Progressive House
A long, building British house style with layered melodies and a trance-like feel.
History
Progressive house appeared in Britain in the early 1990s s1. It grew out of house and the calmer side of techno, and DJs such as Sasha and John Digweed made it popular s1. The word progressive described the way tracks changed slowly, adding and removing layers over several minutes s1. Early examples include Leftfield's 'Not Forgotten' (1990) and Jaydee's 'Plastic Dreams' (1992) s1. Underworld's 'Rez' (1993) showed how melodic and hypnotic the style could be s1. The sound spread to Europe and the United States through clubs and mix compilations s2. By the late 1990s it had become a large commercial scene, and the name was later reused for a more song-like festival style s2. Progressive house is still played, though the word now covers several different sounds s2. The style was also popular in the United States and Australia, and it filled large clubs in the late 1990s. Many DJs released mix compilations that sold in large numbers s1.
Sound
- Long tracks that build slowly
- Layered, echoing melodies
- A steady four-to-the-floor beat
- Deep, rolling basslines
- A calm, hypnotic and spacious feel
Key figures
- Sasha — British DJ central to the style
- John Digweed — British DJ and Sasha's long-time partner
- Leftfield — British duo behind 'Not Forgotten'
- Underworld — British group behind 'Rez' and 'Born Slippy'
Labels
- R&S Records — Ghent , 1984
- Junior Boy's Own — London , 1993
Defining tracks
Connections
Came from: Chicago House , Balearic , Detroit Techno
Led to: Big Room House , Melodic House and Techno
Sources
- Progressive house — Wikipedia
- How to talk to your kids about progressive house — Insomniac