Jazz Electro Songs - A Brief Overview of Electro Songs

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Electro songs are a music genre dating to the early 1980s. They are strongly influenced by an electronic drum beat that is programmable. Although the original use for the machine didn't sound much like a real drum set, the sound produced by the electronic device soon was incorporated into a totally different sound. This was called electro funk, electro dance or sometimes electro boogie. Most music for this style was based in New York and in Detroit.

This style of music is also related to funk songs. Funk originated in the late 1960s as a form of African American music. The mix of R&B, soul music, and soul jazz relied mostly on a single chord rather than chord progressions. Funk music brought the rhythmic and complex baseline to electro. Funk music lent its character to disco, hip hop and house music.

The electro music style features the complex drum rhythms, but it also has vocals. They tend to be flat, mechanical, almost robotic. The vocals may even be delivered through an vocoder or other electronic distortion. Originally, the rap style of articulation was used, but that became less popular in the 1990s.

Many artists have contributed bits and pieces to the overall electro style. Sly Stone, Stevie Wonder and Miles Davis all shaped the raw electronic sounds in the style to a more defined genre. The style has seen three major waves. During the early 1980s, the initial push came out of the funk genre. The 1990s saw a resurgence that was more deliberate. In 2009, a third wave has been firmed up.

Some of the best known artists in electro include Planet Patrol, Afrika Bambaataa, Dopplereffekt and Cybotron. Many of the original artists, groups and producers fell into the trap of one genre only. When the dip in popularity occurred, the artists largely disappeared from view.

The resurgence in popularity in the last decade included work from artists such as Anthony Rother. Much of the interest has been in Europe and the state of Florida. There are clubs devoted to the electro style. Jackal & Hyde, Dynamix II and others keep the style in the forefront of electrocore music.

Electro songs continue to be produced by some of the original producers and played by DJs, such as Dave Clarke. Labels dedicated to the sound continue to sell examples of the genre. Electro has been a major influence in Miami bass, funk carioca and crunk styles.