Minimal techno
As minimal techno refers to a style of techno , which is characterized by minimalist arrangements distinguished. It's essentially a twist on traditional Detroit techno . The forefather is the DJ and producer Robert Hood , whose album Minimal Nation (1994) influenced many producers. Aside from the original minimal techno , which emerged in the 1990s, a scene with the same name established itself at the beginning of the 21st century, but which is musically taking different paths. The question of which pieces should be assigned to the “real old” or the “new” minimal techno is part of a general controversy within the techno scene.
description
Usually minimal techno tracks are created on the basis of a “four to the floor” beat in 4/4 time , which sometimes consists exclusively of a bass drum on the heavy beats and a closed hihat on the backbeats . At the beginning of the minimal techno movement, the Roland TR-808 and TR-909 were traditionally used as drum computers, and their sounds are often still used in today's tracks. Individual sounds, sound variations and irregularities in the otherwise intentionally monotonous structure of the pieces are dealt with. Above all, the lasting, continuously repeating sounds are often subject to a special sound design that characterizes them as individual events to such an extent that they can be easily memorized on the one hand and appear conspicuous on the other. In many cases, these sounds impress with their originality. Possible stylistic devices are the subtle use of filters for sound variations with the same theme or motif , expansion and reduction in the form of addition and subtraction of voices, often with the help of fades . Sometimes surprising effects or fragmented melodies are interspersed, but minimal techno is basically rhythm and sound-oriented and not necessarily designed for tonality .
Due to the constant tempo and the strong monotony (the repetitive basic scheme ) this music can have a very hypnotic effect and is played on the dance floor as well as on the chill-out floor.
The Minimal House (also called “Microhouse”) is closely related to Minimal Techno . The differences lie in the slightly lower speed of Minimal House (traditionally 120 - 125 BPM ) and its often hinted connection to funk and soul , sometimes also to gospel . Minimal house is thus more Afrocentric than minimal techno. The overall sound of minimal techno is much cooler compared to minimal house.
history
The origin
After various works by Basic Channel ( Moritz von Oswald and Mark Ernestus ) and others that already had minimalist structures, Robert Hood's album Minimal Nation , released in 1994, is considered to be the real origin of minimal techno development.
In 1995 the British Gerrard Varley released an EP under his pseudonym G-Man with the piece Quo Vadis , which is now considered a milestone in the genre and was reissued in 1999 and 2007 as part of the new minimal movement. Also, Daniel Bell (aka DBX) is attributable to the original minimal techno.
New scene
After the genre had more of a marginal appearance within the booming techno scene, it gained increasing importance at the beginning of the 21st century thanks to young performers and developed into widespread club music in Central Europe with a wide range of record labels such as Kompakt , Poker Flat Recordings , M_nus , Perlon or the joy of dancing . The city of Cologne's minimal techno scene , for which Wolfgang Voigt's label Kompakt stands, also became internationally known (the term Sound of Cologne or Cologne School was sometimes used for this).
Popular interpreters of minimal techno in German-speaking countries are or were Wolfgang Voigt (alias Mike Ink), Steve Bug , Extrawelt , Stephan Bodzin , Oliver Huntemann , Antonelli Electr. , Dominik Eulberg , Matthias Tanzmann , Sascha Funke , Marek Hemmann , Mathias Kaden , Dapayk , Kotai + Mo and Boris Brejcha . Richie Hawtin , Troy Pierce , John Tejada , Magda , Pan Sonic and Ricardo Villalobos are particularly well-known from other countries .
criticism
A common criticism is the temporary inflationary use of the term minimum for almost every piece in 4 / 4 - stroke with about 128 to 130 beats per minute , unimportant whether the arrangement of the number of the original meaning in the sense of Robert Hood and others, is customizable, so it can really be called minimalist or not. Critical voices say that minimal has become a fashionable adjective in the electronics scene over the years and has strayed too far from traditional notions. Much of what is now known as minimal techno is basically closer to other genres of electronic dance music than to original techno.
Individual evidence
- ↑ Richie Hawtin states 128 BPM as the optimal tempo for a minimal techno track.