The Rise of Black Techno Music

A look at the rise of black techno music and the artists leading the charge.

Origins

In the early 1990s, a group of African American producers, DJs, and musicians in Detroit began experimenting with techno music, a type of electronic dance music that had originated in Europe. These artists blended techno with elements of black music, resulting in a new genre that came to be known as black techno. Black techno soon gained popularity among young people in Detroit and other urban areas, and it continues to be an important part of the city’s music scene.

Detroit

Detroit is the birthplace of techno music. The first techno tracks were created in the early 1980s by Juan Atkins, Derrick May, and Kevin Saunderson, who were influenced by European electronic dance music and futurist ideas about artificial intelligence and space travel. These artists started their own record labels and clubs, which helped to popularize the sound of techno music. In the 1990s, Detroit techno was taken to a new level by artists like Richie Hawtin and Carl Craig, who added more complex textures and rhythms to the music. Today, techno is enjoyed by people all over the world, and Detroit remains at the forefront of this ever-evolving genre.

Chicago

Chicago is considered the birthplace of house music, and black techno artists from the city have been hugely influential in shaping the sound and style of the genre. One of the most famous Chicago house labels is Trax Records, which was founded in 1987 and helped to launch the careers of many black techno artists, including DJ Pierre, Marshall Jefferson and Mr. Fingers.

Today, Chicago remains an important center for black techno music, with a thriving underground scene that includes a wide range of styles and subgenres. Prominent Chicago-based black techno artists include The Bridge (a duo who mix house and hip-hop), Teklife (a collective specializing in footwork) and Noname (a rapper/singer who often incorporates elements of jazz into her music).

The Sound

The sound of black techno music has its roots in the Afro-futurist and Afrocentricity movements of the late 20th century. The sound is a blend of traditional African drums and percussion, electronic music, and futuristic soundscapes. The result is a music that is both grounded in the past and future-oriented.

Techno

Techno is a type of electronic dance music that originated in Detroit, Michigan in the United States in the 1980s. The first techno tracks were produced by a group of electronic music artists who were influenced by the experimental music of artists like Kraftwerk and Yellow Magic Orchestra. These artists include Juan Atkins, Derrick May, and Kevin Saunderson, who are often referred to as the ” Belleville Three”. Techno is characterized by a repetitive 4/4 beat, usually between 120 and 150 beats per minute, and often features synthesizers, drum machines, and sequencers.

The word “techno” was first used to describe this type of music in 1988 by a programmer named cyberneticist Alvin Toffler in his book “The Third Wave”. Techno then became popular in Europe in the early 1990s, particularly in Germany. In the mid-1990s, it began to gain popularity in North America and Asia. Today, techno is one of the most popular genres of electronic dance music.

House

The sound of house music is created by a DJ mixing different tracks of music, each with their own drum beat, often with a synthesizer or other electronic instrument. The resulting sound is a patchwork of rhythm and melody that creates a unique and powerful listening experience.

Black techno music has its roots in the African American community, and it has been influenced by a variety of genres including hip hop, soul, and disco. House music first became popular in the early 1980s, when DJs in Chicago began playing it at nightclubs. It quickly spread to other cities in the United States and then to Europe, where it became one of the most popular genres of dance music.

Today, black techno music is enjoyed by people all over the world, and it continues to evolve as new artists experiment with its sound.

The Artists

In the 1980s, a new wave of Black techno music artists emerged, creating a sound that would change the course of techno music forever. These artists were innovators, pioneers, and visionaries who pushed the boundaries of what was possible in music. In this article, we’ll take a look at the artists who shaped Black techno music.

Juan Atkins

Juan Atkins is an American musician. He is widely credited as the originator of techno music, specifically Detroit techno along with Derrick May and Kevin Saunderson. The three, sometimes called the Belleville Three, attended school together in Belleville, Michigan, near Detroit and were exposed to electronic music by DJ Charles “The Electrifying Mojo” Johnson. Atkins has an extensive discography as a solo artist and as a member of several groups. He was the first artist to release music on both Warp Records and Metroplex Records. Juan Atkins was born in Detroit on December 9, 1962. When he was nine years old his dad took him to see Parliament-Funkadelic perform in Detroit. At the age of 15 he bought his first synthesizer, a Korg MS-10.

Derrick May

Derrick May is a black techno music pioneer, hailing from Detroit. He is often credited with being one of the originators of the techno sound. He has released numerous ground-breaking tracks and albums over his career, and is still active in the music scene today.

May’s most famous alias is “Rhythim is Rhythim”. He released several tracks under this name in the late 1980s and early 1990s, including the classics “Strings of Life” and “Sample That”. These tracks were hugely influential in the development of techno music, and are still played regularly at clubs and festivals today.

May has also had success as a DJ and producer, working with some of the biggest names in techno music. He has released numerous mix albums and compilations, and has played at some of the biggest clubs and festivals in the world.

Jeff Mills

Jeff Mills is a Detroit-based techno producer and DJ. He is one of the most renowned and respected figures in the world of techno music. Mills first came to prominence in the late 1980s and early 1990s as a member of the group Underground Resistance, a collective of like-minded Detroit-based producers and DJs who were committed to producing innovative and original techno music.

Mills has released numerous solo albums and EPs, as well as collaborating with other artists on various projects. He is also a prolific remixer, having remixed tracks for artists such as Madonna, Björk, Depeche Mode, and The Prodigy. In addition to his work as a musician, Mills is also a visual artist, film director, and occasional radio host.

The Legacy

Techno music has been around since the late 80s but it has only recently started to gain popularity in the mainstream music industry. The rise of black techno music can be attributed to the work of a few key artists who have helped to push the genre forward. In this article, we’ll take a look at the legacy of black techno music and how it has influenced the music industry today.

The Second Wave

By the late 1990s, a new generation of Black techno artists had emerged, many of whom were inspired by the music of the first wave. Artists like Drexciya, Dopplereffekt, and 268 Generation continued to explore the Afrofuturist themes started by Detroit’s pioneers, while also expanding upon them. These artists often used more experimental production techniques and sampling sources, resulting in a more avant-garde sound. This new generation of Black techno artists would go on to have a major impact on the global techno scene in the 2000s.

The Third Wave

The “third wave” of black techno music is a term used to describe the latest generation of producers, DJs, and artists who are carrying on the legacy of the genre while innovating and pushing it forward into new and exciting directions.

This new wave of black techno artists includespora, an LA-based duo who fuse Afrobeat, house, and techno into something entirely new; British-Ghanaian producer DJ OKO, whose atmospheric and emotion-laden tracks have been gaining attention from some of the scene’s biggest names; and Nkisi, a Congolese-Dutch producer whose music blends elements of industrial, ambient, and club music.

With their fresh perspectives and unique approaches to making music, these artists are helping to ensure that black techno has a bright future.