Music Techno 1990: A Brief History

A look at the origins and history of techno music, and how it has evolved since the early 1990s.

Origins

Techno music first came about in the 1980s in Detroit, Michigan. It was created by a group of African American DJs and producers who were influenced by the electronic music coming from Europe at the time. They began experimenting with making their own music using synthesizers, drum machines, and other electronic equipment. The result was a new style of music that was faster and more danceable than anything that had come before.

Detroit

The 1990s saw the rise of techno music in Detroit, a city with a long history of contributions to the music world. Techno was pioneered by a group of African American producers and DJs who were influenced by the electronic music coming out of Europe at the time. Detroit’s techno sound was characterized by its use of repetitive beats and loops, as well as a focus on melody and atmosphere. The genre quickly gained popularity in the United States and Europe, and by the mid-1990s, Detroit was considered the techno capital of the world.

Europe

European origins of techno are often traced back to the rave and party scenes of the 1980s in countries like the UK, Belgium, and The Netherlands. These were illegal parties held in abandoned warehouses, fields, or other big spaces where people could dance all night to music featuring repetitive beats. Some of the early techno DJs and producers were inspired by electronic music pioneers like Kraftwerk, Giorgio Moroder, and Yellow Magic Orchestra.

In 1988, a British record label called Warp released a compilation album called Artificial Intelligence that featured early techno tracks from artists like Aphex Twin and Autechre. This album is considered one of the first important techno releases, and it helped to popularize the genre in Europe.

During the early 1990s, techno parties began to spread from Europe to North America, particularly in cities like Detroit and Toronto. At the same time, new subgenres of techno were emerging, including acid techno (built around the use of acid house synths), hardtechno (a more aggressive style), and ambient techno (a more atmospheric style).

Key Figures

The history of techno is often told through the stories of the people who made it. In this article, we’ll take a look at some of the key figures in techno’s development. These are the people who created the sounds, the scenes, and the legacy of techno.

Juan Atkins

Juan Atkins is considered the “Godfather of Techno.” He got his start in the early 1980s as a member of the group Cybotron. Their song “Clear” is considered a classic in the genre. Atkins would go on to have a successful solo career, and he is still active today.

Derrick May

May is widely credited as a key figure in the development of the Detroit techno sound. His work helped to shape the sound of techno music in the 1990s and inspired a generation of producers. He is best known for his work on tracks like “Strings of Life” and “Mayday”.

Richie Hawtin

Richie Hawtin (born in Banbury, Oxfordshire, England) is a British Canadian electronic musician and DJ who was an early pioneer of the techno music scene and a leading exponent of minimal techno since the 1990s. He is best known for his work under the alias Plastikman and for his notorious live performances. In 1998, he founded the record label Plus 8 with John Acquaviva.

Hawtin’s first foray into electronic music was as a teenager in Windsor, Ontario, across the river from Detroit, Michigan, where he listened to radio broadcasts from Detroit’s underground techno stations WDRQ and WDTW-FM. He began buying records and experimenting with DJing. By the early 1990s Hawtin was part of the second wave of Detroit techno artists. Along with contemporaries like Juan Atkins, Derrick May and Kevin Saunderson (known as “The Belleville Three”), Hawtin helped to redefine techno following the “first generation” of pioneers such as Kraftwerk in Germany and Cybotron in Detroit.

Key Tracks

Techno music originated in Detroit, Michigan in the United States during the mid-1980s. The first techno tracks were created by producers such as Juan Atkins, Derrick May, and Kevin Saunderson. These tracks were influenced by electronic music styles such as Kraftwerk and disco music. The first techno tracks were released on vinyl records and were played in nightclubs.

“Strings of Life” by Derrick May

Derrick May’s “Strings of Life” is often hailed as one of the most important techno tracks of all time. The track was released in 1987 on May’s own label, Transmat, and quickly became a mainstay of the emerging techno scene in Detroit. “Strings of Life” is characterized by its use of simple, elegant melodies and a deep, propulsive bassline. The track also helped to popularize the use of sampled strings in techno music.

“No Way Back” by Adonis

Adonis’s “No Way Back” was initially released in 1987, but it gained popularity in the early 1990s as the rave and techno scenes began to take off. The track is a perfect representation of the techno sound of the time, with its pounding drums and bleeping synthesizers. It also features a catchy vocal sample from soul singer Fontella Bass, which helped to make it one of the most memorable tracks of the era.

“Blue Monday” by New Order

“Blue Monday” is a song by the English rock band New Order. It was released as a 12-inch single on 7 March 1983 through Factory Records and later re-released on compact disc in 1988. The song has become one of the most influential songs of the 1980s, and one of the best-selling singles of all time; in the UK, it was the biggest selling non-charity single until “Secure Yourself” by Right Said Fred in 1991, and as of 2019, it still has the record for the biggest selling independent single of all time. In October 2011, NME placed it at number 80 on its list “150 Best Tracks of the Past 15 Years”.

The song’s distinctive bassline was composed by Peter Hook, using a sequencer. Bernard Sumner’s lyrics were inspired by a period when he was being treated for clinical depression by Dr. Lawrence Durlacher; Durlacher would often say to Sumner, “You’re looking down in the dumps today,” to which Sumner would reply, “No, I’m not.” The conversation would then go something like this: D: “So what’s wrong?” S: “I don’t know.” D: “Well what are your symptoms?” S: “I don’t know.” D: “Well how do you feel?” S: “…Blue Monday.”

The Legacy

Techno music emerged in the late 1980s as a response to the sterility of electronic music that had come before it. It was a product of its time, shaped by the social and economic landscape of Detroit, where it was born. Techno music was raw, stripped down, and minimal, with a heavy emphasis on the bassline. It was designed to be played in darkened clubs and warehouses, and it quickly became the soundtrack of a new underground youth culture. In the 1990s, techno spread like wildfire, as rave culture swept across Europe and the UK. Thanks to the internet, it soon became a global phenomenon, with fans all over the world sharing and creating new music. Today, techno is still going strong, with a new generation of producers and DJs keeping the spirit of the music alive.

Techno’s influence on electronic music

In the 1990s, techno played a major role in the development of electronic music, with a particular focus on club culture and the rave scene. The genre’s popularity saw it emerge as one of the key sounds of the decade, with artists such as The Prodigy, Fatboy Slim and The Chemical Brothers becoming global stars.

While its origins can be traced back to Detroit in the 1980s, techno really came to prominence in the UK in the early 1990s, with the rise of clubs like Sheffield’s Atomic Jam and London’s Bagley’s. This new wave of British techno was championed by BBC Radio 1 DJ John Peel, who gave many of these new tracks their first airing on his show.

The influence of techno can be heard in a wide range of electronic music genres that have emerged since the 1990s, from big beat and dubstep to drum & bass and trance. It has also had a significant impact on pop music, with many chart-topping artists incorporating elements of techno into their sound, including Madonna, Britney Spears and Justin Timberlake.

The global reach of techno

The influence of techno can be felt all over the world, with artists and enthusiasts alike sharing their love for the music and its culture. Detroit may be the birthplace of techno, but the genre has found a home in many different countries. In Europe, Berlin has become a major hub for techno, with clubs like Tresor and Berghain attracting people from all over the world. The UK also has a thriving techno scene, with cities like London and Manchester playing host to some of the biggest parties and festivals. On the other side of the Atlantic, North America has its own share of techno hotspots, including Montreal, Toronto, and New York City.