Belgium? Yes Belgium!
Belgium was arguably leading the world in hard house and techno in the late 80’s. When I first started listening to house music, the Belgians had pioneered a weird and wacky style called New Beat.
The early style of New Beat was way too far out for dancing, too slow and funk-less. It seemed to be a musical oddity. A click on the little belgian acid man below will take you to the excellent Belgazone blog. This has detailed look at that early New Beat (you’ll have to translate this blog from the French).
My first exposure to Belgian club music was through a series of compilation albums (Hard Beat – Volume 1 and New Beat – Take 1, 2, etc, see here for cover art). But as 1988 turned to 1989, New Beat really matured as it collided with Chicago house and acid. I must admit to becoming mildly obsessed by New Beat over the last few months. Click on the mix tape below for my personal favourite tunes from around 1988/89 as New Beat began to take on more of a house style.
Also, here’s two great New Beat mixes from MIXOMATOSIS
Tracklist:
MISS NICKY TRAX – Acid In The House
ZSA ZSA LA BOUM – Something Scary
LORDS OF ACID – I Sit On Acid
V/VM – Destelbergen
BOYTRONIC – Bryllyant
RHYTHM DEVICE – Acid Rock
101 – Rock To The Beat
AGARIC – I’m Gonna Beat Dis
NASTY THOUGHTS – Rock The House
OVERNIGHT SENSATIONS – Geronimo
BAZZ – The Drop Deal
AIRPLANE CRASHERS – I Had A Dream
TWO DJs – The Creation
Tracklist –
CONFETTI’S – Sound Of C
EROTIC DISSIDENTS – Move Your Ass
SNOWY RED – Euroshima – Wardance
DIRTY HARRY – d’Bop
NO MORE ECSTACY – God Is Dead
BOY TOY – Touch My Body
THE PARTY – Roxy Beat
V/VM – Anal Acid
B SIDES VOL. II – Magic Orchestra
NEW BEAT GENERATION – Suck the Beat
SCHICKSAL – 24 Hours
PLB SYSTEM – Switch Bitch
BIG BANG – Acid Radio
TASTE OF SUGAR – The Golden Shower
AMNESIA – Ibiza
GHENTLON – Cheebala
THE JAMS – It’s Grim Up North (For Love Nor Money mix)
.
New Beat Comes of Age
Come 1989 and New Beat had absorbed the lessons from house and techno and morphed into a really progressive heavy house style.. but more of that in a later blog…
djwuggs 