As an active fan of Harry Styles and his previous three albums, I was incredibly excited to know that he would be releasing a new album titled, âKiss All The Time. Disco, Occasionally,â on March 6. I was immediately enticed by that title, specifically the inclusion of the word disco. While his previous three albums were certainly funk-inspired, most especially in, âHarryâs Houseâ and âFine Lineâ, I was enthralled by the idea that he would experiment with disco influences and produce a modern disco album. I was excited to listen to the album, but ultimately I was disappointed. I did appreciate the experimentation with electronic and synth arrangements, but I felt myself missing that unabashedly vibrant disco sound. Since this release, I am reminded of the lack of authentic disco sounds thatâs been missing from the mainstream contemporary music scene. I feel that especially in the politically volatile landscape we find ourselves in, the spiritedness and electricness of disco is what we need to remind us of the joys of being human.
While most peopleâs conception of disco comes from the 1977 film, Saturday Night Fever, discoâs origins can be traced back to Germany and France in the late 1930s when a performance space known as a âdiscothequeâ caused disco to be the recognized term to refer to dance club music. By the mid 1960s, DJ Terry Noel seamlessly mixed two records at club Arthur in New York City, beginning the early musical signatures of disco as a genre. After this innovation, the early 1970s in New York City became the epicenter of emerging disco culture, which was embedded with gay club culture and African and Latina artists. By the mid-1970s, a distinctive disco sound dominated with influences from Black artists who were affiliated with Motown and Philadelphia International Records. The role of producers in disco music also aided in defining the sounds, with producer Giorgio Moroder working with disco superstar Donna Summer and Nile Rodgerâs being the lead of the iconic disco group Chic. Disco eventually crossed over from the underground scenes into the mainstream with the release of Saturday Night Fever featuring a soundtrack by The Bee Gees in which began the cross-genre influence of disco. Something most people also donât know about disco is its wide international reach with the blending of regional styles, such as Italo-disco in Europe, Afrobeat-infused disco in Nigeria, and disco-funk in Brazil.
While by the early 1980s, Disco began to fade from the mainstream, the community that disco provided outlasted its relevance in the music industry. Discoâs strong connection and history associated with providing LGBTQ+, Black, and Latino communities, a place to dance and celebrate music freely, persisted as a feature of the music and culture. Through this, artists and disco enjoyers alike attached themes of love, liberation, and sexual freedom upon the whole of the genre and it became an extension of the music. To have a genre transcend past its art and become a notable symbol of love and acceptance is not only something that should be recognized but reinstated in our contemporary culture. Alongside this cultural aspect, disco is also a genre that was incredibly innovative and unique with its classic features of synthesizers, âfour-on-the-floorâ disco drum beats, and electric instrumentation. It was produced and engineered with the full heart of humanity and artistry, allowing the music to be felt completely through the body. Itâs no wonder that it became a staple for dance clubs and even today, disco tracks still produce the same freedom of movement and entice people to search for the nearest club that allows them to be truly themselves.
In discussing the history and cultural impact of disco, I also wanted to provide some recommendations of spectacular disco albums that I find absolutely exceptional and help encapsulate the disco that should definitely make a return. My personal favorite disco album which is incredibly groundbreaking is, âFrom Here to Eternityâ by Giorgio Moroder which is a space-disco influenced record that acts as a continuous mix of synthesizers and a pulsating beat. In continuation of the space-disco subgenre, âNightflight to Venusâ by Boney M is a more direct take on the fusion of space age sounds with disco with a unique production and sound. Alongside this, âMagic Flyâ is Space is highly reminiscent of âDaft Punkâ with early electronic influences but still a strong backbone in the features of disco music. Another subgenre of disco that is highly magnetic is italo-disco which can be seen curated through âItalian Classicsâ by Pino DâAngio who was a staple in the subgenre during its prime. Another key album in this niche is Robson Jorge and Lincoln Olivettiâs self titled album which carries a lot of Brazilian funk influences as well as italo-disco synth instrumentation. Finally, the last album I would recommend is, âPast Present and Futureâ by The Rah Band in which combines early jazz funk with space disco to produce a more refined take on classic disco influences.