Hi-NRG (music)
Related: disco - electronic music - euro disco - italo disco - house music - Giorgio Moroder - new wave - proto-house
High Energy (1984) - Evelyn Thomas
Definition
Hi-NRG
Hi-NRG is an early evolution of new-style disco. It is typified with simple, fast, danceable early house styles where the bass often takes the place of the hi-hat. Considered to be a cheesy, obsolete form of house by underground fans but still played in some of the more commercial clubs.
It has been said that the defining Hi-NRG track is Evelyn Thomas' "High Energy", produced by Ian Levine.
- Sylvester and producer Patrick Cowley
- Divine
- Tony De Vit
Hi-Energy and gay disco
"Before the term Hi-Energy came into common usage, the Boystown Gang were firmly categorized as ‘Gay Disco’. Spin Inn, the North’s main import specialists, in Manchester, wasn’t just the place to buy the latest black music, but was also an important shop for DJ’s on the Gay scene, selling both US and European releases. Harry Taylor, sadly no longer with us, looked after this side of the shops business and, when I was still the 4 nights-per-week resident at Wigan Pier, I’d buy the odd Gay Disco tune from Harry to play on the more commercial weekend nights. It would have been in this way that I came across ‘Cruisin’ The Streets’ in 1981, a record that made you feel proud to be gay, even though you weren’t! Harry would turn me on to a lot of tracks the other DJ’s on the black scene weren’t listening to, and it was in this way I came across some real gems, not least Klien & MBO’s ‘Dirty Talk’, an Italian import that slotted straight into the Electro vibe I was cultivating in my clubs (and later one of the records that provided the inspiration for New Order’s seminal ‘Blue Monday’)." --Greg Wilson http://www.discopia.com/portal/issues/issue6/castro/document_view [Jan 2006]See also: gay music - Greg Wilson
CDs
Outline () Gino Soccio [Amazon.com] [FR] [DE] [UK]
Mindwarp () Patrick Cowley [Amazon.com] [FR] [DE] [UK]
Menergy () Patrick Cowley [Amazon.com] [FR] [DE] [UK]
Do Ya Wanna Funk (1982) Sylvester [Amazon.com] [FR] [DE] [UK]
E=MC2 - (1979) Giorgio Moroder [Amazon.com] [FR] [DE] [UK]
Evelyn Thomas
Evelyn Thomas (b. August 22, 1953) is a disco singer from Chicago Illinois. She is best known for her song "High Energy," which hit #1 on the Hot Dance Music/Club Play chart in 1984. The song was also her only Hot 100 entry, peaking at #85. She has had three additional songs hit the dance chart. --http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Evelyn_Thomas [Aug 2005]
Listen to the intro by clicking on this link
see also: 1984 - Hi-NRG - Chicago