Nu-disco

Nu-disco or nu-house is a 21st-century dance music genre associated with a renewed interest in 1970s and early 1980s disco,^[2] mid-1980s Italo disco, and the synthesizer-heavy Euro disco and P-Funk aesthetics.^[3]

History

The moniker appeared in print as early as 2002, and by mid-2008 was used by record shops such as the online retailers Juno and Beatport.^[1] These vendors often associate it with re-edits of original-era disco music, as well as with music from European producers who make dance music inspired by original-era American disco, electro and other genres popular in the late ′70s and early ′80s. It is also used to describe the music on several American labels that were previously associated with the genres electroclash and french house.

In 2002, The Independent described nu-disco as the result of applying "modern technology and pin-sharp production" to ′70s disco and funk.^[4] In 2008, Beatport described nu-disco as "everything that springs from the late 1970s and early 1980s (electronic) disco, boogie, cosmic, Balearic and Italo disco continuum,"^[1] while Spin magazine placed an umlaut over the "u" in "nu", used the term interchangeably with Eurodisco, and cited strong Italo disco as well as electroclash influences.^[3]

Nu-disco is most popular in Europe and Australia. Bands such as Miami Horror, Cut Copy, Cadillac and Bag Raiders epitomize the Australian nu-disco sound. The French disco-revival sound can be seen in big acts such as Daft Punk, Stardust, Modjo, Madeon, Breakbot, Justice, as well as Duck Sauce, Armand Van Helden's collaborative project with A-Trak. While the latter may qualify more as an electro group, their walking bass lines and funk rhythms (as seen especially in "I Want Your Soul") are reminiscent of the genre.

Notable artists

Examples of artists playing Nu-Disco in their original songs and/or remixes include: Treasure Fingers, Moon Boots, Gigamesh, Aeroplane, Madeon, Flight Facilities, Tensnake, Classixx, Lindstrom, Breakbot, Hey Champ, Punks Jump Up, The Magician, Jupiter, Todd Terje, Drop Out Orchestra, Moullinex, Oliver, Ilija Rudman, Faze Action, LTJ Experience, Gazeebo, Idjut Boys, Martin Brodin, Mix Chopin, Prins Thomas, Poolside, Duck Sauce, DVAS, and Joey Negro.^[5][6]

Disco edits, re-rubs, and re-edits

Disco edits are traditional disco songs from the 1970s and 1980s which have been edited in some way, often using software but occasionally with a razor and reel-to-reel tape (a tape edit).^[7][8] The distinction between an edit and a remix is that an edit does not incorporate additional production, only the manipulation of the source material, whereas a remix can include as many new instruments and sounds as the remixer prefers.^[9] A "re-rub" and a "re-edit" fall somewhere in between, with re-rubs being tracks that have been cleaned up (from the vinyl source material) and straightened to a regular 4x4 beat, sometimes incorporating additional production.^[8][10] A re-edit is an edit in which the song's parts have been re-organized and minor additional production has been added, such as a more prominent drum beat, but the overall tone of the song has been left intact.^[11] Classic 1970s and 1980s disco remixers and producers such as Larry Levan, Shep Pettibone, Francois Kevorkian, Bernard Edwards and Nile Rodgers are often cited as influence to modern editors. Many nu-disco producers are also disco editors and often there is a bit of overlap between the two genres as many nu-disco songs feature samples of classic disco tracks. It is also not uncommon for an edit to be made of a modern track.^[8] Notable disco editors include Greg Wilson, Todd Terje, The Revenge, Dimitri from Paris, Late Nite Tuff Guy, Rayko, Fingerman, Beaten Space Probe, LTJ Experience, V's Edits, Disco Tech, Joey Negro, and Superbreak.

See also

• Nu-funk, a modern form of funk music that has been revived from the 1970s

References

External links

• A latecomer's guide to nu-disco
• Nu Disco Documentary pt. 1
• Nu Disco Documentary pt. 2