Various - Hardcore Traxx: Dance Mania Records 1986-1995 2LP
Various - Hardcore Traxx: Dance Mania Records 1986-1995 2LP

I’m conscious of over-personalising my high praise musical endorsements but this Dance Mania compilation was a really unexpected epiphany for me about a decade ago and I still come back to it constantly.
The first reason why I think I found a House Music home in Dance Mania Record is the not-too-abstract parallels that can be made to other regional independent/D-I-Y cultures I (and maybe you?) hold dear. Both in lore and sound there’s a unruly amateur inventiveness, an unfiltered raw and loose energy that’s fun and rude, especially compared to the edge-less and dim-witted mass consumable euro-crud teenage me unfortunately associated with House Music.
The second reason Dance Mania is so dear to me is it’s the clear predecessor of Chicago Footwork, the best music of the 21st century. That link becomes more abundantly clear on the next Strut Records compilation of Dance Mania 12”s ‘Ghetto Madness’, which I hope also gets a re-press. In conclusion…
(John & Yoko voice)
All that I’m saying, is give House a chance
Rock pigs and post-punks, give House a chance
- Nic