Ministry of Sound and ride-hailing company FREE NOW have teamed up to present three documentaries exploring electronic music subcultures in their new mini-documentary series, Journey In Dance.
The series explores the makeup of three different genres and scenes: Hard House, Amapiano and Jersey Club. By speaking to some of the key figures and tastemakers in the scene, these documentaries tell a story of the music and what it means to be part of the community where the music originated. The documentaries are some of the first to explore these genres and their impact on dance music culture.
Journey In Dance: Hard House centres on iconic label Tidy Trax and explores the birth of Hard House, a genre which found its home in the Pontins of the North of England where the infamous Tidy Weekenders took place. The documentary features Tidy Trax DJs and founders, Tidy Boys, who reveal the trials and tribulations of Tidy Trax from 1998-2005 and add to the history of this era of British Dance Music, an era which has been hugely underexplored.
The second documentary follows the journey of Britain’s latest dance music import. Hailing from the townships of South Africa, Amapiano is characterised by its slow tempos and thumping sporadic ‘log bass’. Amapiano legend, Mr Jazzi Q tells of his journey and YouTubers Ubunifu Space and Funky House legend Donae’o explore why Amapiano has had an impact in the UK and what it means for the genre.
Journey in Dance: Jersey Club is the final forage into dance music and explores Jersey Club through the words of one of the genre’s hottest talents, UNIQU3 . Known for its infectious vocal samples and distinctive drums, the influence of Jersey Club has been heard in clubs and charts alike, with Drake but one artist to use sounds from the genre. This documentary explores what the music means for the Newark community and how the sound has spread and been adapted across the globe.
The series is part of a longer partnership around Ministry of Sound’s 30th Birthday, which saw Free Now present DJ sets from Paul van Dyk, Armand van Helden and Groove Armada live from the 30th anniversary party at the nightclub. The partnership celebrates the iconic nightclub and brand’s 30 years at the centre of British dance music and the documentaries are part of acknowledging and celebrating the rich history and future of dance music in the UK.
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