acid house
what it is
Acid house is a sub-genre of house music that emphasizes a repetitive, hypnotic and trance-like style, with samples or spoken lines usually used rather than sung lyrics. Acid house's core electronic squelch sounds were developed by mid-1980s DJs from Chicago who experimented with the Roland TB-303 electronic synthesizer-sequencer. Acid house spread to the United Kingdom, Australia, and continental Europe, where it was played by DJ's in the early rave scene.
✦ start here: albums
✦ who's making it, level by level
level 3 · one step out
cult favorites and indie darlings
level 4 · further
art pop, hyperpop, and the underground
level 5 · all the way
deep experimental
✦ make acid house a playlist
turn these 28 artists into something you can press play on.
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questions
What is acid house?
Acid house is a sub-genre of house music that emphasizes a repetitive, hypnotic and trance-like style, with samples or spoken lines usually used rather than sung lyrics. Acid house's core electronic squelch sounds were developed by mid-1980s DJs from Chicago who experimented with the Roland TB-303 electronic synthesizer-sequencer. Acid house spread to the United Kingdom, Australia, and continental Europe, where it was played by DJ's in the early rave scene.
What are good acid house albums to start with?
Try Ninety by 808 State, Technique by New Order, RePorpoised Phantasies by Machine Girl, and Hot Lemonade by A Guy Called Gerald.
Who are some women making acid house?
musicisforgirls.com/genres/acid-house/girls lists women, non-binary artists, and bands with women making acid house, from mainstream to underground.
genre notes from last.fm listeners · artists and albums from last.fm, updated 2026-10-21