Monday 23 June 2008

Swings and Roundabouts

In the UK we have had a long history of dance music. The cycles of music constantly change, come back, reinvent themselves and morph into hybrid mash ups of extraordinary wonderfulness. Dance music in this country is seeing a reemergence, both in "clubland" (of which it never really left, but just got a little bit stale IMO) and in the charts. Perhaps this has something to do with Ibiza, its euphoric rise again in the hearts and minds of British Ravers and the influx of cash and cool to the island in recent years. Services providing hedonistic adventures for those who were once either not "cool" enough to venture to the Island, or those who cared little for its scene have become prominent alongside the "new" VIP areas, all for a hefty price tag. Another reason may well be because 20 somethings stealing their siblings CDs can now afford and are old enough to visit the island which sparked many a story of debauchery which you were not meant to hear!

Check out BBC Radio 2's documentary series on British dance music.  Featuring a little bit of everything, but one segment I am particularly keen to check out is the slice of Northern Soul.  My Dad loves Northern Soul and I owe him a lot in terms of music education, but if I could travel back in time to one era of British culture it would be to the all night soul dances of The Twisted Wheel Club in Manchester that I've heard so much about.  

Put on your dancing shoes!  Finally the monotony of "Chip Shop Indie" as one kid at my uni poignantly summed up its wackness, may just well be over, for one summer at least!