Known for his euphoric and high-energy house, Dance System shares his influences and the tracks that never leave his crate for Beatport’s Playlist of the Week.
My name is Dance System. I’m co-founder of System-Records, co-founder of Night Slugs alongside Bok Bok, and formerly known as L-Vis 1990. The name Dance System actually came to me in a dream just before I woke up one morning. I instantly checked Discogs to see if anyone had used the name. They hadn’t! I was so shocked that in the history of dance music nobody had used it. It seems so obvious.
The name says it all really, I’m a system to make you dance! I see my music like a black comedy. I make fun and playful music that can also be dark, weird and twisted at times. As a DJ, I love to wind up crowds and play with light and dark manipulating tracks from different worlds on the decks.
My sound is a mixture of house, ghetto house, French touch, New York house and filter funk all spiced up with my UK rave heritage. I used to mix garage and jungle in my late teens so my mixing style is very boisterous and fast. It’s all about that raw energy in my sets.
This playlist will give you a taste of my history as an artist, some of my influences and tracks that never leave my box.
L-Vis 1990 Presents Dance System – Flash Drive [Clone Jack For Daze]
A classic track of mine that featured on my first EP as Dance System on Clone’s Jack For Daze series back in 2014. A big nod to Lil Louis’ “French Kiss” with the tempo changing in the breakdown. This was a massive tune for me back then and I still see it cropping up in sets from the likes of Peggy Gou these days.
Mark Broom – Midnight [Rekids]
I play this every set without fail. It’s just got everything I need in a dance floor track. The way he gets his kick drums to hit is just masterful.
Dance System – Wind Em’ Up [Monkeytown Records]
Dance System was a side project for me at the start, so I only did a couple of releases under the alias from 2014-2019. “Wind Em’ Up” was the opening statement for my return to the alias full time on Modeselektor’s Monkeytown records.
Daft Punk – Burnin’ (Ian Pooley’s Cut Up Mix) [VST 1649, Virgin]
One of my favourite tracks on Daft Punk’s Homework, expertly remixed by Ian Pooley. Love the swing on this one and that extra funky baseline. Homework is without doubt the most influential record for me as a producer.
Dance System – Please [Edible Records]
This was actually the first tune I made coming back as Dance System, and my first time ever sampling in the house format. My sound was always about analogue gear and drum machines before. I originally made this at 140 BPM, but had to slow it down quite significantly for release on Eats Everything’s label Edible.
Mr. G – Eye Poke [Phoenix G.]
Mr. G is one of my favourite DJs and producers. I love this track so much and it hasn’t left my box. So much energy. It’s got that ghetto house edge, but it’s also super techno.
L-Vis 1990 – Rubber Crash [Night Slugs]
Looking back, I think this EP I made as L-Vis 1990 was the birth of what was to become Dance System. Raw, stripped-back, freaky club tools to make you move. This one still fits perfectly in any of my sets as DS these days.
Paul Woolford – Erotic Discourse [Night Slugs]
I remember picking this one up on white label back in late 2005. This shit changed my whole perspective on what house music could be. Such a mind blowing track. One simple idea executed to perfection.
Dance System & Mark Broom – Never Ever [System-Records]
It was so fun to team up with one of my heroes on this one! Mark is such a legend. Was amazing to chop up some disco with him. All of his disco edits are so great too — I play a bunch in my sets.
DJ Deeon – 2 Be Free [Numbers.]
Hard to choose one Deeon song to add to this list. I play so many of his tunes all the time. This one is very close to my heart. Most people think the loopy disco is a French thing, but cats like Deeon, Paul Johnson and other producers in Chicago were doing it first.
His Majesty Andre – Displacement [System-Records]
Andre really cuts up samples like no other! This was the first release on System Records, that wasn’t my own. Raw, banging and funky!
Soundstream – All Night [Sound Stream]
Frank is up there in my top 5 producers of all time. Everything he releases as Soundstream and Soundhack is untouchable in my eyes. I’ve been opening a lot of my sets with this one. It works as a really good reset button and palate cleanser before I bring in something a bit more pumping over the top.
Cromby – Loving (Head High Remix) [Phantasy Sound]
I’m a big fan of Cromby and Head High has produced some of the most effective DJ tools of the last decade so to have them together on one track is *chef kiss*. Playing this one a lot lately.
Stacey Kidd – Energy [New State Music]
This pumping percolator style track really gets the crowds going! I love the vocal — it really takes me back to The Outhere Brothers’ classic “Don’t Stop.” I was a huge fan of that tune as a kid!
Dance System – Bring The Noise [System-Records]
The first single off my new album In Your System is all about that punk energy. I’ve seen kids almost head banging and punching their fists to this in the crowds. It’s one of those tunes you use at the peak of your set to really get the crowd going wild.
Paul Johnson – Music’s In Me [Relief Records]
The perfect closer from the ultimate don. A classic of a classic that can’t be fucked with. I love to end with this one as it just leaves everyone in such a good mood, alway nice to end with some positive energy.
