Sounds of infinity: <br>Danny Rampling & Shoom

By MusicForecast

Sounds of infinity:
Danny Rampling & Shoom

The UK Acid House Revolution and the Evolution of the Balearic Beat

In the late 1980s, the UK club scene was undergoing an unprecedented transformation. The starting point of this transformation was Danny Rampling and his club, Shoom. In 1987, Rampling brought back the impact he had received from DJ Alfredo in Ibiza , and established a new music and experience in London.

Shoom is the birthplace of UK acid house and the catalyst for the UK rave revolution known as the Second Summer of Love (1988-1989).

However, this story doesn't end with simply "acid house arriving in the UK." Later, DJs like DJ Harvey would appear and further develop club culture.

This article explores how Danny Rampling founded Shoom and became a central figure in UK acid house , and how his influence would later lead to the evolution of Balearic beat and UK club culture.

The Sound of Shoom: Acid House Meets Balearic

Shoom wasn't just a club, it was a place where new musical trends were born.
Created by Danny Rampling, Shoom's musical style was a fusion of acid house, Balearic beat, Chicago house, disco, new wave and even rock .

Shoom Sound Characteristics

  • Acid House: The Acid Sounds of Chicago's Phuture, Adonis, DJ Pierre and More
  • Balearic Beat: A free selection style mix of disco and new wave
  • Anthemic House: Soulful house anthems from CeCe Rogers, Joe Smooth and more
  • Rock & Pop Surprises: Rolling Stones, U2, The Clash and more work on the floor



His performances at Shoom were not simply about playing trendy house tracks, but were characterized by unexpected song selections and sets with a story that emphasized the flow of energy .

Rampling has established a style of DJing that fuses Chicago house with UK sensibilities and maximizes the "sense of liberation that music and ecstasy create."

Shoom: The birthplace of UK acid house

In November 1987, Danny Rampling opened a club called Shoom, specialising in acid house, in the basement of a small gym called the Fitness Centre in South London.

Features of Shoom

  • Music: Chicago house + acid house + Balearic beat
  • Space: Small underground space with smoke and strobe lights
  • Energy: Full-on dance floor and MDMA high
  • Symbol: A yellow "smiley face" (a symbol of acid house)

Shoom was more than just a club.
It became a place where new music, fashion and lifestyle were born, and a symbol of freedom for young people in the UK.

1988: The Second Summer of Love and the UK Acid House Revolution

Shoom's influence spread quickly, and by 1988 the acid house movement had exploded across the UK, a phenomenon that came to be called the "Second Summer of Love", after the hippie culture of the 1960s.

Affected clubs and events

  • The Hacienda (Manchester) → Mecca of UK acid house
  • Spectrum (London, Paul Oakenfold) → Acid house base second only to Shoom
  • Sunrise & Energy (outdoor rave) → Underground rave with thousands of people

However, the popularity of acid house and ecstasy made the government wary, and they began to regulate rave culture in the early 1990s.

Shoom's Legacy

Shoom became one of the most influential clubs in UK club culture, and its legacy is built on three pillars:

1. The diversification of UK club music

  • House, techno, trance, drum and bass etc. have developed

2. The Birth of Rave Culture

  • Developing into the festival culture of the 1990s (Glastonbury, Creamfields, Love Parade)

3. Redefining the club space

  • Two styles were born: "small clubs like Shoom" vs. "large clubs like Hacienda"

The energy that Shoom created remains part of the DNA of club music today.

References

  1. Red Bull Music Academy Daily - Danny Rampling: The Godfather of UK Acid House
    Red Bull Music Academy, 2018

  2. Mixmag - Shoom: The Club That Defined a Generation
    Mixmag, 2017

  3. Resident Advisor - The Birth of Acid House: Shoom and the Second Summer of Love
    Resident Advisor, 2019

  4. DJ Mag - Danny Rampling Reflects on Shoom and the UK Acid House Revolution
    DJ Mag, 2020

  5. The Guardian - How Shoom and Acid House Changed UK Clubbing Forever
    The Guardian, 2018
    https://www.theguardian.com/music/2018/jun/29/shoom-acid-house-uk-clubbing

  6. The Face - Shoom 30: How Danny Rampling Started the UK's Acid House Movement
    The Face, 2021

  7. BBC Documentary - Can You Feel It? The Rise of UK Rave Culture
    BBC Four, 2019

  8. Bill Brewster & Frank Broughton - Last Night a DJ Saved My Life: The History of the Disc Jockey
    Grove Press, 2006

  9. Matthew Collin - Altered State: The Story of Ecstasy Culture and Acid House
    Serpent's Tail, 1997

  10. Simon Reynolds - Energy Flash: A Journey Through Rave Music and Dance Culture
    Faber & Faber, 1998

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