Being that this is my last post, I would like to dedicate it to one of my loves- house music. This one is for the tempo that can put me in a trance and lift my mood.
First off, let's set the scene so that we can separate your image of frat party music and sticky beer-covered floors from the genre of house. House music actually has its roots in Chicago's and New York's underground club culture in the late 1970s and 1980s. Many say the term "house music" came from "The Warehouse" club in Chicago's South Side. The Godfathers of this beloved electronic dance music include DJs and producers like Frankie Knuckles and Larry Levan. These legends began altering disco tracks to have a more mechanical beat and deeper basslines.
Frankie Knuckles, "Godfather of House"
Disco was also an underground movement in the 70s born out of New York City's urban gay culture. Disco and then house was dominated by LGBTQ+, African American and Latino audiences … very different from the predominantly Caucasian audiences you see dancing in Coachella's Do LaB.
A classic: "Gypsy Woman" by Crystal Waters (1991)
Now, there are even a multitude of different types of house. Acid house is characterized by "squelching" sounds and deep basslines which was popular in the United Kingdom and the rest of Europe. This dominated the rave scenes, but don't think neon lingerie and glittery faces like today's raves. Think edgy Europeans in dark clothing doing drugs that help them dance in clubs for days on end. Deep house fuses elements of Chicago house with 80s jazz-funk and soul. Born out of the 90s, ghetto house features an 808 drum machine and often sexually explicit lyrics. There is als tech house, hip house, tropical house, electro house, future house, and progressive house. Generally, house music has a tempo of 120 to 130 beats per minute (bpm).
House has now evolved into several modern subgenres of electronic music- techno, trance, EDM. Techno can fall between 120 and 150 bpm. Trance's tempo lies between 135 and 150 bpm. EDM can range, but is usually characterized by a higher bpm. Without thinking technically, it's just some subgenres are faster than others. Techno is also seen as more serious, dark and futuristic. House can be deep and reflective too, but it's usually more optimistic and upbeat. I think of it as kind of celebratory and spiritual. It really just lifts me up. It all distracts me and the tempo really lets me zone in on the present moment.
Influences of house music can be seen in pop, hip hop, etc. with the likes of Janet Jackson, Madonna, Kylie Minogue; however, house's origins in LGBTQ+ and BIPOC culture must be recognized. I will use this opportunity to once again plug my house playlists on Spotify. If you're looking something ambient and relaxed to play in the background, go here. If you want to dance, go here. In these playlists, you'll find some familiar Coachella-like artists such as Calvin Harris, ZHU, Disclosure & Oliver Heldens but you should also pay attention to the eclectic names like Aphex Twin, Kaytranada, & Yaeji. I also must spotlight my favorite new icon, Peggy Gou. She is an absolute girl boss. Gou is Korean but currently lives in Berlin. A stylish house queen, Gou is a famous DJ and fashion designer that is living a life I'd kill to have.
Let me know what you think :)