React Music Limited
Encyclopedia
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
based independent record label
Independent record label
An independent record label is a record label operating without the funding of or outside the organizations of the major record labels. A great number of bands and musical acts begin on independent labels.-Overview:...
that was formed in 1990 by James Horrocks and Thomas Foley. James Horrocks was initially involved with successful dance music
Dance music
Dance music is music composed specifically to facilitate or accompany dancing. It can be either a whole musical piece or part of a larger musical arrangement...
independent Rhythm King, and React pursued a similar approach - specifically electronic dance music
Electronic dance music
Electronic dance music is electronic music produced primarily for the purposes of use within a nightclub setting, or in an environment that is centered upon dance-based entertainment...
, house music
House music
House music is a genre of electronic dance music that originated in Chicago, Illinois, United States in the early 1980s. It was initially popularized in mid-1980s discothèques catering to the African-American, Latino American, and gay communities; first in Chicago circa 1984, then in other...
, acid house
Acid house
Acid house is a sub-genre of house music that emphasizes a repetitive, hypnotic and trance-like style, often with samples or spoken lines rather than sung lyrics. Acid house's core electronic squelch sounds were developed around the mid-1980s, particularly by DJs from Chicago who experimented with...
, techno
Techno
Techno is a form of electronic dance music that emerged in Detroit, Michigan in the United States during the mid to late 1980s. The first recorded use of the word techno, in reference to a genre of music, was in 1988...
and rave
Rave
Rave, rave dance, and rave party are parties that originated mostly from acid house parties, which featured fast-paced electronic music and light shows. At these parties people dance and socialize to dance music played by disc jockeys and occasionally live performers...
along with newer 'dance' orientated sub-genres which emerged throughout the '90's - including hard house, tech house
Tech house
Tech house is a subgenre of house music that mixes elements of minimal techno into simple, 4-to-4 beats found in soulful deep house. The genre came to prominence in the late-1990s atmosphere of American clubs as soul influenced Detroit-style techno that also borrowed elements from house before...
, trance
Trance music
Trance is a genre of electronic dance music that developed in the 1990s.:251 It is generally characterized by a tempo of between 125 and 150 bpm,:252 repeating melodic synthesizer phrases, and a musical form that builds up and breaks down throughout a track...
, hardbag
Hardbag
Hardbag was a genre of electronic dance music popular in the mid 1990s. Having evolved out of the handbag house scene in 1993-1994, the genre enjoyed massive, albeit brief, popularity, with several hardbag releases achieving positions in the upper echelons of the UK chart...
, happy hardcore
Happy hardcore
Happy hardcore, also known as happycore, is a genre of music typified by a very fast tempo , often coupled with solo vocals and sentimental lyrics. Its characteristically 4/4 beat "happy" sound distinguishes it from most other forms of hardcore techno, which tend to be "darker". It is typically in...
, drum and bass
Drum and bass
Drum and bass is a type of electronic music which emerged in the late 1980s. The genre is characterized by fast breakbeats , with heavy bass and sub-bass lines...
and chill out
Chill out
Chill out may mean:*Chill out music, a laid-back style of music*Chill Out, an album by KLF*Chill Out *Chill Out, an album by John Lee Hooker...
.
Artists
As dance music dominated the UK Singles ChartUK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
throughout the 1990s React also enjoyed both underground and commercial success within the dance/club scene. In common with most 'dance' orientated labels the artists at React varied from short-term 'one hit wonders' to longer-term acts which released numerous singles/albums and included:
- The SourceThe Source (musician)The Source originally started out as an alias of unknown origin for Source Records's 1986 single release "You Got the Love" which featured Candi Staton. In 1989, DJ Eren, put Candi Staton's vocals over a track by Jamie Principle called "Your Love" which became a club hit. This was also released on...
featuring Candi StatonCandi StatonCandi Staton is an American soul and gospel singer, best known for her 1970 remake of Tammy Wynette's "Stand By Your Man" and her 1976 disco hit "Young Hearts Run Free". In 2007, Staton was inducted into the Christian Music Hall of Fame.-Early years:...
- Generally considered one of React's best selling singles You Got The LoveYou Got the Love"You Got the Love" is a 1986 single by the band The Source and Candi Staton. One of its many remixers also adopted the name The Source. In 2008, the song was recorded by English soul singer Joss Stone for her fourth studio album, "Colour Me Free!" released in October 2009...
was originally a bootleg combining Frankie KnucklesFrankie KnucklesFrankie Knuckles is an American DJ, record producer and remix artist. He played an important role in developing house music as a Chicago DJ in the 1980s and he helped to popularize house music in the 1990s, with his work as a producer and remixer...
/Jamie PrincipleJamie PrincipleJamie Principle is a house music artist and producer born in Chicago, Illinois.He is one of the early pioneers of house music when the genre first began in Chicago during the early 1980s...
's classic house track Your LoveYour Love (Frankie Knuckles song)"Your Love" is a song by Jamie Principle. Its original recordings are early examples of Chicago house music.Key features of the song are the arpeggiated repeating synthesizer line and a powerful, propulsive bassline. Part of the bassline was based on that of the Italo Disco/boogie track "Feels Good...
with an obscure recording from disco legend Candi Staton. The single was a major success and reached #3 in the UK Singles Chart in February 1991 and #4 when it was re-released in March 1997. The SourceThe Source (musician)The Source originally started out as an alias of unknown origin for Source Records's 1986 single release "You Got the Love" which featured Candi Staton. In 1989, DJ Eren, put Candi Staton's vocals over a track by Jamie Principle called "Your Love" which became a club hit. This was also released on...
also reached #38 in August 1997 with the single Clouds and had a number of other single releases with React, however these didn't quite achieve the same success as You Got The Love. Candi Staton's music career was revitalised with You Got The Love and React also enjoyed UK Top 40 success with her singles Love On Love which reached #27 in April 1999 and her discoDiscoDisco is a genre of dance music. Disco acts charted high during the mid-1970s, and the genre's popularity peaked during the late 1970s. It had its roots in clubs that catered to African American, gay, psychedelic, and other communities in New York City and Philadelphia during the late 1960s and...
classic Young Hearts Run FreeYoung Hearts Run Free"Young Hearts Run Free" is a disco song by American soul singer Candi Staton. Released in 1976 from the album of the same title, it spent a week at number one on the Hot Soul Singles chart. It also peaked at number twenty on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart. Along with the tracks: "Run To Me"...
which was re-issued and reached #28 in August 1999. - The Age of LoveThe Age of Love (Age of Love single)"Age of Love" is the 1990 self-titled single of the Age of Love. It is notable as an early popular example of trance music.Released in 1990, itn was produced by Bruno Sanchioni and Giuseppe Cherchia , with vocals by Karen Mulder "The Age of Love" was originally released by the Belgian label Diki...
- The single 'Age Of Love' was originally released by React in 1992. It didn't make the UK Top 40 but is considered one of the first 'trance' records and had a slow burning effect in the dance/club scene. When re-released in July 1997 and September 1998 it reached #17 and #38 respectively in the UK Singles Chart and is one of React's most successful singles. - Mrs WoodMrs WoodMrs Wood is a female DJ and record producer involved in the hardbag and UK techno scene. Mrs Wood first came to prominence via her output on the React record label...
- JoannaJoannaJoanna is a feminine given name deriving from Koine Greek Iōanna from Hebrew יוֹחָנָה meaning "God is gracious". Variants in English include Joan, Joann, Joanne, and Johanna...
#40 (Sept 1995), HeartbreakHeartbreakHeartbreak may refer to:*Broken heart, the emotions felt after the end of a romance, or grief or disappointment*Battle of Heartbreak Ridge, a Korean War battle in 1951*Heartbreak Hill , several different locations...
feat. Eve GallagherEve GallagherEve Gallagher is an English singer from Sunderland, Tyne and Wear associated with the house music scene.-Career:Eve Gallagher first came to prominence in 1990 with the release of her debut single "Love Come Down"...
#44 (1996), JoannaJoannaJoanna is a feminine given name deriving from Koine Greek Iōanna from Hebrew יוֹחָנָה meaning "God is gracious". Variants in English include Joan, Joann, Joanne, and Johanna...
#34 (Oct 1997) & 1,2,3,4 # 61 (1998) - Billie Ray MartinBillie Ray Martin-Career:Billie Ray Martin has had dance and pop hits in various collaborations and as a solo artist. Initially a guest singer for S'Express , she went on to work with the electronic/pop/house-music group Electribe 101. The group's only album was Electribal Memories because it disbanded...
- also known as BRM - Blu Peter
- John '00' Fleming
- GTO/Technohead
- Antarctica
- Seb
- S-J - I Feel Divine #30 (Jan 1998)
- Sundance - Sundance #33 (Nov 1997) & #37 (Oct 1998) Living The Dream #40 (Feb 2000)
- Mash! - U Don't Have To Say U Love Me #37 (May 1994)
- Millstart/Jeff Mills
- The Hellfire Club
- Shimmon & Woolfson
- Elevator
- Alex Lee
- SharkeyDJ SharkeySharkey is a British record producer, disc jockey, and rapper. Sharkey co-created a style of hardcore techno known as freeform or freeform hardcore.-Career:...
- Fierce Ruling Diva
- Armadillo
- Contact
- Subterfuge (3)
- Planets In Transit
- Madame Dubois
- Baby Doc
- DJ Gee
- Pepper Sweeney
- Zouk presents Transcendental Experience
- Rotterdam Termination Source
- The Knights Of The Occasional Table
Success with Compilation Albums
React was also immensely successful with a wide variety of compilation albums which crossed a wide spectrum of the dance/club scenes. Notable releases included;- BonkersBonkers (compilation)The Bonkers series was one of the leading happy hardcore compilation series in the UK. The first release was in 1996 on record label React , it was available on 2xCD, 2xTC and 4xLP formats...
- the UK's best-selling 'happy hardcore' compilation. - Reactivate - a well-respected techno/trance compilation.
- Cafe del Mar/Real Ibiza - covering the balearicBalearic BeatBalearic Beat or either Balearic House and Balearic Trance is an eclectic blend of DJed dance music that originally emerged in the mid-1980s. It later became the name of a more specific style of electronic dance music that was popular into the mid-1990s...
/IbizaIbizaIbiza or Eivissa is a Spanish island in the Mediterranean Sea 79 km off the coast of the city of Valencia in Spain. It is the third largest of the Balearic Islands, an autonomous community of Spain. With Formentera, it is one of the two Pine Islands or Pityuses. Its largest cities are Ibiza...
scene. - Artcore/Drum & Bass Arena - Drum and bass based compilations.
- Dope On Plastic! - a trip hopTrip hopTrip hop is a music genre consisting of downtempo electronic music which originated in the early 1990s in England, especially Bristol. Deriving from "post"-acid house, the term was first used by the British music media and press as a way to describe the more experimental variant of breakbeat which...
based compilation. - Heavenly Presents Live At The Social - a compilation capturing Heavenly RecordsHeavenly RecordsHeavenly Records, aka Heavenly Recordings, is a London-based record label, distributed by EMI. Founded by Jeff Barrett, a former press officer for Creation Records and many successful indie bands of the time including Happy Mondays, Heavenly Recordings' first releases were 7" and 12" singles for...
successful club night The Heavenly Social. - TechnoheadTechnoheadGreater Than One is an English electronic music band, founded by husband and wife Lee Newman and Michael Wells in 1985. They released many albums under this name, and also under the names Tricky Disco, GTO, John + Julie, Church of Extacy, Signs of Chaos, T.D.5, Salami Brothers, Killout Squad,...
- a hardcore technoHardcore technoHardcore techno is a type of electronic music typified by the rhythmic use of distorted and atonal industrial-like beats and samples...
/gabber compilation from GTO'sTechnoheadGreater Than One is an English electronic music band, founded by husband and wife Lee Newman and Michael Wells in 1985. They released many albums under this name, and also under the names Tricky Disco, GTO, John + Julie, Church of Extacy, Signs of Chaos, T.D.5, Salami Brothers, Killout Squad,...
Michael Wells.
A series of DJ-mix compilations were also developed by React. These were well received by the dance/club scene and notable releases included;
- Carl CoxCarl CoxCarl Cox is a British techno and house music DJ.-Biography:Cox grew up in Oldham, Lancashire, before attending Glastonbury High Boys secondary modern school on Glastonbury Road in Morden. Cox began his career as a hardcore and rave DJ in the mid 1980s...
- F.A.C.T : Future Alliance of Communication and Tecknology. - Jeff MillsJeff MillsJeff Mills is an American techno DJ and producer.-Career:Starting in the early 1980s, Mills, using the name "The Wizard", was a recurring guest DJ on "The Electrifying Mojo" radio show on WJLB...
- Live At The Liquid Room - Tokyo, The Other Day, At First Sight and Exhibitionist. - Laurent GarnierLaurent GarnierLaurent Garnier , is a French techno music producer and DJ. Garnier began DJ-ing in Manchester during the late 1980s. By the following decade, he had a broad stylistic range, able to span deep house, Detroit techno, trance and jazz...
- Laboratoire Mix. - Norman JayNorman JayNorman Jay MBE is an innovative and pioneering British DJ. He first came to prominence playing unlicensed or 'warehouse' parties in the early 1980s, such as Shake 'n' Fingerpop. His diverse and deep musical knowledge and his refusal to be restricted to playing from any single genre distinguishes...
- Good Times. - Felix da HousecatFelix da HousecatFelix da Housecat is an American DJ and record producer, mostly known for house music and electroclash. His name was inspired by Felix the Cat....
- A Bugged Out Mix By Felix Da Housecat. - Dave Clarke - World Service.
- Dave AngelDave AngelDavid Angelico Nicholas Gooden , better known as Dave Angel, is an English techno musician.-Early years:Angel was born in Chelsea, London in 1966. He is the son of a London-based jazz musician, and the elder brother of rapper Monie Love...
- Flavours Of Tech Funk.
Administration/Resist Music
In July 2004, the company was owed in excess of £1,000,000 in distributed incomeIncome
Income is the consumption and savings opportunity gained by an entity within a specified time frame, which is generally expressed in monetary terms. However, for households and individuals, "income is the sum of all the wages, salaries, profits, interests payments, rents and other forms of earnings...
from the Beechwood Music groups that went into voluntary administration in June of that year. React was then forced into voluntary administration as it was unable to extract any monies owed.
React's James Horrocks and Melissa Kemp have since set up Resist Music in its place and have acquired the staff, rights and catalogue of React.
External links
- Official site
- React on DiscogsDiscogsDiscogs, short for discographies, is a website and database of information about audio recordings, including commercial releases, promotional releases, and bootleg or off-label releases. The Discogs servers, currently hosted under the domain name discogs.com, are owned by Zink Media, Inc., and are...