What is nu disco? And how it differs from seventies disco

What is nu disco?

Nu disco is a style of dance music that takes its warmth from the disco, funk and boogie of the seventies and early eighties and combines it with modern production. You hear real sounding basslines, rhythm guitars, strings and keys, but the low end and the clarity belong to today.

The name has been around since the late nineties and became common in the two thousands. It sits close to disco house, but it usually moves a little slower and leaves more room for the song.

Nu disco vs disco: what did the seventies have that is missing today?

The disco of the seventies had something deeply communal. People went out to experience music, not to film themselves doing it. A DJ could build a whole night like a story and take a room on a journey.

That patience is what I miss most when I listen back.

What can nu disco do that the original could not?

Today we have enormous creative freedom. Making music has become more democratic. A musical vision that once needed a large studio, many players and a serious budget can now be realised by one person with an idea and the patience to finish it.

So my idea of nu disco is not to imitate the seventies. I want to keep their soul and use what our time makes possible. That is the line every song by The Soulcatcher tries to walk.