ClubDreamLab exists to be the #1 most recognizable brand of electronic Christian music in the world, excellently servicing the next generation of Christian DJs, Worship Leaders, Youthworkers, Music Promoters, Radio Stations, Worshippers and Churches with super-quality modern/electronic music globally.
There have always been Christian musicians who have wanted to pioneer something different from the standard music experienced by the Church. Sometimes what is pioneered becomes the accepted norm and sometimes it continues to be a fringe activity appealing to a segment of the Christian community. Music seems to have a way of polarising people. It's said that the introduction of the organ into church buildings was resisted by many and there were those who considered the organ to be an instrument of Satan. Personally I still do!
In the last 30 years, church music seems to have bowed to the dominance of the guitar and the worship band where these things are no longer considered to be radical. Changes in general music culture are often reflected in the music styles adopted by church communities. The best example is with the modern worship styles of the last 15 years which could be described as a fusion of classic stadium rock and Britpop.
But what of those who don't like guitar-driven rock but prefer the pumping dance rhythms of club culture? In Britain the rise of dance music culture since the heady days of the '70s raves has encouraged some adventurous churches to integrate aspects of club culture into their worship services. Under the nebulous banner of "alternative worship" a smattering of churches from a wide range of traditions and theologies have integrated aspects of house, techno and trance music into their worship services. At best such experiments have been valid initiatives in engaging club-going young people with the living God. At worst, like the disastrous Nine O'Clock Service in Sheffield in the early '90s, the pumping dance rhythms have shielded theology and/or church practice light years from the teachings of Scripture.
In America, dance music and the Church have found different ways of co-existing and cross fertilising. Theirs' has for many years been a sub-category of dance music known as gospel house where producers bring in church-based singers to bring melismatic passion and often startlingly upfront God lyrics to thudding house music tracks. Hundreds of gospel house 12 inch singles were released by dance music specialists in the USA and Britain. Such a format and market niche meant of course that such offerings as "Pray 4 Me" by Farley Jackmaster Funk, "Blessed" by Kenny Bobien, "Oh Happy Day" by Children Of The Underground and "Lift Every Voice" by Jasper Street Co were heard only in the boozy, sexually liberated environment of clubland.
But if gospel house can be considered musical evangelism, what about club rhythms used in worship music? Throughout most of the '90s, the giant of the field was deejay, mixer and record producer Scott Blackwell. The California-based Blackwell released brilliantly diverse dance albums such as 'Walk On The Wild Side', 'A Myx'd Trip To A Gospel House' and the groundbreaking series of dance worship albums 'Nitro Praise'. His pioneering label N-Soul Records also helped break The World Wide Message Tribe in the USA. But since Blackwell's retreat from the music industry over the last few years there have been just about no producers or companies prepared to risk the wrath of conservative church goers and the no dance/electronic music airplay policies of US Christian radio and bring clubland rhythms to the worship sanctuary. Now that is changing thanks to pioneering record producer Paul Buono.
In August 2008 the launch of the Club DreamLab label was announced. Club DreamLab is owned by Buono and Eric Nordhoff, president/CEO of Nashville-based Go Global Entertainment - an international Christian music distribution and licensing company. Paul's studio is called Helsinki South Studios and based in Franklin, Tennessee. I met up with Paul in a Nashville hotel and began by asking him to explain Club DreamLab's vision. "We're here to help encourage the body of Christ globally to embrace these new landscapes of electronic music in their worship and in their communion with God. And even for the Church, it could be a new avenue and a new way for believers to come together and enjoy worshipping with dance music and trance music. We want to touch on all styles of the electronica genre, from ambient to house, to down tempo and trance."
I suggested that to the unitiated Paul's DreamLab is simply repeating what Scott Blackwell's N-Soul did in the '90s. Paul responded, "I guess we're approaching it maybe slightly differently than how they did. I'm trying to approach it more on a song level, to remember how much songs drive our love for music. I think one of the things that can happen in electronic music and certain categories of it is that they forget that you need a son
