So what is your definition of dance music? This blog homepage seems to be full of those know what they don't like (and in some cases what they do) but as a dj it's hard to know what u mean. What is house? What is dance? What is funky, hard, electro, chilled, handbag, twisted, disco? What i think is cheesy pop some call house and what I call soulful some will not - demanding I playing something "we can dance to!"
I always describe my sound as funky strung out disco tinged house but that is my preference and the tunes I play are also influnced by the clubs I play in and the sets required. No one wants all the clubs to sound the same. Sunday afternoon is a very different place from sunday am. I do think we're lucky sods in Brfighton having as many good dj's as we do but we should let them push the genres occasionally. As a clubber I want my hands in the air but I appreciate the different twists and turns a dj can take me on. Electro is very 'in' at the mo and at the right time and in the right place is corking - cheers Dulcie - where as commercial house is very party time and the more soulful / disco stuff is very socialable. Well in my view anyway.
Trust the dj is what I say and yeah if you don't like the tunes they are playing find another club (or start one?) I for one will always be grateful for the changes we've seen in choice, numbers of different dj's and the genres they play. I remember the not so distant dark days of writing your request on a pad and the dj playing tunes in that order and the rush for the dancefloor when Whigfield's Saturday Night kicked in. Never again people.
This blog page proves house music ain't dying. The passion for it is there for all to see. And I for one am chuffed to be part of it.
So what are your definitions?
K xx
First one - Funky House - ???
Last modified by wildblood on Thursday, 14th December 2006, 3:02pm
wildblood's Blog entries 42 - 50 of 50 
'My definition is this"... 27 comments
Comment by nick2005 on Wednesday, 13th December 2006, 4:46pm
Firstly I'd just like to say this is a great blog coz its a big issue at the moment. I would class Funky House as the sort as commercial house that is good to listen to mid-week but isnt hard enough for weekends. Last year there was lots of funky house tunes like 'come on make a move on me', 'say sa...
read morey say', or 'drop the pressure'. This is what I would class as funky house, and I would also say that there is a lack of new funky house songs atm. I dunno what other ppl would class it as, but that is my view on it.
Comment by djdanger on Wednesday, 13th December 2006, 8:30pm
mm..Interesting choice Nick...its true the producers aren't bringing out much funky house at the moment, there's usually loads released after Ibiza in September but labels appear to be holding back until March next year.
read moreso can be the more soulful stuff- which also falls in to the 'Soulful House' category or sometimes 'Vocal House'.
Funky House is quite a broad term and can often be the commercial stuff but al...
Funky House should have a wiggle your hips drum beat, a tuneful discoey bassline, either big strings or big piano and usually a big diva vocal on it.
Example tunes I would describe as Funky House are Andrea T Mendoza - Can't Fake It (discoey bassline/diva vocals), Future Funk - Wildberry Tracks Part 2 (discoey bassline/Big Strings),DJ Rhythm pres Soul Theory - Drama (funky bassline/wiggle hips beats and diva vocal)....
Comment by Boyzmate on Thursday, 14th December 2006, 6:13pm
"Funky House" is as both Dulcie and Nick say a more commercial type of house. I think this is because it has big vocal divas sometimes or a funky bassline, though not exclusively. This is music that is generally accepted by the masses rather than just the clubbers.
read morelifting and invokes feelings of euphoria.
I feel that Funky is, generally up...
I'd say Hed Kandi is generally a good example of Funky House or the music that is generally played upstairs at "Sunday Sundae" (cannot wait for summer and this to be a regular in the calendar!!) is again another example.
I love
"Same Man" by Till West
"Rocking Music" by Martin Solveig
"Feel the Vibe" by Axwell;
"This little light of mine(Shine on)"
"S.o.S" by A-Studio
Last modified by Boyzmate on Thursday, 14th December 2006, 6:15pm
Comment by Jerobeam on Tuesday, 2nd January 2007, 12:35pm
What is Funky House…..broad term in my eyes…can be seen as commercial, can be more soulful as Dulcie says. But it has to have some important elements…a diva vocal, good baseline to wiggle your arse to, hands in the air breakdown or pianos.
read moreie Stone
Some favourites of mine include –
I wasn’t kidding - Ang...
SOS - A Studio
Can’t Fake it – Andrea T Mendoza
Drama – DJ Rhythm pres soul Theory (How I wish I could get this on CD!!)
Let me see the grove – Dynas T
Lies to yourself – Dr Kucho
Most Haji and Emanuel remixes / own productions
To be honest I find the constant need to ‘pigeon hole’ dance music a little frustrating…..and I will dance to most music if it gets your feet tapping (even some Electro when it’s good enough…otherwise fingers in ears and run for cover)
Comment by twinkle_1985 on Wednesday, 3rd January 2007, 3:39pm
do you know what, i have been asking all the djs every night i am out if they have herd of "Flaunt It" by TV Rock & Seany B.
read more and monkey play the best music i dont know what to call it but they definatly play the best up to date music.
This song is so good i herd it about three months ago off the net it is now on all the ministry of sound CDs
But i still havent herd it out. why?
at the moment wild fruit...
happy new year to you all
Rich XMWAHX
Last modified by twinkle_1985 on Wednesday, 3rd January 2007, 3:40pm
Comment by giant_jess on Saturday, 6th January 2007, 5:23pm
i love that song richard (well u know that) its one of those tunes that i will never get bored of i so cant wait till it finally gets into the clubs x x x x
Comment by wildblood on Monday, 8th January 2007, 11:01am
OOoh this seems to have got the juices flowing. I think i think i know what u feel funky house is. marvelous. so let's do another genre that's generating a love it / hate it reponse on this blog.
read morer genre or a leave it at home genre?
Electro. what is it, what tunes qualify as elctro, when do u wanna hear it and do u feel it's a must hea...
For me it's the genre of the moment cutting across the commercial / underground divide and doing it with some style be it hands up for dartford chart topper or the pure filth that is dulcie's darker rebel moments. Let the debate continue!
K xx
Comment by jimmegee on Monday, 8th January 2007, 12:01pm
Hmm, electro is pretty tasty when done nasty: Yeah Yeah would be my exhibit A. Same Man gave me lots of tingly moments last year so that must be one too (it certainly ain't funky house). Proper Education - I reckon that's electro too. Anything with less tune and lots of noise and a big vibrating bas...
read mores that still stays in the 130bpm range. And you're right, Dulcie does electro with real flair ;-)
Comment by lycra_uk00 on Monday, 8th January 2007, 1:21pm
Electro. For me i find it has very limited apeall !!!
read moreegative like Exceeder and other heavy non discript tunes that empty dance floors!!!May I add this is not just my oppinion I hear this from so many other clubbers on the scene.
As with all styles of music we all have tunes that float our musical boats and tunes that totally sink them.
The electro tunes that have vocals and a good dance beat are great,they can be very uplifting and fun,but there are others that are so n...
With all due respect Kate,to make the comment from your opening blog about if you dont like the music find another club or start one as very negative!!! and as we have seen, when clubs become complacent about cubbers feelings they have voted with their feet.
We all like to hear new music as that is what makes the dance scene so special, but when it is clearly not what the majority of clubbers on the scene want surley it's time to worry and change direction so as not make every night the same and boring. Brighton clearly relys on the local dance crowd now to keep going,as we seem to have lost the out of town crowd at the moment,so lets not let them down and listen to their opinions and take note and try to make our clubbing scene vibrant again.
Come on everybody if you are not happy with the music, lets hear your opinions on here and not just on the dance floor .
Phil XX
Last modified by lycra_uk00 on Monday, 8th January 2007, 5:53pm
Comment by wildblood on Monday, 8th January 2007, 9:03pm
me again. this is turning into a fab discussion! what i would say r/e phil's comment about negativity is as having done it myself with shameless hussies - way back when - i hit the promotion scene because i wanted something the clubs weren't providing for me and my mates. with the gay scene covering...
read more so many kinds of people and therefore so many tastes the broader music policy nights do seem to do better. but there should always be room for diversity and change. one of the most important things i've learnt as a dj is play the unknown tunes because soon enuff they will be the anthems. so keep on bringing on the new stuff brighton dj's and promoters!
Comment by lycra_uk00 on Monday, 8th January 2007, 10:25pm
Yes I agree that the gay scene is a diverse mix of people and music style,but surely when a style of music is just not cutting it on the dance floor,you rethink and dont press on saying it's the music of the moment!!!!
read moret only for the few who wish to make it so. We have seen many good nights start in brighton over the past couple of years, and recently either they are on there last legs or have ended altogether.
Clearly the dance floors of Brighton reflect it's not the music of the moment bu...
We are not just asking for anthems to be played all the time,but at least tunes that make the dance floor fun to be on and attract clubbers from around the area and further afield.
I was recently in London for a friends birthday on a monday night in heaven,and was amazed how busy the club was and how vibrant,and so many good tunes,Yes I hear you say commercial and cheesy but the club was packed with a huge que waiting outside. There was none of the heavy,dull and totally un danceable music that has been creeping through in brighton of late.
We have always had in brighton Dj's that lead the way with new music and so may it continue,but I and others like me think it has left the clubbers behind in this headlong rush for electro and other heavy music !!! and with the current state of clubbing in brighton I think we all need to rethink and try to recover what has sadly disappeared from the brighton scene i.e busy clubs.
Phil xx
Comment by djdanger on Tuesday, 9th January 2007, 7:21pm
I'd say proper electro tunes (big ones) are things like ame-rej, ste ga shop -supermarket, m.a.n.d.y- body language..... I only really play this stuff in the straight clubs cos they LOVE it.
read morer sounds a bit like Bodyrox now...needless to say if you don't want it then I won't drop it on the gay scene.
Exceeder isn't going away, its gonna be a big hit the majors have stuck a vocal on it from Princess Supersta...
I don't really play that much electro on the gay scene, I'd call it more 'dirttty house' which has all the umph of electro but gives you the sex!
There's all the other electro too which the indie kids play...which is Peaches and stuff like that.
I think it all comes down to how a dj programs a set...if they're gonna take you somewhere dark then they need the uplifting stuff to back it up. Its a bit like when I haven't dropped a vocal for a while in the set, you'd better believe that when that vocal comes in its gonna sound amazing and excentuate that track.
I think the club scene is great down here for such a small place, it is january and everything seems to be ticking over nicely. I hope that when people go out that they're not relying on just the dj to give them a good time. I think the dj is just a small ingredient into making a party. People make the party and they set the atmosphere....I know I play better when the crowd reacts, we are all on a journey together...I feed off the people and when they're clearly up for it it gives me a good idea what to play next. Saying that the dj can put a dampner on the night if they're not very good but we seem to be spoilt rotten for good djs down here.
I think its also important for clubs and djs to play music that moves forward without ramming the uncomfortable down peoples throats. So credible but fun is the key....I hope.
Thanks for the compliment Jimmeegee, I saw you out a couple of times over the Xmas period and I got all nervous that you weren't liking it! :)
And Phil I think that everyone is getting their heads round the whole late licensing thing down here. Give it a couple of months and everything should settle more...and then we have the smoking ban to look forward to....but thats another discussion altogether ;) x
Last modified by djdanger on Tuesday, 9th January 2007, 7:26pm
Comment by lycra_uk00 on Tuesday, 9th January 2007, 9:29pm
Unfotunately with the greatest respect I feel that we are not going to get very far with "The Music of the moment " debate ,as it's seems that trend is far more important than feet on our dance floors .
read more forward then why are the clubs half full on what use to be busy nights when London is more vibrant than ever !!!!.
I still have not had an answer yet to my point, that if electro and other heavy music is the way...
Yes January is a quiet month but the last 3-4 months have been quiet too !!!! now this cannot be right.
I have started seeing regular clubbers being more selective over what nights they go out in Brighton ,also look on Real Vauxhall and Real Soho,I could see were regulars who used to go out on the scene in Brighton this can only spell disaster for our scene !!!!
I said in a blog just recently that we should all support our scene as we are very lucky to have it,and I still feel that way but there has to be some give and take before it's too late.
Phil XX
Last modified by lycra_uk00 on Tuesday, 9th January 2007, 9:34pm
Comment by anon on Tuesday, 9th January 2007, 9:45pm
Great discussion we have on our hands! Well for me when electro house came on to the scene in the summer I absolutely loved it. Songs like Same Man and Put Yours Hands up for Detroit (before it became commercial) were dirty, uplifting, and brought everyone onto the dancefloor. Nights like Cash Queen...
read more became my favourite nights of the week, because it where we could hear the latest and best electro house.
However, this great music that we were listening to in the summer has been gradually faded out (obviously), but has been replaced with a different type of electro house that isn't very popular with a lot of the regular brighton clubbers. It seem slower, less uplifting,and a little bit dull in places! I mean I love electro house, the dirtier the better...but I still want to be able to dance to it! Lots of the current electro house seems to have a lot of gaps where us clubbers find ourselves standing around for minutes at a time waiting for a song to kick in.
I don't think it's the case that people aren't willing to give new music a chance...as Phil said, its not that we want to listen to anthems all the time...its just that the new music we're hearing isn't very popular. It seems to have lost the essence of what house music is all about...keeping people dancing until the early hours of the morning, and not wanting it to end! The only song I can think of recently that has resembled the good music of the summer is Proper Education, hopefully signalling a change back in the right direction.
I think if we all (clubbers, djs, promoters) talk and listen to each other, then I have no doubt that the Brighton scene will return to its former glory. As long as these issues aren't ignored, then the clubs will start filling up again.
Nick x
Comment by nick2005 on Tuesday, 9th January 2007, 9:48pm
I dont no why it says 'none' on that last blog...but it was me who left it x
Comment by lycra_uk00 on Tuesday, 9th January 2007, 10:05pm
Yes Nick i could'nt agree more ,Proper Education and Another One Bites The Dust Fantastic new tunes keep them coming.
Phil X
Comment by wylie on Wednesday, 10th January 2007, 3:33pm
i love electro! deep down dirty and nasty. my favourite memories are of koochy at storm and rebel red.. it just makes me want to dance and if they didnt turn the music off i'd never stop. i love music fluffy it makes me smile.. but hearing that tougher beat makes me get that naughty glint in my eye, its FIERCE, its driving and it makes a crowd properly go for it!
Comment by jonny_m on Wednesday, 10th January 2007, 4:26pm
ive come from mixing and clubbing to d'n'b and breakbeats a couple of years ago, so dont really find much house too dirty, but i think if a tune's really filthy, it needs an uplifting synth or a huge dramatic build up to give it credence. dirty for the hell of it is (partly)why i gave up drum n bass...
read more over 2 years ago! i'm a big fan of really techy-but-uplifitng house; seamus haji, hoxton whores, axwell's 'together', paul rincon's mix of 'energy 52', stuff you can really lose yourself in. i've been listening to some filterheadz stuff recently too, really uplifting and though i've not heard it out clubbing im sure it would get people going. really love their mix of 'silence', and 'yimiyana'. dunno if its actually classed as house as its over 130bpm, but genre shouldn't really be a constriction.
on the topic of clubs being quieter than usual, i'm not sure i've been in brighton long enough to comment with any authority, but the increase in venues and late licencing have surely had an affect; and after all it is january. also, i thhink one of the problems is many of the young gays are not really dance music fans at all; many go to nights like shinky shonky and boogaloo instead to get something altogether different.
also, what about bennyboy's thursday nighter at charles st? thats consistently pulled in crowds week after week, especially for the themed parties?
i dont think the emrgence of harder types of house music can be blamed for too much.... personally, i love it! look at trade, still going after 14 years! although brightonians are always gonna travel to vauxhall every now and then cos theres more choice (and cos u can go clubbing pretty much 24/7) i moved here a year ago from london, and i think brightons got something really good going on and its not about to pack it in! just wait till the summer....
Last modified by jonny_m on Wednesday, 10th January 2007, 5:58pm
Comment by wildblood on Saturday, 13th January 2007, 3:08pm
First big love to johnnyboy - on the button boyfriend!!
read moreimes reality. i can't help but feel the so called darker side of house is happening due to our darker times. war, the drugs of now, politics, the 'invisble recession' - it's all getting darker. twisted tuunes for twisted times
Second. Tunes are more than tunes. tunes are memories, tunes are tales, tunes are top nights out, tunes are heartbreakers. tunes are a matter of taste. tunes are a reflection of our lives. sometimes providing escapism, sometimes obilvion, somet...
Some of dance music's defining moments including French Kiss, Donna Summer's I Feel Love or Blue Monday were hardly fluffy or commercial. and i doubt they filled dancefloors on first play! (More likely dropped jaws)
i have a tshirt somewhere that says 'trust the dj'. and that's all i think any dj will ask. so love or hate 'electro' ? that's your choice. choose your nights accordingly and trust the dj.
time for another genre discussion i reckon.....
R'n'B anyone ?
k x
Last modified by wildblood on Saturday, 13th January 2007, 3:15pm
Comment by lycra_uk00 on Saturday, 13th January 2007, 3:41pm
Well the thing about all 3 of those great classics you mentioned Kate in your last blog,is they all had energy and a great dance beat ! Sadly that is what is missing from the dance floors in Brighton.
read moreg in the world today then its sure time we changed them and played music to put Love and Happiness back in peoples lives.
There are too many tunes that lack energy played at the moment ,and if they reflect whats happenin...
Lets all hope that we get back to the days when you could go out nearly every night in Brighton and have a good time.
Like you say Kate trust in the Dj's and pick your nights acordingly.
Phil XX
Comment by wildblood on Saturday, 13th January 2007, 7:00pm
Phil I think we're gonna have to agree to disagree. I personally don't feel there's an energy missing on our dancefloors. it's different but the passion is as real as ever be it dark and twisted at 6am or sunny and lush at 7pm. I started this blog to find out what the punters mean when they ask me a...
read mores a dj for funky house or disco or latin or whatever. and i think we're getting there. respect for the opinions. i for one feel immensely proud to be part of such a vibrant scene. there will always be movement - musically, club wise and venue wise. and that's what makes brighton so fucking cool. the bouncing i partook in last night in the kinky dj box was reflected by the bouncing on the dancefloor and for me that's where the energy is. the dj + the tunes + the crowd. and i love it. so let's get our groove on and see u on the dancefloor!
now then.....r'n'b anyone?
k xx
Comment by lycra_uk00 on Saturday, 13th January 2007, 7:33pm
Yes i could'nt agree more Kate, and i think the punters have told you what they feel about this topic "Electro"
Lets hope we can move on and get back to enjoy our clubbing. Oh also I would like to point out,that I was not only passing on my opinion but also the large number of other clubbers views who have spoken to me over the last few months.
Phil x
Last modified by lycra_uk00 on Saturday, 13th January 2007, 7:55pm
Comment by djdanger on Saturday, 13th January 2007, 7:59pm
Don't know much about r'n'b I'd say it was Beyonce, Mary J, etc... and was spawned out of rap music not rhythm and blues??? Is Missy, 50 Cent r n b? I like some of it and I went to Bootylicious once and really enjoyed that. Isn't it the best selling kind of dance music? x
Comment by brighton on Saturday, 13th January 2007, 11:43pm
Hi Dulcie ... please don't even start a discussion on R&B, my nerves are just coming to terms with the ongoing debate between funky house and electro! ... I don't know whether "I've got love on mind" or "I'm putting my hands up for Detroit!" ... It's great to see such respected figureheads of our ga...
read morey scene debating with passion the current state of music and hopefully the future to.
Well I'm of for a lie down in a darkened room with a Hed Kandi CD.
Pieter xxx.
Last modified by brighton on Saturday, 13th January 2007, 11:50pm
Comment by jimmegee on Sunday, 14th January 2007, 5:12pm
R n' B: I know what this is because I tend to avoid it big-time in my choice of club. I've never set foot in the RnB room at Wild Fruit cos it just ain't my thing (my biggest two objections? beat too slow to dance to for me, and i really don't have any time for rap). That said, good RnB can be great...
read more listening music and it's often the source of pop music's best-written harmonies. I'm thinking Beyoncé, I'm thinking Eternal, I'm thinking... Yeah, you know what, it's really not my scene! RnB's not really a big feature on the gay scene either: what is that? Is it all a bit too "straight"? PS Dulcie re: not appearing to enjoy the Xmas Fruits: I was VERY full of Xmas pud on Boxing Day but 1 Jan was a bleedin' corker!!
Comment by wildblood on Tuesday, 23rd January 2007, 1:11pm
Ok so r'n'b doesn't get so many people too hot - either on the dancefloor or on the blog pages (although my visit to bootylicious in london did so for me!!) so let's move on shall me.
read more sounding as old as i am - it's it where the "kidz" are at?? and has everything gone all emo? or is it just so for the kids outside borders. if you don't do house and u don't do trashy what is there out there for u?? and is this where the real electro is? oh the disscussion continues
what about this 'indie / alt / proper electro" scene. fuck the pain away / shibby / boogaloo etc etc. at the risk of...
k xx
Last modified by wildblood on Friday, 26th January 2007, 3:06pm
Comment by _Skip_ on Friday, 23rd March 2007, 7:16am
I so agree. People ask me what music is being played, while i'm working the door, and it doesn't seem to matter what i say usually - they still come in!
Lets go back to the old days dear, when it was less confusing. There is nothing wrong with a good waltze, foxtrot or tango! xx
'My definition is this"... 27 comments