Post-Disco
Disco · 1980 · 100 to 118 BPM · also known as Leftfield Disco, Proto-House
Post-disco is New York between 1979 and 1983, after the Disco Demolition Night made the word disco commercially toxic while the music simply kept going under other names. The groove strips down, the strings disappear, bass and drums take over the whole space, and the studio becomes more experimental. It is the shared matrix of boogie, garage and house, the densest hinge in this whole map.
6 reference tracks
- Was (Not Was): Wheel Me Out (1980)
- ESG: Moody (1981)
- Peech Boys: Don't Make Me Wait (1982)
- D Train: Keep On (1982)
- Sharon Redd: Beat The Street (1982)
- Dua Lipa: Don't Start Now (2019)
At a glance
- Tempo: 100 to 118 BPM
- First appeared: around 1980
- Machines: Basse électrique, Batterie acoustique, Sequential Prophet-5, Boîte à rythmes
- The sound: Basse électrique en avant, Batterie sèche et compressée, Synthétiseurs Prophet-5, Premières boîtes à rythmes
- Labels: 99 Records, West End Records, Prelude, Sleeping Bag
- Key artists: Arthur Russell, ESG, Peech Boys, D-Train, Was (Not Was)
Producing Post-Disco
Post-disco slows slightly and strips down, 105 to 120 BPM, the feel still played but drier and tenser than disco, with light swing around 53 to 55 percent. The signature is space: fewer elements, each one louder, the kick not necessarily on every beat, the snare cracking alone on 2 and 4, the whole groove resting on just drums, bass and one keyboard. The drums are dry and close-mic'd, sometimes doubled or replaced by an early drum machine like the LinnDrum or CR-78 for a machine edge. The electric bass sits up front as the main element, minimal, a two-bar motif on one or two notes, slapped or picked and repeated without variation, compressed hard to snap. On top, a Prophet-5 replaces the strings with minor chord stabs, and the vocal is often treated as an instrument.
The full production course, in French: tempo, drums, bass, sounds, arrangement, mix, plugins and machines, and a step by step start.
Frequently asked
What is Post-Disco?
Post-disco is New York between 1979 and 1983, after the Disco Demolition Night made the word disco commercially toxic while the music simply kept going under other names. The groove strips down, the strings disappear, bass and drums take over the whole space, and the studio becomes more…
What tempo is Post-Disco played at?
Between 100 and 118 BPM.
Who are the key Post-Disco artists?
Arthur Russell, ESG, Peech Boys, D-Train, Was (Not Was).
