Jean-Michel Serres, Composer-pianist (Apfel Café Music): Website

9 September 20147 October 2021

Brief History of Detroit Techno

■Pre History: Technopop, Chicago House and The Electrifying Mojo

Krafrwerk 1970 –

Kraftwerk are German Technopop or Synthpop band formed by Ralf Hütter and Florian Schneider in 1970 Düsseldorf.
Ralf and Florian first met as student at Robert Schumann Hochschule. They studied Classical music and formed ‘Organisation’ and performed German experimental music dubbed ‘Krautrock’ by multiple instruments including synthesizers. Early times three albums of Kraftwerk are experimental avant-garde pop deeply influenced by Krautrock.
In 1974, Kraftwerk released the milestone album ‘Autobahn’. The album mainly featured synthesizers, rhythm machines and vocoders, took up German stereotypes ‘machinery’, ‘regularity’ and ‘technology’ then the concept of Kratwerk adopted them. The song ‘Autobahn’ expressed cool, monotony, calmness and funny far from Progressive Rock, which is the declaration the philosophy of Technopop.
In following albums ‘Trans Europe Express’, ‘The Man-Machine’ and ‘Computer World’, Kraftwerk refined their concept more and the albums came into the masterpiece of Technopop, hit in the world wide disco and underground club scenes, and influenced various music genres New Wave Rock, Synthpop, Disco, Funk, Hip Hop, Chicago House and Detroit Techno.
Followers of Kraftwerk were Telex, Devo, Yellow Magic Orchestra and so on, and yet they weren’t equal to the iron concept and integrated sounds of Kraftwerk.

Frankie Knuckles 1955 –

Frankie Knuckles is the creator of House Music. He was invited as Opening DJ from New York by a Night Club named the Warehouse at Chicago. His DJ play mixes multiple genre music. 1. Conservative hard-line Soul Music (Philly Soul, Motown, Salsoul) 2. Electronic Dance Music from Europe (Technopop, Munich Disco ex. Kraftwerk, Telex, Giorgio Moroder) 3. experimental German Rock, Progressive Rock and Minimal Music to use Chill Out and after hours (ex. Manuel Göttsching ‘E2-E4’, Tangerine Dream) 4. White New Wave Rock music especially has tastes Funk or Afro (ex. Frankie Goes To Hollywood ‘Relax’, New Order ‘Thieves Like Us’ ‘Blue Monday’, Talking Heads ‘Once In A Lifetime’, Clash ‘The Magnificent Seven’) And he played existing discs with a rhythm machine and tapes recorded rhythms. Then Frankie produced own making tracks using singers and musicians in Chicago with rhythm machines and samplers. The Blacks inspired Frankie’s DJ play began to produce using cheap instruments like rhythm machines, synthesisers and samplers. That makes a new style of Dance Music, it’s House Music.

The Electrifying Mojo

The Electrifying Mojo is a disc jockey (radio personality) based in Detroit. He is the grandfather of Detroit Techno.
Mojo’s seminal radio show ran from 1977 though the middle of 80’s. He wasn’t swayed selection by races and broke a musical barrier between white and black. His sets included various genres music for example P-Funk, Africa Bambaataa, Prince, The J. Geils Band, Cybotron through Kraftwerk, Yellow Magic Orchestra, New Order, The B-52’s, Steely Dan, Phillip Glass. (But he never played Hip Hop.) He was free from the category of traditional Black Music, And his sets connected the idea ‘Black Sci-Fi’ and ‘Afro Futurism’ of P-Funk with Electronic Music from Europe. His programs very influenced young blacks in Detroit.

■The Belleville Three (‘Obsessive Fan of Kraftwerk’)

Juan Atkins (Cybotron, Model 500, Infiniti) 1962 –

He is the true originator of Detroit Techno. Atkins grew up in a wealthy family and his father is a music maniac especially Jazz. So Atkins became a music maniac, too. He was deeply influenced by P-Funk and Sly and the Family Stone and received an impact by Kraftwerk from The Electrifying Mojo’s radio show. And Atkins began to buy electronic musical instruments in late-70’s.

In 1980, When he entered college, he came across a Vietnamese guy Richard Davis. Davis introduced Alvin Toffler’s ‘The Third Wave’ to Atkins. This book is ‘The Book of Philosophy of Techno’. And they organized a Electro Technopop Band like Africa Bambaataa and Soul Sonic Force ‘Cybotron’. Cybotron make a smash hit in ‘Techno city’.

‘No UFO’s’ is a first his solo release of his alias ‘Model 500’ and a first song of Detroit Techno and Electro Techno. It’s deeply influenced by P-Funk, Kraftwerk and Chicago House.

Derrick May (Rhythim is Rhythim, Mayday) 1963 –

Derrick was a classmate and a friend or pawn of Juan Atkins at Belleville High School. He helped Atkins’ activity and label. When he went to sell Atkins’ records to Chicago, Derrick encountered Frankie Knuckles’ DJ play and Chicago House which gave him a shock. Derrick brought House beats, seriousness and emotion into Detroit Techno.

His masterpiece ‘Strings of the Life’ is almost non rhythm song features emotional piano backing and synth strings. 1989, the song license released by UK ‘label Cool Cut’. It became the biggest classic Techno anthem from late-80’s british Acid House scene to the rest of world and nowadays.

In 1987, an ex-Northern Soul DJ Neil Rushton asked May to produce a Detroit Techno compilation album. The compilation named ’Techno! The New Sound of Detroit’ released 1988 by Virgin Records and Detroit Techno infiltrate into UK underground music scene.

In the summer 1988, ’Detroit Music Institute’ one of the prototype of night clubs was opened in the downtown of Detroit. The club is very plain or shabby but there are emotional May’s DJ play and liberty. Carl Craig, Kenny Larkin, Richie Hawtin and Daniel Bell visited there frequently and May’s philosophy. The club to give birth to The Second Generation of Detroit Techno.
He quit almost music production in early few years and traveled all around the world as DJ. His Tech-Funk DJ style is influenced by Ron Hardy’s.

Kevin Saunderson (Reese, Inner City, E-dancer) 1964 –

Saunderson is from Brooklyn, New York. After move to Detroit, he became a friend with Derrick May and a acquaintance with Juan Atkins.

Saunder is a different from Atkins and May, In a point he loved New York Garage House sound and Larry Levan’s DJ style. So he went Larry Levan’s legend night club ‘Paradise Garage’ many times.

In 1988, Saunderson’s New York Garage style House Unit featured female vocalist Paris Grey ‘Inner City” made a great success in Popular Dance Chart by ‘Big Fun’ and ‘Good Life’ released from Virgin Records. And ‘Rock to The Beat’ released by the alias Reese was smash hit in club scene.

One of his alias ‘E-dancer’ is a project of funky future-chic Detroit Techno. ‘Pump the Move’ has a mysterious characteristic synth solo was played by many DJs.

■Early Detroit Techno Producers

Blake Baxter

In 1987 Baxter debuted ‘When We Used To Play’ by Kevin Saunderson’s label KMS.
Chicago House sounds.

Eddie ‘Flashin’ Fowlkes

In 1986, Fowlkes released first EP ‘Goodbye Kiss’ from Juan Atkins’s ‘Metroplex’ label. In 1992, he released ‘3MB featuring Eddie Flashin Fowlkes’ collaborated with Thomas Fehlmann and Moritz Von Oswald.
Suburban Knight (James Pennington)

Mark Kinchin

■The Second Generation

Carl Craig (BFC, Psyche, Paperclip People, 69, Designer’s Music, Innerzone Orchestra)

Carl Craig learned the basic of music production from Derrick May. Craig is a successor of pure emotional Techno by Derrick May. In addition to he has excellence composing and keyboard playing skills and intelligence. His music have a tendency to listing and Ambient like Tangerine Dream in the beginning.

He released first EP ‘Elements’ alias under Psyche from Derrick May’s label ‘Transmat’ in 1989. The early his tracks made in Derrick May’s studio when May wasn’t in. Then he founded his own labels ‘Retroactive’ and ‘Planet E’. The first EP of Planet E, ‘4 Jazz Funk Classics’ expanded artistry of Detroit Techno. And Planet E adopted european producers Kirk Degiorgio, Plaid and others to intended for variousness. In 1994, Paperclip People ‘Slow’ featured Loleatta Holloway’s ‘Hit and run’ samples hit.

Craig uses multiple aliases and produce various tastes and genres music. For example Paperclip People is a alias for funky danceable DJ tracks, 69 alias created experimental Techno tracks. ’Carl Craig’ is a alias for serious works. In 1995, the alias of Carl Craig released a perfect work ‘Landcruising’ from Warner Music. Then 1997, the alias released the album fusing Detroit Techno sounds and Jazz and Fusion Piano play ‘More Songs About Food and Revolutionary Art’ includes ‘At Les’. The song became a anthem song of chill-out time.
Designer’s Music

Innerzone Orchestra, the Future Jazz project and three piece band of him, released the album ‘Programmed’ from UK Club Jazz label Talkin’ Loud.

In 2000, He hosted The Detroit Electronic Music Festival (DEMF). The event was performed by not only Techno and House musicians but also Hip Hop musicians in Detroit, Slum Village, The Roots and Mos Def.

Stacy Pullen (Silent Phase, Kosmik Messenger, Bango)

Kenny Larkin (Yennek, Dark Comedy)

Alan Oldham (DJ T-1000, X-313)

In 1992, Alan Oldham took part in UR as DJ a successor to Jeff Mills.

His label ‘Generator’ released works except artist in Detroit for Dave Clark.

Daniel Bell (DBX)

Early years Dan Bell was active in Windsor with Richie Hawtin. After graduated a university Bell moved to Detroit and founded ‘Seventh City’ the first label of Detroit Techno by whites form outside of Detroit.

K. Hand

Kelli Hand is the first female DJ of Detroit Techno. She was also shocked by Frankie Knuckles’ party in mid-80’s. After graduated a college, she worked at a telephone company in Detroit and on weekends she went to Paradise Garage often. Staring at Derrick May’s DJing, she started DJ and music production and founded Acacia Records helped by Mad Mike and Jeff Mills. In 1991 K. Hand released the album ‘Detroit History Part 1’ from Tresor.

Her works was House tracks affected by Deep House and Chicago House. And she also makes Hard Minimal Techno tracks.

Scan 7

Dan Curtin

Mike Clark (Agent X)

He was concerned with early UR.

Octave One (Random Noise Generation)

In 1990, Octave One released a elegant House track ‘I Believe’ from Transmat.

Anthony Shakir

Sean Deason

Jay Denham

John Beltram

Urban Tribe

Detroit Escalator Company

‘Sound Track 313’

■Detroit Minimal Techno

Jeff Mills (The Wizard, Underground Resistance, Millsart) 1963 –

Jeff Mills grew up musical friendly family and visited hi school parties and any clubs in Detroit from his teenage. He acquired the spirit of Funk there. At this time he practiced DJing and equipped many DJ skills. In 1983, he became a DJ of the local radio stain WDRQ named himself ‘The Wizard’ and played Hip Hop, Post Disco, Progressive Disco, New Wave Rock in radical outstanding skills influenced by Hip Hop DJs’.

After Jeff was transferred to WJOD, He was introduced Mad Mike by a WJOD stuff. They organised Underground Resistance and Jeff played turntables on gigs. Jeff resigned UR in 1992. His last work of UR is ‘World to World’.

Next Jeff released ‘Waveform Transmission Vol.1’ from Tresor. The EP and its vol. 3 are a landmark and masterpiece of Minimal Techno.

Robert Hood (Underground Resistance, Monobox, The Vision, Floorplan)

Rob Hood take part in Underground Resistance in 1991.

Richie Hawtin (Plastikman)

To say precisely Richie Hawtin is not Detroit Techno musician, he is a Canadian. He is from Windsor, Ontario just across the river from Detroit. He visited the Detroit Music Institute frequently where he had a valuable experience of Derrick May’s DJ play and got to know Kenny Larkin and Daniel Bell.

Richie Hawtin and Daniel Bell form the unit ‘Cybersonic’. Their track was spread as ‘Detroit Techno’ by white to Europe.

John Acquaviva

Claude Young

■Underground Resistance

‘Mad’ Mike Banks (Underground Resistance, Martian) 1961 –

In young age, Mike Banks was a hustler of drag race and a bass player playing Funk, Soul, Gospel, Blues and Fusion. He had relation to Funkadelic members.

When he visited Chicago he met with Acid House, he interested in club cultures. After go back to Detroit, He was called out by Juan Atkins at a music shop and they became friends and Atkins taught how to instruments, music production methods and ‘Detroit Music Institute’.

In 1990, Banks set up Underground Resistance with Jeff Mills. Later on Robert Hood took part in as MC. First release EP ‘Your Time is Up’ is a House track featured a female vocal based traditional Soul and Disco recalls Bank’s musical roots. Following EPs ‘Sonic’ ‘Elimination’ ‘Riot’ ‘Punisher’ ‘Riot’ and ‘Final Frontier’ were Detroit Hard Techno expresses political messages. 1991, UR released the album (and the project name) ‘X-101 – Sonic Destroyer’ from Tresor combined Hardcore Techno sound with Detroit Techno seriousness.

After Jeff Mills resigned UR, Mike intended to the idea of universe and soul, he also started ‘Red Planet’ project by the alias of ‘Martian’.

Banks made mid-90’s the 2 biggest Techno anthems ‘Hi-tech Jazz’ by the alias Underground Resistance and ‘Star Dancer’ by the alias Red Planet project. ‘Hi-tech Jazz’ put Detroit Techno sound with a impressive alto sax solo together. “Star Dancer” is a cosmic experimental dance track has characteristic pad and bass-line.

After released ‘Galaxy 2 Galaxy’ (including ‘Hi-tech Jazz’ and ‘Journey of the Dragon’), UR as a record label released artists except Mike’s own project for example Suburban Knight, Scan 7, Andre Holland, DJ Roland.

DJ Roland (Aztec Mystic) 1970 –

DJ Roland is a Mexican origin Detroit Techno DJ and Producer, brought up in the Hispanic community in Detroit.

He became the 3rd DJ of Underground Resistance and soon began music productions. In 2000, he released his masterpiece ’The Night of Jaguar’. The song is mysterious Latin rhythm track with suggestive emotional synth strings solo, which is the great anthem track of early 00’s Techno and House scenes.

DJ 3000

Los Hermanos

■Electro (Techno Base)

Drexciya

1993, Drexciya debuted by ’Deep Sea Dweller EP’. Later on he released ‘Drexciya 2 Bubble Metropolis’ and ‘Drexciya 3 Molecular Enhancement’ from Underground Resistance and his crazy electro sound generated a reaction in Europe, affected Aphex Twin, Mike Paradinas aka Musiq and Andy Whetherall. He also became a member of UR.

Aux 88

He run ‘Direct Beat’ label under Octave One’s ‘430 West’.

DJ Assult

Mark Taylor

■The Third Generation

As One

Ian O’brien

■European Detroit Followers

808 State

R&S Records

R&S Records is founded by Renaat and Sabine Van Del Pepeliere in late-80’s.
In 1988, Renaat encountered Detroit Techno, then the label aim at ‘Beautiful Techno’ and released a cosmic trans track Digital Vamp ‘You Can Take My Body’. The early years of R&S introduced Joy Beltram, David Morley Spectrum, CJ Bolland and Dave Angel. In 92, R&S released Aphex Twin’s experimental anthem track ‘Didgeridoo’, and works of Black Dog and Kirk Degiorgio.

‘Detroit Techno Revival’

Tresor

‘Berlin Detroit a Techno Alliance’ (1993) included tracks of UR, Jeff Mills, Juan Atkins, Eddie Fowlkes and Basic Channel.

Laurent Garnier

B-12

Funk D’Void

Orland Voorn (Fix)

Fabrice Lig

■New Generation Detroit Followers

Vince Watson

Aril Brikha

Aril Brikha is Assyrian Origin Techno musician emigrated to Sweden. His genius was funded by Derrick May. His song ’Groove La Code’ released by Transmat and was contained in Tresor’s compilation ‘Tresor 2000’ become a great anthem track of Techno and House scenes.

Dennis DeSantis

Joris Voorn

Joris Voorn is from Rotterdam, Netherland. In the beginning, he started as a Detroit Follower. His early time hit is ‘Many Reasons’ (2002).

In 2004, Joris released his first full album ‘Future History’, by SINO the sub label of Technasia, including ’Incident’. The album is the most prominent work of Detroit Followers and ‘Incident’ features sensational piano backing, is the greatest anthem song of 00’s Techno. Joris jumped to stardom.

Meanwhile Joris released a mix album ‘Fuse’. This mix album mixed 40 tracks of Detroit Techno, Techno, Minimal Techno and House by Ablton Live. In 2009 he released ‘Balance 014’ one of the series of Progressive House DJ mix CD by EQ Recordings. This album he took apart and reconstructed 102 classic Detroit Techno, Tech House, Deep Progressive, Minimal Techno, House, Electro House, Future Jazz and Rock tracks into Tech House and Deep Progressive atmosphere totally by Ableton Live. He presented new style of DJ mix.

On the other hand he founded the his own label ‘Rejected’ with dutch a DJ/producer and his friend Edwin Oosterwal. Rejected presents new style of dance music Tech House. The label launched a club hit ‘Let’s Go Juno’ by Edwin Oosterwal.

Later on he accessed Indie Dance and Post Dub Step scenes. ‘Ringo’ (2013) is a Tech House track adopting Post Dub Step sounds.

■Side Story: Detroit House

Terrence Parker

Chez Damier

Delano Smith

Alton Miller

Theo Parrish

Mike Grant

Rick Wade

Norma Jean Bell

Moodyman

Scott Grooves

Omar S

References

Kaku Mita & Tsutomu Noda, Cultural Histories of Club Music: Birth of House to Rave Culture (JICC, 1993)

Laurent Garnier, Electrochoc (Flammarion, 2003)

Satoshi Masuda, Who is the “author” of the music: Remix, Industry, Copyright (Misuzu Books, 2005)

Toru Takahashi, DJ Idiot: A Life (Rittor Music, 2007)

Tsutomu Noda & Takkyu Ishino, Technobon, (Takarajima, 1994)

Tsutomu Noda, Black Machine Music & Galactic Soul: Disco, House to Detroit Techno (New Kawade Publishing, 2001)

Tsutomu Noda, Junk, Funk, Punk (New Kawade Publishing, 2003)

Semiological Analysis for DJ play

How to treat music and means of music in night club are very different to its in disco and popular music.

At dance floor on clubs, music of records is played non-stop in constant tempo all the way by long mix of DJ, and crowd dance all night. One part of a DJ is 1 to 3 hours, DJs play with alternates 3 to 5 on a party or event. Rarely held ‘long play set’ party, it is the format of one DJ plays throughout one party 6 hours to over 12 hours.

One DJ plays throughout a night is the original style of Disco party and DJ play, experiencing the one night musical story weaved by one DJ was the real thrill of the primary DJ play of House and clubbing. But by now, by the fad of Techno, party style of DJs playing with alternates is the standard on any genres of Club Music parties.

Parties are constructed to peak the tension at middle of parties when a guest DJ or a live act appears. Parties as a whole have constructions such as the four-part organisation of Chinese poetry (introduction, development, turn and conclusion) or the organisation of dialectic development (thesis, synthesis, aintithesis). I’m going to explain the constructions and its examples below.

To start with a first DJ plays low tempo tracks (around BPM 110 to 120) such as Tech House, Deep Minimal, Click, to set a mood of a party. In this time, righting used only some part yet, and the effect is suppressed. Above is the ‘introduction’. From that time forth, DJs play before a main guest DJ or a live act, take over a mood and emotion set by above DJs, gradually excite mood of a floor by music, turn up the volume, seed up the tempo, bring up a peak just before the feeling of a floor and crowd. This is the ‘development’. (Or these two phases above are ‘thesis’.) Then, A guest DJ or a live act is fully prepared and appear. The guest DJ play high-tempo enthusiastic tracks or anthem songs, make the party climax, it realized a space of supremacy. At this time, effects of lighting and smoke are maximized and image on screen played by VJ is dynamic. This is the ‘turn’. It will make they feel awkward to reverse crowd is not gathered on the floor even after being a large-scale production at this time.

Manuals for DJing teach the DJ play should have the structure such as it of the introduction, development, turn, conclusion. But, each of DJ plays of Techno does not possess a distinct structure. But, rarely a main DJ play the set possess the structure described below. DJs appear after a main DJ, maintain a good feeling and excited mood, make the party go to the end. A ending of party, DJs play ‘anthem songs’ or other genres tracks (such as Techno Pops or Synth Pop in Techno parties), or reappearing of a main DJ, which climax the party again and concluded it. Often encore is performed, a DJ plays 3 to 5 tracks including anthem tracks.

DJs construct their sets, plays various tracks interactive and real time match the floor and process thats sound, create the value and mean more than merely these tracks play separately. The value and mean are realized in ‘a form’ of DJ play or party connected each tracks and each spaces and times.

I’m going to describe the realization of value of DJ play with the theory of sign and text by Semiology.

On Semiology, sign and text consist on the basis of those components and each differences. On a structure made by relationships as a system of sign and text, only differences are important. To connect segmented components, text and symbols are created. In the case of language, the segmentation system of phonemes can create quite a lot of words by combinations of the very small formal elements.

In addition, the important characteristics of the system of sign, is that ‘repetition’. The system of segments due to the difference make a networks that repeat in places of realization of the texts and signs. One of the aspects of the value of signs is determined by a replaceable relationships those elements of sing tie up with other signs in the system.

Signs and texts are evoked thorough this repetitional system of replaceable relationships. The system is defined by the axises of paradigm and syntagme. Paradigm is the associative relationship between signs characterised by equivalence, and syntagme is the combining relationship characterised by linear accessibility between signs. Signs don’t gather disorderly, a sign exists with creating relationships of other signs. Then the sings become a expression by the transition from a state that signs exist as a potential system has no place and space, to a state forms a syntagmatic combining relationship that exists in the space and time.

Each of records and these tracks, from the beginning, doesn’t have paradigmatic connections and which are individual signs have no associative classes. First, DJs organize and classify meanings, roles or functions of tracks by these mood, loudness and sub genres or these functions of differences such as DJ tools for connecting tracks or Anthem tracks for heat up the floor, then DJs memorize these meanings and functions. DJ classify locate each tracks to virtual paradigmatic classes and make differences among each tracks beforehand like that.

From the beginning, liner time progression of DJ play doesn’t have a syntagmatic structure too. on parties. Oh the other hand, time of a one DJ play or hours of party are predetermined. And DJs think over roles and position of own sets, demands from organizers, judge when and how to use their tracks, create the syntagmatic combining liner relation and envision stories of their DJ plays as arrangement of signs. The number of records a DJ bought into the club is limited, but the DJ combines these each of signs by mix, reveal a DJ as a syntagmatic combining relation in stream of time.

Each tracks are played usually only one time in a party, but tracks are replaceable as sign in any DJ plays. Tracks can repetition, and there is a possibility to be used in number of times and permanently by any DJs. However, the value of the tracks can not afford to be fading. Because various values and means are created in syntagmatic combining relations.

DJs mix tracks not to feel discomfort and large differences by their mixing techniques and senses of choice. And tracks will be equalized and integrated as a ‘set’ or a ‘play’ by mixing of DJ. By differences of tracks and equalisation and integration done by the technique long mix in time progression of DJ play, a DJ play get to be a idiom, then become a meta-sign or a text (mentioned by Roland Barthes).

DJ play is constructed by records primarily have no aura and tracks made of electronic sounds. Primarily tracks and records as these reproductions are things without aura. But by DJing that practices of parole, DJ become an ‘author’ or a performer of the text of DJ set, and reveal ‘digital aura’ on the langage of Techno or House.

Almost tracks are only post-modernist superficial fragments, but they are constructed dialectically like beyond the time as a party or a set by DJs. Parties are advanced as unified magnificent story like ’sensory convictions’ to the ‘absolute knowledge’. Therefore it realize the Hegelian ‘grand narrative’ in the post-modernist spaces of night club lost subjective values and means.

Reference

Daniel Chandler, Semiotics The Basic (Routledge, 2002)

Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel, Phenomenology of Spirit (Oxford University Press, 1976)

Roland Barthes, Le plaisir de texte (Seuil, 1973)

Walter Benjamin, L’œuvre d’art à l’époque de sa reproductibilité technique (Folio, 2008)

Consideration on Techno Tracks as “Work”

Techno is was born in Detroit 1987, deeply affected by House Music one of its features is 4 beats by a drum machine and developed from Disco oriented Soul Music.

Techno is Club Music played in Night Club, and it specialized in dance for crowd. The features are almost all sounds built by synthesizers, drum machines and samplers, no vocal, loop of a same phrase and beat. [(1) ’The Start It Up’ Joey Beltran, (2) ’Life Cycle’ Jeff Mills] And the almost all process of production of theses tracks is taken place by one artist, using a computer and synthesizers at low cost. (Almost artist also held DJ, they must not to have been evaluated both.)

Techno tracks sold by the format of record and CD, recorded in a disc as a ‘work’, and possess certain degree of integration. But, the state of track is very excited at the beginning, and the tack end with a fade-out suddenly. Techno tracks seem to be not produced as a solo ‘work’. They seem to be produced as they are listened by the audio at home. The tracks are specialized in the aim to bring forth ‘the good vibration of groove’ as ‘the state people participating musical communication share the internal duration of time’. [Ogawa, 1988]

If so, at night clubs, how the tracks to be used? At dance floors of clubs, the tracks are played continuously by DJ from opening to closing, and crowd dance all night while taking breaks. Dance floors are dim and heaped up by lighting technique. Turns of one DJ is 2 to 3 hours and they play with change. DJs play tracks continuously by more than two turntables and a DJ mixer. [‘Live at the Liquid Room Tokyo’ Jeff Mills, 1996] (On track 1, Mills started to play (1) at 5:00 and (2) at 9:15.)

A DJ processes music, constitutes a his play by any tracks and raises the tension, the music played there is added the value more than it by solely play music. Music played by DJ and crowd react each other, then the dance floor is more excited. Noi Sawaragi describe this phenomena like below, Club music ‘realized in unique space as night club which changes information content moment by moment, and completed for the first time with a sense of unity of performances and restless ecstasy by crowd come around every night.’[Sawaragi, 2001]

Almost cases, we don’t know and can’t understand the names of tracks played at club. Records played by DJ are distribution amount is small, and we can’t listen these tracks direct in mass media, we can’t turn out the artist and title of the tracks except we own CDs or records our own and tracks are accustomed to hear. In Techno or House Music, famous or anonymous of records or artists doesn’t matter. Anonymity of artist is high, and it doesn’t come visible presence of the ‘author’.

On the other hand, there are ‘anthem songs’ be known to authors and titles. ‘Anthem song’ in club music means the especial hit song in the club scene and frequently used by many DJs in a long period of time. Many of them are impressive songs change the mood of dance floor. [‘Strings of the Life’ Rhythim is Rhythim, 1987] They are played many times by DJ, and spread by word of mouth, Mix CDs or magazines, then take loot in crowd, further more become ‘common knowledge’ of the club scene. Anthems are played at peak time or last of party, activate mood of the dance floor.
Including effective use of anthems, tracks are played by DJ in the space of night club, a ‘play’ (set) of DJ and a party come to possess autonomy or self-completeness as a work (opus).
Techno is the underground music and it take the specific method of distribution and sales. By that, independent activities fit for the club scene and independence of artists are possible. Records are distributed by label, small production and sales company run by an artist himself and few stuffs, to record stores specialized in club music around the world. On the other hand, famous artists contract major record companies and release CDs.

Reviews of records can be read in club music magazines, but DJs and crowd can’t listen the tracks directly by radio or TV, and information of the tracks are limited. DJs and club music amateurs dig unknown records in record stores, while relying on the pop-ups, classification of genres, know labels. To seek records in record stores is called ‘digging’. The word ‘dig’ is a metaphor of treasure hunting or moles digging the ground. At record stores DJs look for records hurriedly and find their treasures. Then they preview discs by turntables set upped in the store. The way DJs preview records are very characteristic. DJs preview records on record shop to put the record needle here and there not play records from beginning to the end. Thus DJs quickly judge which a track contains good groove, good vibes or not.
On Techno, ‘good groove’ we can be experienced in clubs is the primary thing. Tracks are produced to assume the autonomy or self-completeness are granted when DJ plays these tracks, more than tracks are autonomous in records or CDs. One of the important factor produced the autonomy and self-completeness is the relationship of artists, DJs, crowd, night clubs as space and the system of distribution for records.