African electronic dance music is undoubtedly one of the biggest music trends in the world right now. This is largely due to the hypnotic quality of the rhythms of the kind of music. In fact, so many aficionados of the music just love it so much they could feel it to be so much. They are also able to relate to the mystical qualities of it all. It’s a whole other set of emotions than pop or ballad music. It is one that has been around since the 1980’s and is enjoying a revival at the moment.
It was actually started by two men in Ghana who found it difficult to record music. They needed to do things on the cheap otherwise their innovations would simply go to waste. So, they began to play the locals some of their favorite beats. This was soon to become the foundation of what we now know as the Afro Nigerian sound. Over the coming years, as this fad spread throughout Africa and the rest of the globe, it became almost as popular as hip hop, reggae and even Jazz.
The kind of sounds being used in this kind of music has a hypnotic effect on many people. It is not uncommon for children in particular, to become completely absorbed by it. The hypnotic quality is what has made it so widely popular though.
The kind of rhythms found in African electronic dance music are similar to what you would find in hip hop and house music. The main difference however is that it has been slowed down. What does this have to do with drummers? It has everything to do with it. In fact, drummers were the main source of inspiration for the sort of drum programming that is now used in such a form.
Before discussing how it all started, let us first look at how it works. The beats in an African American dance music set are typically three minutes long. They are also repeated about eight times per minute. They are arranged in polyrhythmic patterns which are commonly known as polyrhythmic beats. This is why most African American dance music tends to have been recorded using only this form of electronic dance music.
You may be thinking “so, it’s not exactly the same as House music.” On the contrary. Owing to the fact that it is in fact more rhythmic than traditional house music, the dance songs found on an African American album tend to be faster paced than those found in typical house music. Many of them have been recorded while the performers are asleep. There are even some tracks recorded while they are on vacation!
The most important thing is that you don’t have to be an experienced dancer or a trained musician to be able to tell a good beat. As a matter of fact, some afro-djs (or any type of African dance music) DJ’s started out playing maracas and swinging sticks. This of course added a whole other level of enjoyment to the dance music. Those days, of course, are gone. Today, most of what you find on an African electronic dance music CD is recorded using drums, cymbals, and other instruments.
In fact, a lot of the new styles that are being developed these days are being developed on the basis of what an afro-deejay can do with a set of pre-programmed beats. This means that you can buy an album containing some of these new styles and spend hours playing and listening to it. Some of these afro dj’s are also playing sets composed of hip hop, rock, pop, reggae, and even electronica. So, if you love to listen to new electronic dance music, an African electronic dance music CD is just what you need. You can really get lost in the wonderful world of African beats and rhythms.
