Why is Techno Special?
If you are not an avid listener, here are 6 points why you should give this genre a try. If you already are, here is how to convince your friends — rationally.
The last frontier
Music genres have developed in large parts as a reaction to new technological advancements. Sure, they were also a reflection of their time. But let’s stick to the technical improvements first: Techno was what was came out of the last development in music. The synthesizer, the device that spawned techno was the last revolution in music technology. For the first time ever, we were able to create any sound audible to humans — at any volume. This fact is the basis for some of the other factors, like the immense emotional breadth.
Emotional breadth
It is easy to dismiss the repetitiveness for unemotionality. The opposite is true. Techno is the music genre with the widest range of emotions present. The reason why people dismiss it as mechanical is best explained by an analogy: when starting to drink wines, most people prefer sweet ones. As they become more attuned to the finer nuances they move on to dry ones. Ultimately sweet wines are perceived as dull and over-the-top — intense but shallow. The same goes for music. One needs to learn to perceive music fully, to see the vast differences between the emotions portrayed in techno. And this makes sense, after all, all other genres are limited by the base influence their instruments have. An e-guitar is different than a saxophone and they have base emotions they can create more easily — while struggling to create others. Give these a try:
Depressed/the void: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z_6FajEhLAU
Energetic: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zuwjENIHSks
Relaxed happiness: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j-9Wg0awaWw
Versatility
You can go through a whole week with techno: from meditation to cooking, working, parties, sports, hanging out with friends on the couch. There is a subgenre for every situation. Why? Techno has all audible sounds at its disposal, hence every mood can be created or supported. Most other genres have a tendency for specific moods or situations.
Intellectual depth
Techno has transcended everyday topics like being rejected by a partner. Sure, there are tracks about this. More frequently though, songs deal with truly profound topics like the meaning of life or the ecstasy of love in the abstract sense (not just romantic love). It also transcends classic models around sexuality, partnerships, fame and values. Take fame as an example: from rap to rock — most other music genres have lots of songs about being famous for making such music. I have not heard a single techno song dealing with becoming a famous DJ.
Because of the frequency with which techno deals with abstract questions, that have startled humans for millennia, I find it easy to argue that techno is the most philosophical music genre.
Culture
The more niche a genre, the more helpful a culture is as it creates a stronger in-group. So yes, there are other music genres, like metal, that have supportive social group dynamics e.g. at festivals or concerts — comparable to techno.
What is unique about techno is the absence of hero worship. People dance for themselves. Not to impress, not to get laid, not to film it for someone else. Techno clubs pioneer taping phone cameras, while other nightclubs entice photos by encouraging tagging of the club on social media. Techno festivals have subtle stages and the visitor’s senses are stimulated visually and audibly from all sides, not just or predominantly from the stage.
Anti-commercial
This lack of hero worship and the emotional depth of techno lead to it being utterly uncommercialized. The best techno clubs in the world charge lower entry fees than what other venues charge for a glass of water.
Being anti-commercial is not per se good, but it makes techno stand out once more.
