As we near the end of Black History Month, today we round up a series of classic interviews we’ve done over the years with some of electronic music’s true pioneers. Whether they’re kings of Detroit techno or scions of Chicago house, we’ve chatted with a slew of pivotal producers and DJs, and we’re happy to share with you 10 of our favorite talks today.
House music has a legacy unlike any other genre of dance music. Born in Chicago in the ’80s, the style grew outward to Detroit, New York, the UK, Paris, South Africa, and all points in between, and, some 30 years later, it’s touched just about every aspect of popular music as we know it. As part of our Legends of Electronic Music series, today we take a look at some must-see documentaries that track house music’s growth and popularity—from Chi-Town to Johannesburg. And while we couldn’t quite include Lil Louis’ The House that Chicago Built since it’s still in production, here are our 10 favorites up to now.
In honor of Black History Month, this February we take a look at some of electronic music’s most legendary producers and DJs through a series of documentaries, interviews, and tracks that laid the foundation for today’s dance-music culture. Today we present the five best documentaries ever made on jungle and drum & bass, featuring the likes of Roni Size, DJ Krust, Goldie, and LTJ Bukem, whose Goodlooking Records catalog we recently secured at Beatport. Check ‘em out and let us know in the comments if we missed your favorite.
“We know that our releases aren’t the easiest to understand or even listen to.”
This kind of admission would be startling from the head of any independent label, never mind one that has maintained a standard of musical credibility, technical innovation, and fan popularity for two decades. But knowing that this comes from Axis Records founder Jeff Mills gives it an entirely different context.
The 20th anniversary release of Axis, Sequence, is as much a celebration of Mills himself as it is of the label, and the complete physical product is designed with the care and attention you would expect, including a 320-page book and USB stick. The digital version of Sequence—a collection of 24 classic tracks—is available exclusively on Beatport this week, and to mark the occasion we asked Mills a handful of questions about the label’s history and future. As was to be expected, we got more than we asked for with his answers: his thoughts on “future human scenarios,” his 30-year-cycle theory, and some insight into the official retirement of his DJ alias, The Wizard.
