techno production (2000-2004) compared to todays sound....

[The Overfiend]

Loads of differences.
And I do agree that Lawrie and Nilz had a huge part in that.
Also I think the difference is that today there is more attention to detail in what is considered quality as compared to a throwaway track.
Mattias I am so guilty of asking you for the fast stuff, I admit it.
I just had this discussion with Glenn about tempo and energy.
Now the sound is clearer, and a good amount of producers are paying more attention to what is done behind the scenes sonically.
Ritahead is right that most people have turned their backs on the gritty-ness of it all and have gone for more refined and quality sounds.
I don't think I will snap out of the speed of 136-143 ish area.
But I can at least write at those speeds with higher production values.
I do miss the old days, but I do sense there is hope for us Hard Techno heads in the sense of not having to deal with the confusion with the s word anymore.

[Mattias_Fridell]

Mattias I am so guilty of asking you for the fast stuff, I admit it.
I just had this discussion with Glenn about tempo and energy.
Now the sound is clearer, and a good amount of producers are paying more attention to what is done behind the scenes sonically.

Me & Glenn is discussing this a lot and about how energy translates & works with slower tempo & clearer sound. I'm definitely hooked with slower tempo but raw energy like from the 2000-2004 era, refined to todays environment in the scene. Just feels not enough people are doing this and is either stuck in old ideal or just converted to bandwagon sound. Classic feeling and intensity in new package is high in demand me thinks.

[ritaheed]

Classic feeling and intensity in new package is high in demand me thinks.

Yeah I know what you mean - I was listening to a remix by the Space djz of an A.Paul track and I couldnt work out if it was proper techno or minumal(ish). Kinda came to the conclusion that it was kinda proper techno but just had the clear, digital sounds of today.

Dont get me wrong it wasnt full on proper techno but it did have that element in it with minimalish elements aswell

Was a bit surprised to hear Mike Humphries free download sounding the way it sounded.
It was still braw though :)

[teknorich]

A lot of what is called Techno now just sounds like harder minimal to me. The distinction has become very blurred. In the A.Paul thread, Mark EG said that Naked Lunch is one of the few labels keeping hard techno alive, but tbh I'm not sure how much of their output I'd even call hard techno. It is faster than minimal, but a lot of it is just as smooth, with similar production values, and overall not a very "hard" or rough sound.

(Even look at what the Advent and Industrialyzer are doing now - is that techno or minimal?! Generally around 135+ BPM which puts it in the techno category, but it has very much a smoothly produced, minimal sound to it)

In the recent Glenn Wilson mix which was posted up, there was a new remix of "Aural Exciter," the original of which was an absolute BEAST of a tune, but the new 2010 remix sounds much much weaker, flatter and less powerful than the original. I know things have changed, and styles have moved on, but that new remix just doesn't come close to the tough attitude and sound of the original, which is a real pity.

It's a difficult one - play too hard and scare the audience away, or give in too much to the "new techno" crowd and water it down...

[teknorich]

@ Matthias - am gonna check out some of your newer stuff when I get home tonight . I definitely like the idea of what you said; keeping the roughness and energy of the old style techno, but repackaging it in a way which works in the present day. You got me curious to hear what you're up to!

[Mattias_Fridell]

@ Matthias - am gonna check out some of your newer stuff when I get home tonight . I definitely like the idea of what you said; keeping the roughness and energy of the old style techno, but repackaging it in a way which works in the present day. You got me curious to hear what you're up to!

Please do, just don't listen 1 EP and tell me it's 127 BPM Techno before you take a listen to more stuff hehe, I do a lot. The good thing about today is that I can stamp my name on more then just 1 style, before I had to use aliases when I made some dub stuff or more scaled music. The stuff I've done for Tontek, Foot Fetish and others is more what Im talking about though most of it is upcoming. If you liked Glenn's Motion mix I can reveal that some tunes there is coming from me.

[ritaheed]

Please do, just don't listen 1 EP and tell me it's 127 BPM Techno before you take a listen to more stuff hehe, I do a lot. The good thing about today is that I can stamp my name on more then just 1 style, before I had to use aliases when I made some dub stuff or more scaled music. The stuff I've done for Tontek, Foot Fetish and others is more what Im talking about though most of it is upcoming. If you liked Glenn's Motion mix I can reveal that some tunes there is coming from me.

Just checked you out man - stomping stuff :) - really like the tougher sound youve got going on.
Will defo be making a purchase of your stuff in the future :)

[ritaheed]

A lot of what is called Techno now just sounds like harder minimal to me. The distinction has become very blurred. In the A.Paul thread, Mark EG said that Naked Lunch is one of the few labels keeping hard techno alive, but tbh I'm not sure how much of their output I'd even call hard techno. It is faster than minimal, but a lot of it is just as smooth, with similar production values, and overall not a very "hard" or rough sound.

(Even look at what the Advent and Industrialyzer are doing now - is that techno or minimal?! Generally around 135+ BPM which puts it in the techno category, but it has very much a smoothly produced, minimal sound to it)

In the recent Glenn Wilson mix which was posted up, there was a new remix of "Aural Exciter," the original of which was an absolute BEAST of a tune, but the new 2010 remix sounds much much weaker, flatter and less powerful than the original. I know things have changed, and styles have moved on, but that new remix just doesn't come close to the tough attitude and sound of the original, which is a real pity.

It's a difficult one - play too hard and scare the audience away, or give in too much to the "new techno" crowd and water it down...

exactly mate - 100% agree with you

everything is really blured the now - ppl who have not been into techno do call this harder minimal sound techno

aye a was surprised with glen wilsons mix aswell - a thought him being the daddy of hard techno (hereo's, punish etc) that it would have been along those lines

a do think the style of techno has really changed but this should not mean that the proper hard techno that were talking about has to go

Dj Ogi is hard techno and schranz and I do like him but I do think his stuff sounds really similar with each release and just doesnt cut it from the real hard techno a few year ago.

Dont think the hard techno where looking for is going to come back anytime soon - from going to festivals abroad its basically all minimal and schranz - its mental how the european schranz crowd like to call schranz "hard techno" - in my book it defo aint