In the Beginning...

When I talk about "House Music," I'm not referring to Swedish House Mafia, David Guetta, or anything electro-esque that you'll find on a Top 40 radio station's playlist. I'm talking about the Underground. 

The Underground House scene has been around since the beginning of the 1980s.  Contrary to popular belief, House Music was NOT originally a European export--it was created right here in the good old USA (Chicago to be exact.)  Some of the features of the original, Chicago House music sound were 4/4 time, drum percussion with low frequency, and heavy bass lines.  This new style of music was soulful, it was danceable, and listeners couldn't get enough.  The name for the new genre, "House," actually came from the venue where it was played--The Warehouse. 

                                "And from this groove came the groove of all grooves."  "Can You Feel It" (1986) 
                                           is one of the most iconic tracks from the 80's Chicago house music scene.

Underground House Music continued to grow in popularity throughout the 80s and 90s. From the Warehouse and Clubs of the Chicago where the music was first born, the new genre had reached New York City, and ultimately streched even farther to places in Europe like London and Ibiza.  House exploded, and could be heard throughout the world by the early 90's.  In New York City's Underground Club Scene in particular, the music had become a full-fledged powerhouse.  House could be heard booming throughout NYC Underground venues such as Limelight, Tunnel, and Sound Factory throughout the 90s and early 2000s.  Unfortunately, the momentum and growth of Underground House Movement in The Big Apple slowed in the late 90s and the beginning of the 2000s after the city of New York had begun to crack down on it's nightlife. "This initiative introduced rigorous inspections for fire safety and sanitation, created pressure to root out drug use in nightclubs, boosted the cost of various entertainment-related permits and licenses, and most famously revived a cabaret law from 1926 that banned three or more patrons from dancing without a specific permit."

                              Underground Dance Music boomed throughout New York City Nightlife in the 90's... 
                                         check out this video from NYC's Limelight Nightclub, circa 1991. 

Now, let's fast foward to 2013. Despite the immense popularity of the "EDM" craze that has recently swept the nation within the past year or two, Underground House music is still very much alive, and is currently rebuilding itself again, slowly but steadily. You just need to know where to look (if you're seeking to get down to some the latest sounds of the House Music Underground at Paris Hilton's latest gig, you're doing it wrong.)  

The main purpose of this blog is to turn away from normally commerciality that comes with mainstream "EDM," to something more grassroots. We are not trying to disrespect that which is mainstream, but the truth is that our loyalties lie elsewhere. Our aim here is simple: to embrace the Underground House Music Culture, a scene has a rich, vibrant history and culture.  How are we going to do this? First of all, we're going to provide you with quality music... lots of it.  We're also going dish out information on the latest events/ parties in NYC that you should be checking out and why you should be checking them out.  We're going to comment on current events (and no topic is too sacred.)  Wether you already know the deal, or you're totally new to the scene, things are about to get interesting, weird, and even a little controversial.