The origins of House music undoubtedly derive from Disco. Disco emerged in the early 1970s as an underground movement born out of the urban gay culture in New York City, with legendary clubs such as Paradise Garage and Chicago’s Warehouse paving the way for modern club culture and the iconic status of the DJ.
While the genre eventually suffered a mainstream backlash – leaving a void for House music to eventually fill – the legacy, energy and musicality of Disco never truly disappeared. Some of House music’s most classic anthems include Disco samples, and to this day, contemporary House music artists still reach for the genre’s rich back catalogue to create unforgettable moments on modern dancefloors.
With the latest release for Pirupa and LEON featuring a sample from the legendary ‘Dance’ by Sylvester, we thought we’d showcase a few classic disco samples utilised in some of our favourite records.
Released in 1978 – featuring the classic ‘You Make Me Feel Mighty Real’ as the B-Side – ‘Dance (Disco Heat)’ was a top 40 Hit in the USA, and reached #29 in the UK. A true feel-good disco classic, this track launched Sylvester as one of the most popular disco artists of the time.
One of the best and most iconic piano riffs in House music history, David Morales’ classic Needin U famously samples this gem from Rare Pleasure, released in 1976.
Kenny Dope’s masterclass of mid 90’s sampling, this track has been consistently been ranked in all-time House music production charts. Sampling Chicago’s ‘Street Player’, Kenny Dope created a slick piece of House that forces hands in the air everywhere. Featuring sublime trumpet playing from one of the greats, Maynard Ferguson.
Recorded in late 1977, ‘Keep on Jumpin’ was written by Patrick Adams and Ken Morris. Considered a disco classic, it faced some controversy for it’s reference to drug use, but was ubiquitous across disco clubland for many years. Sampled famously by Todd Terry in 1996, his release was described as an ‘oh-so-perfectly produced package of classic house’ by Muzik Magazine.
A modern day classic from the enigmatic genius Kenny Dixon Jr, this simple but extremely effective record was first released in 1996. Simple in it’s construction, but layered with subtle groove, a vocal snippet eventually reveals itself as a slice of the ‘I can’t kick this feeling when it hits… what am I gonna do” lyric from Chic’s “I Want Your Love.” A masterclass in how you can take one of the most universally adored disco records, and subtley create House music magic.