This mix is all music from 1984. It is a special live vinyl mix that I recorded on July 19, 2011 as a promotion for the A.D. (After Disco) series of parties here in Chicago.  The mix has been hosted for a few years on the Loves Podcast and I decided to upload it here to my Soundcloud for the first time.  Here’s a few words I wrote to go with the mix:  

1984 is an amazing year in music. At the time, "house" was still a colloquialism for the music played by Frankie Knuckles at the Warehouse. House was not yet a music form in its own right. "Fresh," on Vince Vince Lawrence’s fledgling label Precision, is the only house-qua-house track on the mix. The other tunes are properly considered proto-house -- the music which formed the milieu of dance music which we now describe (rather clumsily) as:

*Electro (e.g., Solo – “Girls, Girls” produced by John Robbie; JellyBean – “The Mexican”); 
*Garage (e.g., Circuit - "Release the Tension" a Timmy Regisford production; Colonel Abrams – “Music Is The Answer”); 
*Italo (e.g., Stop – “Wake Up”; Pancho Ballet – “Dancing Shoes”); 
*Synth and industrial dance (e.g., 52nd Street – “Can’t Afford” produced by New Order’s Stephen Morris; Palais Schaumburg – “The Beat Of Two” produced by Gareth Jones who also produced Depeche/Nitzer Ebb); and 
*Post-disco (e.g., Stephanie Mills – “Medicine Song”).

This music from 1984 is ‘proto’ in the sense that it was establishing the necessary elements of house – e.g., use of certain instruments (drum machines, synths, samplers) – but there are some stark differences.

Although much of the music in 1984 was released on small independents and remained quite underground, there were major successes for dance music at the time and investment in dance music by major labels. There was A&R structure at all record labels and radio play. "Trapped" (1985) by Colonel Abrams sold over 5 million copies worldwide. Earon’s “Land of Hunger” hit the top 40 on the soul singles chart. John “JellyBean” Benitez placed nine songs in the Top Ten of the U.S. Hot Dance Music/Club Play chart.

The democratizing force that would be house music had not been fully realized. It was still expensive to make dance music. For example, most of the tracks on the mix feature vocalists, session players or a full band. Although the epic ensembles of the disco era had long passed in fashion and economic viability, dance records were still recorded in professional studios and engineered by individuals like Bob Blank and Herb Powers. The E-max Sampler hit the market in 1984, but the studio standard were samplers like the Fairlight and Synclavier (which had more than $100,000 price tags), each of which were prohibitively expensive for use by most musician/producers.

By 1984 the relatively inexpensive Roland gear was just finding its way into the hands of Chicago, Detroit and New York’s new roots musicians. A year before, Larry Sherman acquired Musical Product’s pressing plant, the only one in Chicago. Ron Hardy was playing "Penthouse and Pavement" by Heaven 17 and "DumDum" at the Music Box. Dance music was about to fall off the edge, for better and for worse.

1984 Track List:

1. Citispeak Featuring Jeanne Harris – I Don't Need Your Handouts (Inst.) – Partytime Records 
2. Pancho Ballet – Dancing Shoes (Instrumental) – Best Record 
3. Jellybean – The Mexican (Funhouse Mix) – EMI America 
4. Nuance Featuring Vikki Love - Take A Chance (Dubapella) - 4th & Broadway  
4. Samson & Delilah – I Can Feel Your Love Slippin' Away (Long Mix & Inst) – Saturn Records 
5. Hugh Masekela – Don't Go Lose It, Baby (Stretch Mix) – Jive Afrika 
6. Colonel Abrams – Music Is The Answer (Dub Version) – Streetwise 
7. The Earons – Land Of Hunger (Extended Version) – Island Records 
8. Wet – That's The Game (Instrumental) – Bellaphon 
9. Circuit – Release The Tension (Dub) – 4th & Broadway 
10. Stephanie Mills – The Medicine Song (Dub Version) – Casablanca Records 
11. Anne Clark – Our Darkness (Remix) – Ink Records 
12. Solo – Girls, Girls (Ah-Ah-Hi) - Next Plateau Records Inc. 
13. 52nd Street – Can't Afford – Profile (on license from Factory) 
14. The Bridge – Love Dance (Industrial Mix) - Second Vision 
15. Stop – Wake Up – Damabi International 
16. Fresh – Dum Dum – Precision 
17. Palais Schaumburg – The Beat Of Two (Extended Version) – Mercury


1984 After Disco (A.D.)

John Talabot — live from Boiler Room x Sugar Mountain 2023.

John Talabot | Sugar Mountain 2023

A 3 hour mix of Motown, Soul, and Hip Hop recorded live in Brazil
—
The Hollies - Draggin' My Heels
The Impressions - We Must Be In Love
Gil Scott-Heron & Brian Jackson - New York City
Gil Scott-Heron - The Bottle
Steve Spacek - Let the Dollar Circulate
Grand Pubah - I Like It (I Wanna Be Where You Are)
DJ Dez - Untitled Beats A
Azymuth - Morning
Marvin Gaye - What’s Going On
Marvin Gaye - Mercy, Mercy Me
The Temptations - I Need You
Lou Rawls - You'll Never Find Another Love Like Mine
Smokey Robinson - More Love
Ebo Taylor, Uhuru-Yenzu - I Need Your Love
Rolando Rasteiro - Ain't No Sunshine
Marvin Gaye - I Want You
Afro Cuban Band - Something’s Got To Give
Brothers By Choice - Baby, You Really Got Me Going
Coke Escovedo - I Wouldn't Change A Thing
Evelyn "Champagne" King - Love Come Down
Digable Planets - Rebirth of Slick (Cool Like Dat)
J Dilla - Track 30
Outkast - SpottieOttieDopaliscious (Damn James)
Lauryn Hill - Doo Wop (That Thing)
Sade - Paradise
Outkast - Da Art Of Storytellin’ (Pt. 1)
Otis Gayle - I’ll Be Around
Darondo - Didn't I (Florent Rework)
The Rolling Stones - Miss You
Kindness - Swinging Party
Kate Bush - Running Up That Hill
Steely Dan - Go Back Jack Do It Again
Lamont Dozier - Going Back To My Roots
The O’Jays - I Love Music
Paul Pills - Young Americans
The Spinners - It’s A Shame
Dabrye - Tunnel Vision
DJ Dez - Untitled
Post Malone - White Iverson
Big Pun - Still Not A Player
Lumidee - Never Leave You
Diggable Planets - Nickel Bag
Slum Village - Players

Ryan Elliott @ Matiz Bar Sao Paulo

Daniel Avery - Recorded at fabric: Andrew Weatherall 60 (06/04/23)

Rinse FM Podcast

Roman Flügel - 11 May 2024

Release Date:              25/04/25
Written & produced:   @scott-pullen
Female vocal:              Luiza Scandelari
Bass & guitars:            Dauno Martinez
Record Label:              @YHV Records
Mastered by:               @D-Formation



Australian born Bali DJ/producer, Scptt Pullen, returns with, Canção da Esperança (Song of Hope), a mesmerizing fusion that entices listeners on a musical journey through the soul of Brazil. This track isn’t just a celebration of rhythm — it’s a reflection of resilience. It speaks to the ability of the Brazilian people, & indeed all of us, to unite, dance, and find joy, even in the face of adversity.

Opening with the melodic, intimate tones of acoustic guitar, reminiscent of the legendary João Gilberto — Cançāo da Esperança lures you in with a sense of wistful nostalgia. But just as quickly, the song shifts into a lively baile rhythm, and builds to a triumphant samba that captures the energy and spirit of Rio’s carnival in full swing.

Through this track, Pullen doesn’t just pay homage to Brazilian culture — he channels it. The music flows with a contagious energy, a testament to the strength found in celebration, unity, and hope. It’s a reminder that no matter where you are in the world, the power of music to uplift and connect is universal.

Connect with Scott Pullen

Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/scott-pullen 
Instagram:     https://www.instagram.com/scottpullenofficial/ 

Connect with YHV Records
Souncloud:    https://soundcloud.com/yhvrecords
Instagram:     https://www.instagram.com/yhvrecords/ 

Please support independent artists, follow, like & leave a comment if you like the music.

Cançāo da Esperança

Canção da Esperança (Song of Hope)

Gerd Janson is the influential label boss, journalist, DJ and producer behind the Running Back imprint an doesn't need any introduction nowadays. With a fine ear for unearthing new artists and developing them on his label, Gerd has a very busy schedule and puts out a dizzying amount of music from ambient to disco, house to techno. As a DJ, he has no identifiable style but is a master of many and is someone who can play to just about any crowd and make them move. As if that wasn't enough, as one half of Tuff City Kids he kicks out the club-ready jams that keep kids dancing. 

Back on New Year’s Eve 2015, he played back-to-back with Irishman Krystal Klear, who is at the heart of the modern house scene in his hometown Manchester. His fresh take on a classic sound has seen him win plenty of favour with the youth of the day, as well as getting him signed to Kerri Chandler’s MadTech label. Only active for six years, he has already become a regular on the global circuit and now heads up his own Cold Tonic label as well as hosting an influential show on Rinse FM. With a great sense of humour that always permeates his music, former Hoya: Hoya resident Krystal Klear has a passion for a wide range of sounds. 

Our latest mix is taken from the five hour b2b the pair played that NYE. As such it really found them stretching their legs and playing across the board. From slow disco to playful r&b grooves, 80s synths to classic house, it is a truly playful set that is chock full of jams, all carefully mixed into one explosive and loved-up whole. 

Dekmantel Podcast 062 - Gerd Janson X Krystal Klear

Midland going all night long at the 80 capacity Macarena club for the Barcelona leg of our In Residence series. Read more about the series here: http://ra.co/residence/

RA Live

RA Live - 2016.08.10 - Midland, Macarena In Residence, Barcelona

Download

Rinse FM Podcast - De School Takeover - Job Jobse - 7th January 2017

LIVE FROM THE BOARD + CROWD MIC RECORDED MARCH 4TH 2017 FOR THE HYDRA LONDON

Avalon Emerson Live at Printworks London 2017

House, techno, electro and all other assorted leftfield records — is there anything Optimo cannot do? Listen back to these Dekmantel regulars simply being at their best once again.

Rinse FM Podcast - De School Takeover - Job Jobse - 7th January 2017

Rinse FM

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