Jamie Jones brings his global event series Paradise back to Perishing Square, the city’s most iconic open-air venue, to host the baddest block party that’s ever been shown. Not to mention, this will be the last event at Pershing Square before construction commences, so it’s your last chance to party below the skyline.
This year, lineups will preformed by the likes of Jamie Jones, Art department, Dubfire, Carlita, DJ Holographic, and Airrica.
In March, a sold-out meme-inspired “Shrek Rave” drew superstar rappers and “Shrek” fans alike, raising over $10,000 for a North Carolina shooting victim.
The Shrek-themed rave took place in L.A. in March, and the organizers have said that they’re wanting to take the event to other major cities in the US.
Claptone is an enigmatic presence. His Venetian guise, black attire, golden-beaked mask, and white gloved hands complete the mystique that continues to draw sophisticated crowds from all over the world. The artist celebrated his sold out ‘The Masquerade’ events at AFAS LIVE at ADE, Zamna, Tulum and SLS Hotel during Miami Music Week, along with what Miami New Times called a massive set at Ultra Music Festival in Miami.
On May 7, 2022 Factory93 presents an open air party that will take place at the start of summer in Los Angeles with Sasha & John Digweed. Along with Sasha & John Digweed, the rest of the lineup will include the likes of Patrice Bäumel, Qrion, and MANTi. Tickets are now available.
Following her mau5trap debut with “The One,” Bay Area-native and LA-based artist Wenzday teams up with LA’s underground sensation Bingewatch for their aptly-titled single “Shake.” A track that is sound designed to be a club-ready thrasher. The single is ready for streaming via all platforms.
Also inspired by the fringes of the the Los Angeles underground scene, Bingewatch is a tech-house champion with releases on labels like Sink or Swim, Mixmash, House Call, Medium Rare. He’s also been co-signed from dance music legends like Martin Garrix, Laidback Luke, Dr. Fresch, Lane 8, and many more.
The 90s were a special time in rave history. Though some may describe the period as the glory days of the rave scene, all can agree the 90s laid the foundation for the rise of techno music and its various sub-genres. This is your guide to 90s Techno, covering the history, artists, and labels that have shaped the rave scene we know and love today.
Early 90s techno music was influenced by experimental music being crafted in Europe in the late 80s. This sound migrated to North America and soon dominated underground dance parties or “raves.” In the United States, raves often took place at illegal and alternative venues like warehouses, sound stages, roller-skating rinks, beaches, deserts, fields and mountains. The 90s rave scene reflected the 60s counterculture movement in many aspects. Whether escaping realities or creating new and better ones, both cultural movements embraced music as means of radical acceptance and community-building.
Read Next: #TBT Series: The 1990s Rave Heydays
House music originated in Chicago, and Techno was birthed in Detroit during the early 90s. Techno emerged in response to a bleak urban crisis and economic recession facing Detroiters in the 90s. Techno pioneers invented a new kind of sound, one that challenged the environment that surrounded them and inspired others to redefine themselves. Techno was (and perhaps still is) the sound of resistance.
In New York City, venue owners took advantage of the emerging soundscape. Super clubs in New York City like Twilo, Limelight and the Tunnel fueled the rave culture’s expansion into the mainstream. On the other side of the United States, the rave scene found its epicenter in Los Angeles. For example, Electric Daisy Carnival began in 1997 as a warehouse party in Los Angeles. Movie soundtracks, video games, candy raver fashion, rave fliers, and print coverage all popularized Techno and its various offshoots on the West Coast.
While the United States fostered pure Techno and an acid house and dance community, the epicenter for Techno in Europe was fast becoming Berlin, Germany. Detroit Techno was imported into Berlin via figures such as “Dimitri” Hegemann, the founder of legendary club Tresor. After East and West Berlin became reunited after the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989, the city became one large and adventurous playground. For Berliners, Techno was the sound of new beginnings.
It was during the 90s that Techno proliferated and evolved to such a degree that it had birthed countless other sub-genres. For instance, the Netherlands created gabber, while Goa, India became the spiritual epicenter of trance music. In the United Kingdom, “intelligent dance music” or IDM was being pioneered by figures such as Aphex Twin.
Read Next: Is Modern Techno Resurrecting 90s Trance?
The artists and DJs of the 90s Techno scene are considered today’s legends. Think Juan Atkins, Jeff Mills, Carl Cox, Robert Hood, Monika Kruse, and Sven Väth. Although there are many others, here’s a few names that’ll get you started down the rabbit hole.
Plastikman is the alias of Richie Hawtin. As the 90s dawned, Plastikman helmed some of the most intense, mind-bending parties underground electronic music has ever known. They took place in and around Detroit, as well as Hawtin’s home town of Windsor, Ontario. The parties were based on those Hawtin experienced as a teenager at Detroit’s legendary Music Institute; a black sweatbox of a room, a single strobe light, and the phattest sound system.
K-Hand, aka Kelli Hand, was one of few female Techno artists of the 90s. In 2017, K-Hand was officially recognized as “The First Lady of Detroit.” She was awarded the city’s Testimonial Resolution certificate which mentioned her notable “skills within a male-dominated industry.”
Read Next: Remembering Detroit Techno & House Legend K-Hand
Basic Channel consisted of German techno artists Moritz von Oswald andMark Ernestus. The pair reduced Techno to to its basic elements and melded it with reggae production techniques. The free flow of static textures, echo chambers, swirling dub clouds, and bass drums eventually characterized an entirely new genre: dub techno.
It’s difficult to choose the best 90s Techno songs or ones that were the most popular 90s Techno songs. There are many, many tracks that could be included on those lists. Here’s a few 90s Techno songs that characterized the sound of the time.
Read Next: 10 House & Techno Tracks Turning 30 in 2021
Dr. Motte organized the first acid house parties in Berlin. Most notably, he was the inventor and founder of the Loveparade there, too. Dr. Motte’s “Der Klang Der Familie” on Tresor Records became one of the most important German releases because it helped leverage Berlin’s electronic music to international success.
“Go” is a single by American Techno artist Moby. “Go” was the B-side to Moby’s debut single “Mobility in 1990 on Instict Records. The track put Moby on the map, and to this day remains a timeless dance floor staple.
“Jaguar” was released on Detroit’s Underground Resistance in 1999. The debut came from The Aztec Mystic, better known today as DJ Rolando. After the track was released, it hypnotized the world.
The 90s were an exceptional time for Techno music. In less than ten years, Techno had been invented, distributed around the world, and developed into numerous other sub-genres. For these reasons as well as others, 90s Techno should have a special place in every raver’s heart.
Read Next: A Beginner’s Techno Music Guide: Brief History, Artists & Clubs
Artists will never come unprepared to a party. They always bring a toolbox packed with tracks that are truly dance floor destroyers. What’s in Your Toolbox features artists’ secret weapons, aka, the tracks they don’t leave out of their USB.
Dense & Pika are a British electronic duo compromising Hypercolour label co-founder Alex Jones and Chris Spero, aka Glimpse. Heading up the Kneaded Pains imprint, which has played host to Eats Everything, James Welsh, and Will Clarke alongside their own productions, the duo have been at the forefront of hard-hitting House and Techno since the project’s inception in 2011.
Arriving on Patrick Topping’s Trick for the first time, the pair bring their big, booming techno to the label with two chunky tracks. Title track “U, My” sees airy vocal chops floating over big kicks, knocking percussion and a hypnotic, looping low-end, combining to form a heavy club cut, while “Sun Sesh” sees the duo reach for a combination of shuffling drums, tweaked-out FX, and rolling chords for a dynamic, chugging track.
Dense & Pika U, My EP drops on 15th April via Trick
What can we say about Luke, a staple of our Kneaded Pains label. Unbelievable producer, his productions have so much dark energy in them, level any dance floor. Always feature in every set of ours. This remixes an ABSOLUTE STONKER.
Incredible sludgy, slo-mo modular techno on ESP Institute from 2013. Amazing groove under shimmering modular textures. Almost no hats at all.
Have always been a huge fan of Makaton. Really like his vision of techno. From abstract polyrhythm to distorted crunchy grooves, this is one of his more playable offerings.
This guy’s incredible. Really pace-y deep techno. Perfect for breaking up a techno set.
Not many records have been in the ‘box’ longer than this. For some weird reason people still always ask what it is. Cari has been churning out incredible quality techno for nearly 30 years. This is our fave from his vast back catalogue, absolute wonkathon from 1997.
Would be daft not to put our new record on trick here, this genuinely flattens gaffs. Try it if you don’t believe us ;-)
Connect with Dense & Pika: SoundCloud | Facebook | Twitter | YouTube
Buenos Aires-raised and Barcelona-based artist Squaric was born from the research and creation of new movements in the earthly. The movements that are transmitted by the connections of radiation and particles. Inspired by the Detroit sound of the 1980s, Squaric began to experiment with IDM sounds always keeping Techno in mind.
Once established in Barcelona he developsd his ideas and concepts for music. He played in the best clubs and festivals in the world, such as: Tresor Berlin, Griessmühle, About Blank, Contact Tokyo, Razzmatazz Barcelona, BRET, HOL0 NY, Under Club Buenos Aires, Radion Amsterdam, KGR Tokyo, Vofol Seul, Agglomerant Moscow, Fuchs2 Prague, Utopia Madrid, and many more. Squaric is also the founder of Diffuse Reality and Teorema Festival.
Connect with Squaric: SoundCloud | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Linktree
Glasgow’s Gary Beck is back on Pan-Pot’s Second State with weighty four tracker, Supervan EP. A pillar of Scotland’s techno scene, Beck has appeared regularly at some of the globe’s most respected venues and festivals including Womb Tokyo, fabric, Output NYC and Awakenings.
Title track “Supervan” opens with bouncing bass and rattling percussion. A chopped-up vocal is introduced and commands the track forward as it ascends, with the kick battling to harden the track over the grooving melody and anthemic keys. Next up is the spirited cut “Psycho Babble”. A resounding sample attempts to cry out over the jacking bass and kick combo, calling out in ecstasy at intervals of the track. A minimal hi-hat jumps throughout but retracts as the track increases tempo and gallops towards the end, where Beck incorporates breakbeat elements for the final leg.
“Sparks” follows with rhythmic shakers and hi-hats juxtaposing each other under the dialogue of two young punters. The conversation adds a narrative to the track as it intensifies along with a gritty buzzing element. The voices become distorted as the track builds to crescendo, with the sample and music working together in unison to unravel the story of the character’s night. The finale “Pink Castles” is a pacy and hypnotic trip, conjuring up the energy of both a peak-time workout and high-tempo closer. Haunting vocals and icy synths swirl around the driving elements and atmospherics, engulfing the listener into the darkness of this finishing track.
Gary Beck’s Supervan EP drops on Second State on April 15, 2022. You can get it here.
Connect with Gary Beck: SoundCloud | Instagram
Connect with Second State: SoundCloud | Facebook | Instagram
Joining the WORK Resident 2022 roster, Stephen Disario is a multifaceted producer and DJ. Disario’s tracks have been featured on labels such as Planet Rhythm, Liberta Records, Say What, Trau-ma, and many more. His techno sounds take dancers from the genre’s deep and hypnotic realm to the high-octane and peak-time hours.
Hi Stephen, welcome back. You’re part of the newly launched WORK Residency Program and as part of it, you’ll be playing at selected events throughout the year. What does it mean to you to be invited to be a part of it and recognized as a standout talent?
It is truly an honor to be a part of the WORK residency, alongside like minded peers in this industry. I have worked with the crew since 2018 and it has been such an amazing journey for us all. So much has changed since then, but our passion for this scene stays the same. I couldn’t be happier to officially be on board with the WORK team. Everyone is very professional, easy going and we all check our ego at the door, which I think plays a vital part in creating such a pure and genuine vibe for our events.
Why do you think the WORK Residency program is an important initiative?
The WORK residency is a great opportunity for Los Angeles and surrounding based artists to get a bit of recognition in our city. With so many local artists it really helps shed light on the producers and DJ’s doing something special in our hometown.
Living in these cement walls we call Los Angeles, it is essential to get away and connect back with Mother Earth and remember the planet we are actually living on.
Nature inspires Stephen Disario’s creative flow
Is there a specific moment that made you realize you wanted to pursue music more than just a hobby?
The spark for me was NYE of 2014; Some friends and I decided to throw a desert rave in the Mojave Desert. Hundreds of people showed up despite the little promo we did. The energy was electric! The feedback after the event was absolutely mind blowing. At that moment, I knew that this was something I wanted to pursue professionally with my entire heart and soul.
Are there any artists who’ve really inspired your work as an artist?
There are so many artists that I take influence from, and it’s constantly evolving. In the early days I was in love with artists like Recondite, Rødhad, Maceo Plex, Noir, and others within that realm of deeper techno back in the day. As I got deeper in the rabbit hole, I met Brennen Grey who has been a huge staple in my journey. He truly helped me navigate the industry as well as in the studio. I am extremely blessed to call him my brother! From there, I started to develop my own sound and these days I am inspired by many artists; I am lucky to call friends like Marcal, Vinicius Honorio, Arthur Robert, Rene Wise, and many others. I am always discovering new artists and that is probably my favorite thing about music. There’s an endless world of inspiration out there!
Read Next: Brennen Grey: ‘You Can Break Any Rule as Long as You Do It Really F*cking Well’
Name a track you’ve had on repeat recently.
Arthur Robert “Kinship”. This track brings out so many emotions. Arthur is a very refreshing take on techno and really locks the listener in on a journey from start to finish.
You’ve said that going out in nature is inspiring to you. Do you have any dream nature escapes or ones planned for the future?
I am always plotting new places to explore. Living in these cement walls we call Los Angeles, it is essential to get away and connect back with Mother Earth and remember the planet we are actually living on. It’s easy to get consumed by the fast pace of life out here, and in that regard it is extremely important to hit the reset button from time to time. Yellowstone is on the top of that list currently, I also really want to explore South America and the Amazon.
I am my own biggest critic and with that comes a double edge sword. The solution: don’t stop and continue working. It’s all a matter of being consciously in tune with yourself and knowing that this is a part of the journey. It’s all about the passion of creating music, and if more opportunities come out of that then that is wonderful, but I think a great piece of advice is to create without expectation.
Stephen Disario balances work with play
What has been the most challenging aspect of your career, and how have you managed or overcome this challenge?
Covid-19 was the most challenging time for me, as I had my biggest releases to date during the pandemic, which was bittersweet. It was amazing to get some recognition in times of doubt, although I didn’t get the gig opportunities that may have come with those releases, had it been pre-Covid. The pandemic has completely reshaped me as an artist and revamped my sound. I had a handful of burnout moments with extreme self doubt, but continued to work through it. I am my own biggest critic and with that comes a double edge sword. The solution: don’t stop and continue working. It’s all a matter of being consciously in tune with yourself and knowing that this is a part of the journey. It’s all about the passion of creating music, and if more opportunities come out of that then that is wonderful, but I think a great piece of advice is to create without expectation.
Anything else you’d like to share?
Thank you so much for the opportunity, I am forever grateful for the love and support by the WORK team and community. This collective is one of the most special ones coming out of LA and I could not be more grateful to be a part of it. Cheers to the amazing future ahead! Also there will be new music soon and even bigger news to come toward the end of the year so keep your eyes peeled!
Connect with Stephen Disario: SoundCloud | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Beatport | Spotify | Website
