I would like to understand the appeal of this music but so far haven't been able to. So basically, from what I understand, it's a drum beat going at a certain speed for the entire song. But what is the meaning of the song? What am I to extract from it? Like take Wagner's Ring, where there is the idea about the temptations of power, destiny and fate of men and gods. What is house about, what meaning does it give me?
House? Great tv show staring Hugh Laurie. Each episode is better than the previous one. Oh, you mean music? Well, as SRV said, If the House is a Rockin, Dont Bother Knockin. Classic rock is the music of the house here.
Maybe listen to some while relaxed, eyes closed, with headphones on (or a good well rounded sound system) and maybe let your imagination take hold (intoxicants do help). Most of it (esp. without vocals) is meant to be a bit abstract and left to the "reader's" interpretations I suppose. There are so many different types of "house" music but the house beat is found in all kinds of music (pop, Depeche Mode, Nine Inch Nails, for example). The simplicity of the beat is easy to dance to, and allows the rest of the sounds to take more of the color of the songs I guess. (I was never a big house fan in the beginning, I liked elecro breaks but have come around to some of the "good" house music.) Some Djs like the beat, I believe because it's pretty easy to mix and match. If I had to recommend someone to you that I consider easy to like and accept, maybe seek out some Gabriel & Dresden, Luke Chable, or Hybrid as they are all good "progressive house" producers. They will play breakbeats as well. To be quite honest all electronic music is best experienced in a total sensory environment (aka a "real" club) with intelligent and coordinated lighting and effects with the music, to produce a natural "trippy" feeling atmosphere without the trip, so to speak. I haven't been in any real clubs since the late 90's but I fell in love with the music through the club experiences.
a better answer to this question just came to me... I think the 4/4 house beat has something to do with it being hypnotic/trance inducing. I just found myself zoning out to a house record I am listening to.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NoDaYW8pPnU"]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NoDaYW8pPnU Get it on to that song and come back to us...
Here's a house tune with more of a 'message' https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LzrPSIfU4w4"]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LzrPSIfU4w4
the meaning? just jam to it! how about that for a meaning. like really, you dont need lyrics and crap for a meaning or for strength. a small part of me is also thinkin that another meaning is to reject other stuff, and go back to simplicity. also it's a badge of what social status i relate to. but it's all different from person to person. and thats the beauty of it. plus when someone says "house" it's pretty vague. u can like the gentler house, or someone with congo drums (frickin i find a ton of those songs and i dont care for them), theres electro house (which is kickin depending on the song), tech house which is more laid back, etc.
....and Here is one of the orginators of the genre probably summing it up best... basically you decide on what meaning it gives to you. I don't know the 2nd song to this by the way and think it kinda sucks but I couldn't embed just the one. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8dEee7IDuhw"]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8dEee7IDuhw
I don't need meaning in a song, i'm just trying to find the essence of the genre. I can't pinpoint the artistic value which lets me assess the quality of a particular artist as much as I can with almost every other genre of music. It all sounds very much dancefloor cliches to me. I kind of liked the Basement Jaxx song, it was a little exciting but got boring after a minute or so. Maybe I need more drugs.
Well I think house more so then alot of music is meant to be heard live or really loud. You don't necessarily need drugs to enjoy it, You do have to feel it tho. Its very rhythmic some of it to induce trance like states like one poster said, some of it to provide rhyhmic erotiscism like basement jaxx, some of it just simply music that's easy to dance too. I gurantee you if I listened to that Wagner song you mentioned and you did not tell me the supposed meaning of the song, I would not draw those conclusions on what its about and represents. Music in general is what you make it and people respond differently to different genres. Eventhough house music may be much simpler than classical music or jazz I find it resonates with me more than those other genres, In fact I have to be on drugs to even listen to classical. House is something very primal and physical and a good dj will take you on an audio journey that feeds off his/her personal experience and the vibes he/she gets from the crowd.
My brother DJ's it. It's so boring and repetitive. It's really a mixers dream, due to the the nature of it's beat though- that much I will admit.
