it was playing some stuff, and I started just tweaking knobs and turning stuff, and Spanky was like, ‘Whoa whoa whoa. Keep doing that, keep doing that,” Jones told Red Bull Music Academy in 2012. “So, I kept twisting knobs, and the next thing you know, we were there for like an hour or two, just twisting knobs and programming things.”

Jones and company - under the moniker Phuture - laid down the bulk of “Acid Tracks” that very day in 1985. The early demo became a staple in DJ sets by the late Ron Hardy, its sonorous lead causing those dancing at Chicago club Muzic Box to dissociate. Two years later, the song appeared on an EP of its namesake released on seminal house label Trax Records.

In England, the chief importer of Chicago house during the ‘80s, the acid sound provided a key component of something much bigger. Disenfranchised by the effects of policies implemented by then Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, impoverished youths found an outlet in illegal warehouse raves and free parties. Intensified by ecstasy, the physical experience of acid house when played on powerful sound systems whipped revelers into a frenzy that triggered a consciousness shift felt throughout the nation.

Britain’s “second summer of love” from 1988-89 drew the ire of lawmakers who perceived it as a threat to the moral fiber of society. One of the other notable effects of ecstasy was an acute sense of togetherness and unity, however - one strong enough to inspire ravers to band together against the powers that be.

In the early years promoters pooled resources and devised tactics to elude the authorities, leading attendees to raves with systems of map points and planning backup locations in the event of a bust. In time, though, they grew active in policy itself. After the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act passed 1994, ravers organized demonstrations - some ranging from 20,000-50,000 participants - to protest the rights they lost on account of the legislation. 

Dance music producers in the United Kingdom returned the favor by innovating further. The British at first emulated Phuture’s style of acid house with tracks like “Humanoid” by Stakker and A Guy Called Gerald’s “Voodoo Ray,” but they went on to tease out countless permutations of the same sonic philosophy. 

In their 1999 book Dance Music, Culture and the Politics of Sound, Jeremy Gilbert and Ewan Pearson argue that acid house inspired an “exploration of texture” that superseded western music’s emphasis on melody. Extensions of this aesthetic influenced techno, which laid the groundwork for hardcore, which birthed jungle, which begat drum and bass - ad infinitum and often to the confusion of more passive music fans.

To this day, though, the acid squelch of the Roland TB-303 Bass Line remains a fetishized sound in electronic music. Richie Hawtin recently dusted off his own 303 to deliver a gritty, fast-paced techno track titled “Acid King.”  Hawtin, who made a name for himself in the early ‘90s with an acid-infused take on Detroit techno, said that the single resulted from a search for “the soft, warm distortions that were inherent” in the music he put out back then. 

The most compelling aspect of acid house’s legacy may well be how it reminds creatives of all disciplines to embrace happy accidents. DJ Pierre himself often eschews credit for discovering and implementing the sound, calling it a “gift from god” he was fortunate enough to receive. Not only that, but the vessel in which it arrived was a product pulled after only three years on the market.

If any singular message is encoded into the mind-bending frequencies of acid house, perhaps it is that one should open their eyes, ears, heart, and mind to possibilities. For all anyone knows, it could mean the start of a revolution.



Acid House: The Errant Knob Twist that Started a Culture Revolution

Overnight success takes about ten years. By that measure, your favorite DJ or producer was grinding long before you even knew they existed. And they probably tried countless times to find their groove. 

Dance music is a vast web of genres and subgenres. Its diversity makes it easy for artists to stay in the scene while they test out new sounds. DJ aliases also allow artists to exist in relative anonymity, at least until they blow up and their cover is blown.

Take, for example, Marshmello. The masked dance music phenom turned pop star scored a Billboard dance top 10 and a gold record and it was a mystery who was beneath that shiny lampshade.  It was a running joke in EDM that even Dutch dance legend Tiesto got in on in 2016 with a fake reveal at EDC Vegas. The truth was before he donned the iconic dayglo white helmet, he was dubstep producer Dotcom. 

We uncovered five more surprising former DJ aliases.

GORGON CITY

Before Kye Gibbon and Matt Robson-Scott released chart-topping hits like “Ready For Your Love” and “You’ve Done Enough” they were solo acts. Gibbon was Foamo and his wobble-heavy house - known as fidget  - was an obvious forerunner for bass house.

Previously known as RackNRuin, Robson-Scott was also locked on heavy bassline business. He produced breaks, fidget, and early electro house.  What’s more surprising is he was producing dubstep when it was still dubby and hadn't become the head-banging brofest it is today.

TREASURE FINGERS

Treasure Fingers 2008 “Cross the Dancefloor” established the Atlanta producer as a leader in a new wave of disco house. He’s since harnessed that thumping retro funk on remixes for Foster The People, Chromeo, and Katy Perry. 

Before that, he was a member of Drum & Bass trio Evol Intent. He went by The Enemy alongside partners Knick (Nick Weiller), and Gigantor (Mike Diasio). All three members of Evol Intent reimagined their careers. Diasio produced house as Computer Club. Weiller became lauded dubstep producer Bro Safari.

CAMELPHAT

When Camelphat released “Cola” in 2017, their star rose quickly. They have continued to dominate the charts with “Panic Room,” “Be Someone,” and “Rabbit Hole.” That was no overnight success. The duo has been on the grind for nearly 20 years. 

Before Mike Di Scala teamed up with Dave Whelan, he already had a career as a vocalist and producer for the British trance trio Ultrabeat and was a member of Rezonance Q an early aughts happy hardcore influenced project.



Just two years before Camelphat’s breakthrough hit, Di Scala was still producing Happy Hardcore as Re-Con.

LOW STEPPA

Low Steppa, aka Will Bailey, is an influential figure in house music. When his bootleg of “My Love” by Route 94 first appeared on Soundcloud in 2013, it amassed over 2 million plays. His releases on Defected, Toolroom, and his own Simma Black imprint have tens of millions of streams. 

The Birmingham, England native has lived a lifetime in dance music. Like Gorgon City, he was an early adopter of fidget house and electro under the name Twoker (with Alex Calver). Thier remix of CJ Boland's "Sugar Is Sweeter" is a fidget house classic. After their split, he produced dutch house and Moombathon under his given name and even has an early remix of Steve Aoki and Armand Van Helden from 2010.

KSHMR

Born Niles Hollowell-Dhar in Berekely, California, KSHMR's unique blend of main-stage dance and sonics that beautifully highlight his Kashmiri roots captivates audiences worldwide. 

Before becoming a big room superstar, he produced hip hop with his childhood friend David Singer-Vine as The Cataracs. “Like A G6” with Far East Movement and “Bass Down Low” with DEV are club classics. And they produced “Slow Down” on Selena Gomez’s debut album Stars Dance.

























5 House Acts With Surprising Pasts

New artists enter the NFT space every day. It’s become tough to distinguish what separates one from the other. Pig & Dan (Igor Tchkotoua and Dan Duncan) and Gregor Tresher’s upcoming drop is a refreshing note of compelling music and visual storytelling. And it aims to use a more equitable financial model. And challenge the idea that art on the blockchain is bad for the environment.

The titans of techno will unveil four new audio-visual NFT’s called “Soulcatcher.” Created in collaboration with Stewart Graham from S272 Studios on June 16. The trio of producers is passionate innovators of up-front peak hour techno. They've broken new ground with this project. And are expressing the diversity of their sound in new ways.

"Soulcatcher" seamlessly combines audio precision with visual storytelling. It creates a world where the psychedelic journey of the protagonist mirrors the reality of navigating a world fractured by tragedy.

This isn't the first time they've dabbled in visual art. Dan has built collections alongside Banksy’s team for over 20 years. He’s excited about the long-term vitality of NFTs. And their potential to unite artistic mediums.

He says, “I’ve held a huge passion for art and music sort of being as one. And I think this was really, truly the first opportunity that we could get moving pictures, to be offered together with music as a single piece of art.”

 Speaking for himself and Pig, Dan says, “We're both so passionate about art. That synergy between art and music just ticked all the boxes. So, for us, it was an opportunity we couldn't resist really.” 

Pig & Dan and Gregor Tresher have been friends for years. They met while DJing at Sven Väth's legendary Cocoon Club in Germany. And they recently solidified their studio relationship on the Challenger EP, on Adam Beyers’ Truesoul imprint.

After the success of the release, they wanted to take the collaboration further Dan says. “It's an amazing synergy between us. And we thought, come on let’s milk this. Not milk financially. But our energy is flowing. Let's see what we can do.”

Tresher introduced Grahame to the group. They'd previously worked together designing album art. The accomplished Candian artist has worked with clients ranging from Sum 41 to Air Canada to Deadmau5.

Dan knew Graham was the perfect person to complete the trifecta of synergy from the gate. “He was so on it, like from the first second, we were like, Oh, this is brilliant. This is actually really taking me where I want it to be.”

Dan says their interest in NFTs stretches beyond windfall financial payouts. It’s similar to how he views his relationship with dance music culture. 

“It's not about money. It has to always come from the soul. The amount of times in my life I've survived on a donut a day or starved for my music. You can't do this for money. It has to be for the right reasons.”

The NFT communicates with the community they harvested for 20 years. They insist that they don't alienate the people responsible for their success. So, the NFT will sell via raffle, not auction. Art should be as accessible as music.

“The idea is to give a chance to any type of consumer and not charge these sorts of two and a half grand prizes for a record that they would normally buy for $2. It's got video content; it's got a lot more behind it. So, it is a little bit more expensive. But the way we're doing it is very much in accordance with catering for the people that follow our music.”

Their dedication to the community is just as important as their dedication to the planet. The NFT’s are minted on the FLOW blockchain. Which aims to be as carbon neutral as possible.

It’s part of Dan’s ethos. And something he grew up learning. His dad was a successful musician, but also kind of a hippie. Dan grew up with a “do no harm” philosophy. And he admits the lifestyle of a touring DJ isn’t the most ecological.

“Being a DJ who has been flying 400 flights a year, spending hundreds of hours on airplanes, and making a horrible carbon footprint, I think it's the least we can do is look at the best options to give back as much as we can to, to the environment. Because Mother Nature is all we got. For me, that's like my religion.”

Dan practices what he preaches. When he goes to the beach near his home on the island of Mallorca, Spain he brings a fishing net with him to pull the plastic out of the ocean. 

Their NFT drop comes with the promise that if it needs to be transferred to Ethereum, which has a much higher ecological footprint, they will pay for the carbon offset. 

He believes that NFTs and digital art have the potential to be even more ecological than traditional art. In 2019 Dietl International, a major shipping company generated 1,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide transporting items to Art Basel in Miami. If NFT’s can be traded on blockchains that aim to be carbon neutral, they could be infinitely better for the environment.

Dan believes he can open up to a new audience. Because as he says, “The NFT buyer is not necessarily a buyer of art or music in the physical form.” This is just the first drop. He’s a music lifer. And plans on staying in the art game for just as long.

Learn more about SOULCATCHER on the project website.

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