Deep House Music of the 90s
The best deep house music of the 90s. A definitive guide to the genre, with artist interviews, history and more.
The History of Deep House Music
Deep house is a subgenre of house music that originated in the 1980s. It is characterized by a slow, syncopated 4/4 beat, use of extended chords, and minimal vocal samples. In the early 1990s, deep house was influenced by jazz and soul music, and it developed a more organic sound.
The origins of deep house music
The origins of deep house music can be traced back to the 1980s, when it was first developed by Chicago-based DJ and producer Frankie Knuckles. Knuckles’ style of house music was heavily influenced by soul and disco, and featured a more vocally-driven sound than other types of house music.
Deep house rapidly gained popularity in the early 1990s, with a number of influential tracks being released by artists such as Joe Smooth, Masters at Work, and Mr. Fingers. These tracks helped to define the sound of deep house, with their use of elements such as airy pads, jazzy chord progressions, and dub-influenced basslines.
In the mid-1990s, deep house began to experience something of a resurgence in popularity, thanks in part to the rise of electronica and trip hop. A new generation of producers began to experiment with the sound of deep house, infusing it with elements of other genres such as techno, Drum n Bass, and even Hip Hop. This resulted in a more varied and experimental style of deep house which is still evident in the music being produced today.
The development of deep house music
In the early 1990s, deep house music developed from a blend of Chicago house, techno, and Acid house. The sound is often characterized by a feeling of symmetry, elasticity, and an overall balance between different elements. The style is also known for its use of swung hi-hats and soulful vocals.
The deep house sound first emerged in clubs in Chicago, Detroit, and New York. The genre then spread to Europe in the mid-1990s, where it found popularity in clubs in London and Berlin. By the late 1990s, deep house had become one of the most popular genres of electronic dance music.
Today, deep house music is still widely popular and continues to evolve. While the sound has become more diverse, it still retains its signature elements of balance and soulfulness.
The Sound of Deep House Music
Deep House music originated in the early 1990s, and is a style of house music that combines elements of Chicago house, jazz, and Detroit techno. It is characterized by a slower tempo, and often has a dub or jazz influence.
The key elements of deep house music
Deep house is a subgenre of house music. It originated in the 1980s, initially fusing elements of Chicago house with 1980s jazz-funk and touches of soul music. Deep house tracks generally have a tempo of between 115 and 130 beats per minute (BPM), and feature drum machines, synthesizers and/or acoustic pianos. They often incorporate contrasting stable and syncopated basslines, use vocal samples typically filtered and pitch shifted to create an atmosphere of greater composure, and make extensive use of reverb-drenched delay lines.
The style was initially associated with the DJing styles of Frankie Knuckles, Larry Heard and Ron Hardy at the legendary Warehouse club in Chicago, as well as with the non-commercialized form of house known as acid house that was characterized by its use of squelchy Roland TB-303 bass synthesizers. By the early 1990s, deep house had progressed to include smoother harmony-based melodies often supported by sustained orchestrations from Rhodes electric pianos, synthesizers playing chords or Pad soundscapes, filtered basslines and minimal percussion programming reminiscent of jazz or Brazilian samba music.
The influence of deep house music
Deep house music is a subgenre of house music that originated in the 1980s. It is characterized by a slower tempo,Deep house tracks often have a soulful, gospel-influenced vocal melody, and can feature additional instrumentation such as keyboard stabs and sparse percussion. The style emerged as a combination of Chicago house and Detroit techno.
The first records to be labelled as deep house were by Chicago producers Mr. Fingers and Larry Heard, whose work defined the genre’s earliest sound. These tracks were mostly instrumental, featuring lengthy, jazz-influenced piano solos over drums and bass; they were often compared to the work of Larry Young and George Duke. Tracks like Mr. Fingers’ “Can You Feel It” (1986) and Heard’s “Mystery of Love” (1985) are considered early classics of the genre.
The Legacy of Deep House Music
Deep House music first gained popularity in the early 1990s, and has since then become one of the most popular genres of electronic dance music. The genre is characterized by its slowed-down tempo and focus on atmosphere and melodies. Deep House music often has a soulful or spiritual vibe, and can be both relaxing and uplifting.
The influence of deep house music on contemporary music
Deep house music was a subgenre of house music that originated in the 1980s. It was characterized by a slower tempo, deep basslines, and spiritual or jazz-influenced samples and melodies. Deep house enjoyed a brief period of popularity in the 1990s before being replaced by more commercialized styles of house music. However, it has experienced a resurgence in popularity in recent years, with more and more DJs and producers incorporating elements of deep house into their music.
Deep house has had a significant influence on contemporary electronic music. Many modern producers have cited deep house as an inspiration, and itsbasslines, melodies, and overall atmosphere can be heard in a wide variety of current dance music genres. In particular, deep house has played a major role in the development of future bass and trap music. As trap music has become more popular in recent years, producers have increasingly looked to deep house for inspiration, incorporating its hypnotic rhythms and rich textures into their own tracks.
The legacy of deep house music
Deep house music is a style of electronic dance music that originated in the early 1990s. It is characterized by a slow, hypnotic tempo and focus on mood and atmosphere rather than traditional song structure. Often, deep house tracks feature samples of other genres, including jazz, soul, and funk. The term “deep house” was coined in the late 1980s by DJ Larry Levan, who used it to describe a new style of House music that he was developing.
Since then, deep house has undergone something of a resurgence in popularity, thanks in part to the popularity of ’90s nostalgia. In recent years, a number of original deep house tracks from the ’90s have been reissued on vinyl, and several new artists have emerged who are influenced by the sounds of that era. Whether you’re a fan of deep house music from the ’90s or you’re just getting into it now, there’s plenty to explore. Here are some essential deep house tracks from the ’90s that every fan should know.
