Strand 3 – The Language of Emancipation

Within the musical materials there are many different themes present, but often house music tracks contain a strong vein of emancipatory or spiritual sentiment. This may in some ways be attributed to the progression of gospel to soul to disco to house. But in others the religious reference is incredibly strong in ways that would seem surprising were these ideas not so consistently interwoven throughout the fabric of house music over the past three decades.

This project has identified 6 themes that are common within much of house music's catalogue. They are Biblical References, Prayers and Creation Myths ( the use of bible quotations, scripture, prayers, preacher monologues, and creation myths within house music), Civil Rights, Emancipation and Freedom (there's often an attempt to graft or emulate elements of the civil rights struggle onto the music), Community and Collectivism (the idea that, through music, a group of people can become a community and understand one another), Utopia, Acceptance, and A Brighter Tomorrow (this theme sees a community striving together for a better tomorrow, and creating a utopian future through freedom and acceptance), The Soul, The Feeling and Soulfulness (that house is something "in your soul", does something to you, or that it's a feeling that's ineffable or inscrutable by it's very nature), and finally Belief, Affirmations and Struggle (common to many house music tracks is an expression of hope through belief).