The 'ultimate' dance mix tape

If there is one thing I hope people get from WEEKEND’s look at the dance scene, it’s that dance music not a monolithic glob of four-on-the-floor kick drums with noodley synth lines, big personalities and musicians using electronics as a crutch.
Dancing and music are universal.

But here’s just a sampling of where some of the many different genres of contemporary electronic dance music and hip-hop have their roots or found their stride:
 
James Brown – “Funky Drummer”
This is James Brown’s most often-sampled track, with more than 180 verifiable samples in genres ranging from drum ’n’ bass to hip-hop. Brown and the breaks in his songs are incredibly important to the history of hip-hop, DJing, break-dancing and music in general.

Donna Summer – “I Feel Love”
Disco’s most popular diva, Donna Summer, helped introduce a more electronic sound into the disco scene with the help of producer Giogio Moroder in the late ’70s. This track in particular helped to develop techno’s repetitious, cold, synth-driven backdrop.

Afrika Bambaataa & the Soulsonic Force – “Planet Rock”
This is the track credited with giving birth to electro. Heavy on vocoders and breakbeats, “Planet Rock” influenced the development of hip-hop and electronic music.

Cybotron – “Clear”
This track from the legendary Juan Atkins and his collaborator Richard Davis was pivotal in the early evolution of techno. Some may recognize this repetitious beat as the sample used in Missy Elliot’s “Lose Control.”

Mr. Fingers – “Can You Feel It”
The spoken portion of the track is more or less how many followers of house music define the style. The vocal states, “ ... house is a feeling that no one can understand, really, unless you’re deep in the vibe of house.”
 
The Prodigy – “Firestarter”
Big Beat was the blanket term to describe acts such as The Prodigy, The Crystal Method and Fatboy Slim in the mid-’90s. The genre is known for its distorted, abrasive beats and vocals.

 Daft Punk – “Indo Silver Club”
Before everyone got caught up in the elaborate set pieces and lighting of their live shows, this duo was innovating the sound and aesthetic of French house music.

Tiesto – “Adagio for Strings”
Tiesto is a trance maestro who performed at the 2004 Athens Olympics opening ceremonies. Trance utilizes punchy synth melody lines and persistent beats to work dancers into an altered state – i.e., trance. Tiesto is undeniably at the forefront of the genre.

Burial – “Distant Lights”
He wasn’t the first dubstep producer or performer, but Burial was arguably the first to make a truly great LP in the style. This track from his self-titled release demonstrates the heavy moods of dubstep.

High Contrast – “Racing Green”
Drum ’n’ bass can be thought of as the punk rock of dance music. It features fast, abrasive tempos and is misunderstood by those outside of the culture. High Contrast has been releasing a smoother form called “liquid funk.” The jungle/DnB renaissance owes a great deal to this Welsh prodigy