Nu-Disco

History

Nu-disco appeared in the early 2000s as producers returned to disco and boogie records ^s1. Some made re-edits, which are longer versions of old tracks with the main parts repeated ^s1. Others wrote new music in the same style, using modern production ^s1. The Norwegian producer Lindstrøm released 'I Feel Space' in 2005, mixing spacey synths with a disco groove ^s1. In New York, the label DFA released Hercules & Love Affair's 'Blind' in 2008 ^s1. Tensnake's 'Coma Cat' (2010) became a club hit in Europe ^s1. The style is often slow and warm, with live-sounding bass and clear, simple drums ^s2. It connects the original disco era to modern club music and helped bring disco sounds back to the dance floor ^s1. The style was popular in both clubs and at home, and many compilations collected the most popular tracks ^s1. It also shaped later house and pop records that used disco sounds ^s2.

Sound

• Warm, live-sounding bass guitar or synth bass
• Clear, unhurried drum grooves
• Spacey or cosmic synthesizer sounds
• Handclaps and disco-style percussion
• A slow-to-mid tempo, often near 115 BPM

Key figures

• Lindstrøm — Norwegian producer and a key nu-disco artist
• Hercules & Love Affair — New York group behind 'Blind'
• Tensnake — German producer of 'Coma Cat'
• Todd Terje — Norwegian producer and remixer

Labels

• Feedelity — Oslo , 2002
• DFA Records — New York City , 2001
• Permanent Vacation — Munich , 2004

Defining tracks

• Lindstrøm — I Feel Space (2005) YouTube
• Hercules & Love Affair — Blind (2008) YouTube
• Tensnake — Coma Cat (2010) YouTube

Connections

Came from: Disco , Funk and Boogie , Italo Disco

Sources

1. Nu-disco — Wikipedia
2. Last Night a DJ Saved My Life: The History of the Disc Jockey — Grove Press (1999)