"Nu - As in Left Field"

In all, when it comes to defining “Nu Disco” and attempting to help categorise the genre, the process is not difficult. Given the inherent relationship to 1970s and 1980s disco, it is important that “Nu Disco” music pays homage in some sense. This can be done through:

• The use of sampling: by sampling a track from the period and recreating it with a modern twist it directly displays the disco influence or by;
• The use of musical instruments from the 1970s and 1980s disco period: The use of electronic synthesisers (particularly moog and roland) and drum samplers allows the artist to create a sincere connection with the disco period.

At the end of the day, as Nu Disco is merely a genre, music only needs to have a few similarities in order to gain the genre classification. For these reasons, these few tracks are considered to be “Nu Disco”.

This track, entitled ‘Grow up’ by 18 year old Melbourne producer Swick features the classic disco horn sound with whistles.



Knightlife also from Melbourne samples and Moogs as well throughout his entire EP. Check out the sweet horn action at the 1:30 mark.



This remix done by Sydney group Flight Facilities is of the aforementioned ‘Best Party Ever’ by Toecutter featuring the Kool & the Gang sample, however they’ve added a tasty saxophone solo that kicks in around the 1:50 mark, staying true to the disco roots.



In an interview conducted with Radio 94.5 FBI Presenter Ross Eldridge about the Nu-disco and Australian Electro movement within Sydney, conducted on the 27th of October 2009, he discussed how it was not difficult to understand the popularity of the genre and its growth within Australia.

“Disco had such a huge impact on the world, I mean it’s never going to go away or be ignored so it’s only natural that it is starting to be re-done, made ‘nu’ so to speak”.

“Australia has actually been one of the last places to really re-embrace the disco movement. Groups like Prins Thomas (Norway) have been doing it around Europe for years. It as if they never ever really stopped making disco music in some places. Tim Sweeney has been making a radio show, 'beats in space' for ten years now in New York as well which is all disco”.

“It hasn’t always been disco as such but more of the sub-genres such as disco house, Disco Dub. I think when you are looking at the nu-disco, the sampling and a bit of the revamp that has been going on for the last few years then you’ve got to give credit to a couple of those French house people, Mr. Oizo, Breakbot and such. I mean even Daft Punk if you think about it, they’ve been sampling and re-making and absolutely killing it for years. I mean take Patrick 122 (a song by French Producer Mr. Oizo). That is an absolute classic, probably one of the first tunes to bring back the disco sampling thing into electro in the 21st century that was being dominated by distorted French music.”

Mr. Oizo – Patrick 122 ... Check it out from about the 20 second mark onwards.



When asked about the difference between say Patrick 122 and a modern production such as D Cup’s “Last night a DJ saved my life” (shown in the welcome post) Eldridge believed that the difference is definitely intentional by the producers.

“The difference is in the style, the backing, the instruments in the tune. You listen to Oizo and its much more of a tech feel, it’s a lot shorter and sharper and the sample is really distorted. The D Cup tune is almost giving more respect to the original sample by playing it a lot clearer. That and the dreamy synths and stuff are way more traditional disco than Patrick 122 and I suppose that the difference is there.”

In all it must be noted that while the “Nu Disco” genre is perhaps not the most inherently original genre given its strong reliance on sampling and strong roots in the 1970s/80s disco movement, it is making new strides and having s strong influence on dance music culture worldwide.