Dance Mania has wielded its influence heavily across dance music since its first breakthrough club smash in ’86, Duane & Co’s ‘J.B. Traxx’, offering a raw, DJ-led alternative to the Chicago powerhouses of Trax and DJ International. Founder Ray Barney astutely released classic after classic during the early years – ’7 Ways’ by Hercules (Marshall Jefferson), ‘House Nation’ by Housemaster Boyz (Farley Jackmaster Funk) and Li’l Louis’ debut recordings all helping to cement Dance Mania’s credentials. Throughout its long history, the label never pandered to commercial pressures and the lure of the “hit”, focusing purely on the dance floor and the DJ. As styles changed and Chicago clubs like The Factory held sway during the ’90s, Dance Mania became a key player, unleashing uncompromising anthems like Robert Armani’s ‘Ambulance’ and ushering in ghetto house with Traxmen and Eric Martin’s ‘Hit It From The Back,’ as BPMs became faster and lyrics became ever more X-rated. A new wave of producers including DJ Deeon, DJ Funk, Slugo and Paul Johnson all appeared on Dance Mania, recording prolifically and honing the new ghetto style, stripped back and raw. The label’s influence continues today. Daft Punk famously name-check a series of Dance Mania producers on their ‘Teachers’ track, featured on the albumHomework and you can hear the label’s DNA through contemporary sounds as varied as Diplo, L.I.E.S., Brazil’s baile funk movement and Chicago’s modern day footwork producers like Nate and Rashad.
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- ReleaseProduct
- Dance Mania: Ghetto Madness
- Artist
- Various Artists
- Label
- Strut
- Catalogue Number
- 0730003312038
- Release Date
- January 21, 2015
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Vinyl, 2×LP
$23.99Read MoreSTRUT120LP
- Limited pressing on 180 gram vinyl
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$8.99320 kbps, LAME-encoded
The Double Vinyl comes on heavy weight 180g vinyl.
Strut return to the archives of seminal Chicago house label Dance Mania in January 2015 for ‘Dance Mania: Ghetto Madness’. The follow-up to Strut’s acclaimed Dance Mania label retrospective ‘Hardcore Traxx’ from early 2014, this new instalment places the spotlight on the raw, stripped back, hyper bpms of ghetto house and the rise of the movement’s fresh generation of stars during the mid’90s including DJ Deeon, DJ Funk, Jammin’ Gerald and DJ Milton.
The album tells the story of the evolution of Chicago’s sound during the era as mix tapes circulated through local stores and DJs developed their own under- ground following, playing local parties in the projects. Crowds began responding to faster bpms and gangsta rap-inspired X-rated lyrics. As DJ Deeon remembers, “it bridged the gap. It made it OK for guys in the ghetto to like house again and it brought the women onto the dancefloor too.” Dance Mania was perfectly positioned to capitalise on the new sound – many of the DJs came regularly into Ray Barney’s record store and, as Chicago’s most trusted and respected label owner, he was offered the best tracks for commercial release at an early stage.
‘Ghetto Madness’ brings together some of the underground classics and enduring favourites that earned Dance Mania the title of ‘Ghetto House’s Motown’. Tracks include DJ Deeon’s party-starter ‘The Freaks’, raw DJ Funk cut ‘Computer Sex’ and Nina Kraviz favourite, Paul Johnson’s ‘Give Me Ecstacy’. Other featured gems from the archive include the dark early Steve Poindexter outing ‘Computer Madness’ and Tyree’s in-demand jam, ‘Nuthin’ Wrong’.
‘Dance Mania: Ghetto Madness’ will be released in 1CD unmixed, 2LP and digital formats. Physical formats are fully illustrated in raw ghetto style by James Wilson and also feature CD a fold-out poster featuring an exclusive James Wilson illustration featuring the Dance Mania DJs as tattoos!
Digital Track List
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1
Pump That Shit Up
Jammin' Gerald
4:09
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Pump That Shit Up
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2
The Freaks
DJ Deeon
3:40
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The Freaks
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3
1112
DJ Deeon
7:04
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1112
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4
Computer Madness
Steve Poindexter
4:16
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Computer Madness
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5
Hit It
Darien
4:19
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Hit It
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6
The Reactor
DJ Rush
4:17
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The Reactor
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7
Bounce That Booty
Wax Master Maurice
3:53
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Bounce That Booty
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8
Let Me See You Butterfly
Traxmen
5:13
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Let Me See You Butterfly
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9
Pump On The Floor
Jammin' Gerald
3:31
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Pump On The Floor
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10
Give Me Ecstasy
Paul Johnson
6:15
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Give Me Ecstasy
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11
Ghetto Booty
Parris Mitchell
5:34
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Ghetto Booty
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12
House-O-Matics
DJ Milton
4:53
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House-O-Matics
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13
Computer Sex
DJ Funk
4:06
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Computer Sex
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14
Bitches
DJ Funk
2:42
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Bitches
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15
The Groove
Houz' Mon
5:22
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The Groove
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- Artist
- Various Artists
- ReleaseProduct
- Dance Mania: Ghetto Madness
- Label
- Strut
- Catalogue Number
- 0730003312038
- Release Date
- January 21, 2015
- LP
- Download
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- Artist
- Various Artists
- ReleaseProduct
- Dance Mania 'Revival Traxx' EP
- Label
- Strut
- Catalogue Number
- 0730003311840
- Release Date
- June 9, 2014
- Download
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- Artist
- Various Artists
- ReleaseProduct
- Hardcore Traxx: Dance Mania Records 1986-1995
- Label
- Strut
- Catalogue Number
- 0730003311420
- Release Date
- February 6, 2014
- Download
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Dance Mania