لخّصلي

House, daughter of mother Disco, is the stereotypical feel-good dance floor music with a steady beat. The most important word in the previous sentence is “feel-good”. House sets itself apart from other Dance genres by providing groove and soul. House is digital Rhythm ‘n’ Blues with a feeling of playfulness, warmth and compassion. Without her focus on positive vibes, she becomes another super-genre.

The revolutionary rise of House (and later Techno, Hardcore, and Trance) was accelerated by synergetic circumstances. Number one: new drum computers and electronic music instruments emerged in the early eighties, which made music making affordable for a single person and even possible without education. Secondly, the discovery of XTC as the perfect party drug, finally accepted by the masses thanks to more powerful beats and an escapist non-stop club (disco) culture. Thirdly, the shocking spread of AIDS, which decimated the homosexual community in the early eighties and spread a wave of fear. Because of this, House music became a substitute for sex, as casual sex was deemed too dangerous. As the matter of fact, the gay crowd preferred to hang around longer in clubs (instead of going home with a partner) and engage in sexual dancing, sweating, teasing, touching and losing itself on XTC (and other drugs) in the music. All this led to longer parties, longer DJ sessions, harder beats, more ecstatic sounds and the search for a musical substitute for pleasure: this is House music. Even though House has taken on many forms throughout history (whether it turns to Pop, Electro or Disco), the universal language of pleasure and joy (completely void of political or personal message) is always present. This universalism and happy escapism explains why House is still the most popular EDM super-genre today, always receiving the main stage or room in favour of other Dance music.

House is defined by a steady straight 4/4 drum beat, ranging somewhere between 120 and 130 bpm. House has a pronounced kick drum on the quarter beat of the bar, which is defined as a “four to the floor” rhythm. Of all Dance genres, House diverts the least of its average tempo (123-125bpm), which makes it easy to mix different records. A warm, soulful bass groove or R&B influences are other stereotypical House components.

The name House is derived from the Chicago based club where the genre originated: the Warehouse. This musical phenomenon quickly became common phrase: “Do you have the music they play down the ‘House?” It is however questionable if this name would have stuck so well if it didn’t symbolize a whole lot more: Unity – Love - Acceptance. As Chuck Roberts shouts over Rhythm Control’s “My House” in a paramount vocal sample of electronic music history: “[…] once you enter my House, it then becomes our House and our House music. And you see: no-one can own House because House music is a universal language, spoken and understood by all.” House became a synonym for tolerance: the urban soundtrack of the black, the gay, the bohemians and the outcasts.

House can be divided into three large waves, each consisting of multiple subgenres. The first one harbours the pioneering American genres (Chicago, Garage and Acid House), which could be called Classic House. The second wave is a diverse collection of styles that emerge once House sets foot on the European continent, like a diaspora of House (Prog, Deep, Funky, French and Euro-House). The third and final wave has a distinct sound from previous genres: Electro House and derivative genres (Electro House, Complextro, Moombahton, Big Room). Lately, Electro House has run its course and a rising interest in Classic House such as Nu-Disco, is noticeable. As always in the world of popular music, history repeats itself and with strong popularity of outlying genres Trapstep and UK Bass, the question remains what House’s Revenge will be.