Over the next four days I will be celebrating the genre known as dance music. Dance music is sometimes dismissed as a disposable art form and criticised for lacking the depth of other musical genres.
I believe such a characterisation is unfair. For me, dance music is the last truly innovative and ground breaking period of popular music that we have experienced.
The mid to late 80s and early 90s period of dance music is on a par with the late 60s and post-punk periods for its creativity and ability to constantly push boundaries.
Those who feel dance music lacks substance couldn’t be more wrong. The emotional intensity and euphoria of dance music is an incredibly life affirming experience which should not be overlooked.
I will therefore run down my top 40 songs, tracks, choons (call them what you like) which I feel best demonstrate what dance music is capable of and underline its diversity, innovation and depth.
40. Soul II Soul – Back to Life
A UK number one at the beginning of the so-called second summer of love in 1989, Back to Life stands out as a fusion of two musical genres. Musically the piece is a tight and stripped down dance break beat track, yet this is contrasted with one of the most subtle soulful vocal arrangements. It is a trick dance music would attempt many times again in the future, yet never quite as well on Back to Life.
39. Edelweiss – Bring me Edelweiss
Novelty has always played a part within popular music and dance music is no exception. In fact, a lot of dance detractors would probably highlight an overabundance of novelty as a reason to give the genre less credit. It will be impossible to be high minded and try and avoid novelty on this list however. Edelweiss appears here as a testament to the DIY ethos of the genre, the “anyone can have a hit” value. All the best genres reach out to their audience and encourage them to have a go. By following the blueprint set by the KLF in their “The Manual” this Austrian group succeeded in producing an acceptably fun piece of novelty.
38. Stock Aitken and Waterman – Roadblock
This next track is the other side of the coin to Edelweiss. Whereas Bring Me Edelweiss summed up the amateur spirit of dance, Roadblock was produced by the number one producers of the late 80s. Whereas the hit factory was most well-known for producing the likes of Kylie and Jason, Sonia and Rick Astley, Roadblock demonstrated that Stock, Aitken and Waterman were for once happy to let the music do the talking and not rely on fresh faced teeny boppers. The result is this funky little ditty which gets rid of the synthesised sheen of hi-NRG and replaces it with strong sax and bass.
37. Opus III – It’s a Fine Day
In the early 90’s there was a sense of the new age. Environmental concerns had a greater following and green issues were getting higher up the political agenda. The soft vocals of Kirsty Hawkshaw and slight synth arrangement of Opus III on this cover of an early 80s indie hit by Jane, It’s a Fine Day is a classic example of dance music embracing this new environmentalism. World, body and spirit all come together as one, underlining the post-acid house generation. See also, Sunshine on a Rainy Day by Zoe.
36. Culture Beat – Mr Vain
Eurodance is one of the more maligned sub-genres of dance music. Whereas artists like Dr Alban, Snap and 2 Unlimited typified some of the worst elements of the mid-90s, Culture Beat’s Mr Vain is one of the more successful European pop dance crossovers. The decadent fairy tale of its music video places Mr Vain firmly within the heart of baroque nihilism.
35. Technotronic feat. Felly – Pump up the Jam
Sex is a reoccurring theme in dance music, as will be proven elsewhere on this list. Few tracks of the late 80s quite get the love juices flowing like Pump up the Jam. The track is essentially a collision of two stands of dance – Belgian House (electronic body music and new beat) and Hip-House.
34. Baby D – Let me be your Fantasy
The underground virtues of dance music come alive with Let me be your Fantasy. For years this playful piece of uk hardcore house was a hit on the uk rave scene yet failed to trouble the masses. It was eventually picked up by London Records and became a national number one smash. Uniquely British - knowing, reserved and creative. Baby D at the same time looks to the past and points the way to the future.
33. S-Express – Theme from S-Express
Sampling now and the first listed track which really explores the potential of meshing together and synthesizing strands in a Dadaist fashion. As much an influence on Primal Screams Loaded, Stone Roses Fools Gold and any other piece of indie-dance crossover you can care to mention. Is this possibly the only true piece of acid house to get to number one?
32. Atlantic Ocean – Waterfall
This is Dutch Ambient trance from Atlantic Ocean. Words are not always necessary to convey feeling. It is hard to believe that Waterfall is almost 20 years old now. It still sounds like the future and has not dated one iota.
31. Adamski – Killer
We go back in time to the summer of 1990 now. Those unmistakable first few bars when Killer fades up in the mix as if it is a perpetual drill getting closer and closer. Buzzing along, breathing for life, waking, drowning, dying? The spectre of AIDS and the dangers of E, they are far more on our minds then than today. The mortality of the young and their carefree attitude questioned by the lifestyle choices they make. Adamski’s Killer is a My Generation for the 90s.
Tomorrow numbers 30 to 21 on the top 40 dance ever countdown.
Bit surprised to see Mr Vain in there, although the fact that it's still scarred into my brain after all these years suggests that they were doing something right.
ReplyDeleteNot actually heard a few of these - looks like I'll be spending a while investigating them on YouTube.
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