I know what you mean about the slower stuff being around for ages, but i think its the elements that are in the track that make it what it is nowadays, funky loops, camp guitar riffs and male love vocals are this summers hot thang...:)
Some of the best techno iv heard was about 130bpm, on an old vibealite tape of somekind but it was damm tough and had so many elements and trippy elements in it.