Skacid Redux
The entire four song history of Ska House
In 1989, a few years before Jungle and Drum & Bass music would find their final forms, several producers tried a different way of combining Caribbean music with Electronic Dance Music.
Before Ragga and other subgenres would do their thing, bubbling, whining, and combining, a handful of tunes placed Second (and a little First) Wave Ska over fun, 303 drizzled, “four-to-the-floor” Acid House tracks.
The first example I heard was Longsy D’s “This is Ska”, now a certified very-classic to dancers and House Music heads around the world.
“Pal” Joey Longo ( one of my favorite / the best producers of all time), released “Jump & Prance”, another solid addition to the short-lived trend.
The late, great Ranking Roger, The Clash collaborator and vocalist for The Beat, got in on the action with “We Play Ska”.
I’m pretty sure there are a few other obscure records from this 4-8 song micro-micro-genre but I can’t remember them right now. If you can think of any others, please drop them in the comments.
Also, while we’re on the subject… I’d like to point out that since almost everything we love about modern music was somehow invented or improved-upon by Jamaicans, please send money to Jamaica right now if you are able. Thank you.