The Appeal of Four-on-the-Floor: A House Music Classic. The Essential Starter Album.
House music—often simply called “house”—is a genre that originated from 1970s disco and has continued to influence not only club music but also popular music such as pop.
Its signature beat style, known as the four-on-the-floor, where the kick drum hits four times per measure, is something you’ve likely heard at least once, even without realizing it.
While it’s difficult to fully cover its definitions and history in a short text, this article highlights essential, canonical masterpieces of house music.
It’s a lineup curated for those who want to start listening to house music from here on out!
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The appeal of four-on-the-floor: Classic house music albums. The essential records (31–40)
Beautiful feat. KarinDJ Kawasaki
Featuring the beautiful Rina Fujii as the jacket model, this resort-infused house classic is a track by DJ/producer DJ KAWASAKI—who began producing music in 2000—included on his acclaimed 2006 release “Beautiful.”
VIDEO CRASHTyree
A classic track from a landmark 1988 house album, featuring the cute graphics of the releasing label, Rockin’ House.
It was often played by techno DJs as well.
The rough-edged track paired with rowdy, party-like vocals makes it a lot of fun.
TuskAnthony Naples
A standout track included on “Mad Disrespect,” released in 2012 on New York’s notable house label Mister Saturday Night.
A rising star of the house music scene, his talent was instantly recognized by Four Tet, a popular artist in electronic music.
Do It AgainShinichiro Yokota
This is a classic Japanese house tune by Shinichiro Yokota that has been increasingly reappraised by house music listeners around the world in recent years.
Perhaps its popularity comes from the oriental flavor of its sound that differs from Western house, but even putting that aside, it’s simply an incredibly strong track on its own.
SpetraTlaotlon
A standout track from Ektomists, a beloved feel-good house classic with strong experimental elements by Melbourne-based creator Tlaotlon, released in 2014 on 1080p, the notable Vancouver, Canada house label.
The Appeal of Four-on-the-Floor: Essential House Music Masterpieces, The Basics (41–50)
ThirstinJack J
A standout track from the tastefully crafted classic released in 2015 on FUTURE TIMES by Jack J, the rising star of the house music scene based in Vancouver, Canada.
Its masterful use of timbres exudes a new-generation sensibility, making it a truly exceptional piece.
Tell You (Today)Loose Joints
A classic track by Loose Joints, another alias project of Arthur Russell, who also released many great songs under the name Dinosaur L.
It’s a masterpiece that represents one facet of New York’s pop yet avant-garde sound, brimming with a kind of idiotically bright cheerfulness.