The End Of An Era
Staying relevant for more than thirty years is rare, let alone by spanning over 4 decades.
One compilation series kept the nation's heart beating throughout the 90s, 00s, 10s, and the 20s. It captured the pulse of an ever-changing scene and vibrated on the tempo of the dance floor.
Whole generations discovered and embraced electronic dance music. In a big part, it was due to the "Serious Beats" compilation series.
Compilations had always formed a vital part of youth culture. They incarnated an affordable version of the sound of adolescence. It was like those K7's, cd's or playlists from that cool classmate that gave you access to something else. Access to a new world of music, or to the hits of the moment mixed into a sweet sonic overdose.
“Serious Beats” was this introduction or guideline. It didn't matter if you listened on a walkman, a discman, a ripped cd or a Spotify playlist. You knew that only the most "Serious Beats" had made the cut.
It started as a stitched together collection of a new counter-culture homegrown music. It evolved into an expert chosen selection of future dance-floor bangers and crowd-pleasers.
The selection maintained a unique color and style, based on the local Belgian club scene.
A scene that was never biased or looking for obvious references. Belgian nightlife throve on a very personal selection. Out of the available new music a unique, surreal, hardheaded selection filtered through. A selection that then got reflected on the “Serious Beats” compilations.
Format changes, generations fading in and out, didn't change anything. “Serious Beats” stayed everyone's favorite. Being "Number 1" in the sales charts became a habit. Nothing more than an absolute tour de force in an ever-changing musical world.
There can only be one... and now we celebrate 100 ecstatic volumes of nightlife in an ultimate box set trilogy.
Serious Beats 100: 3 vinyl boxes with a unique selection of hits, classics and gems.
All have one thing in common: they sound as fresh today as when they were first released.
The emphasis of volume 100 moves away from the illustrious retro records of the 90's and early '2000s'. It forms a new chapter on its own. It’s an overview of the last decades with a fresh ear and a different perspective. Songs that became hits in the digital era are brought together for the first time on the original
“Medium of Nightlife", vinyl, the vintage DJ tool, risen from the dead.
Brought together along with milestones that will bring joy to many a vinyl collector.
When Serious Beats 1 landed in early 1991, it felt like a sonic testament of the nascent rave-scene. After the fall of the Berlin Wall and the adrenaline rush of the start of a new decade, people wanted a change.
For 3 decades the series mapped out the frantic (r)evolution of the scene.
From the rage of the early scene to a grown-up alternative to rock and pop music.
Get ready to swirl, bump, grind, trance, and freak out to the sound that runs through the veins of a nation. This selection is the molecules of Belgian dance life.
It is music absorbed from everywhere by a sponge called Belgium, and now it’s ready to be re-shared with the world.
This is the final edition, the last farewell with a time capsule encoded with an eternal kaleidoscope of sound for times to come.
Enjoy life, and let it be soundtracked by Serious Beats 100 …
Erge Stormen
“Each and every volume of “Serious Beats” has been compiled thanks to the never-ending eager, skills, professionalism and especially, a lot of passion, coming from a fantastic bunch of crazy (party) people, better known as “The N.E.W.S. Team”. It has been a great ride. Eternally grateful.”, Jan Vanneste