As recording technology advanced and mechanical acoustic recordings were replaced with electrical ones, new avenues for music composition became possible. This included sound editing options like speed adjustment and graphic representation of sounds.
Electro music – which utilizes synthesizers and drum machines – became the focus of this genre commonly known as Electronic Dance Music or EDM.
Techno
Techno music originated out of European electronic music in the 1970s and ’80s, particularly as popularised by Kraftwerk in Germany. Their early music featured synthesizers with songs driven by drumbeats. Rock bands like Pink Floyd also utilized synthesizers; however Kraftwerk’s impact is profound in terms of shaping modern techno.
Juan Atkins, Derrick May and Kevin Saunderson – three Michigan teenagers at the time – heard house music as it spread through Chicago clubs in the early 1980s. Influenced by its groove they combined it with their own idea for techno to produce dance club music with futuristic overtones known as Detroit techno or affectionately as Belleville Three (sometimes also referred to as Detroit Four).
Techno was quickly adopted across Europe and North America by clubs and raver communities alike, quickly spreading from Europe through North America into clubs and raver raves alike. It quickly gained in popularity thanks to fast tempo that kept dancers moving for extended periods, its dark mystery reminiscent of sci-fi movies, as well as its dark mystery feel which reminded listeners of sci-fi films, creating a subculture which thrived off anticapitalist futuristic angst; thus becoming part of hardcore rave dance form with added beats per minute and breakbeats plus subgenres such as acid techno and UK garage.
Modern EDM continues to develop and adapt. It has given birth to genres such as eurodance, trance, and tech house as well as popularized by artists such as Daft Punk and Porter Robinson in their hits; even being integrated into video game soundtracks or sci-fi movies such as Tron: Legacy.
Minimalist techno is another subgenre of techno that has found renewed success since 2010. This style relies on simple drums and basslines combined with classic Roland sounds from its TR-808, TR-909, and TB 303 synthesizers to produce its signature sound. Commonly referred to as kiddie rave, minimalist techno or acid techno since 2010, many people are rediscovering its appeal.
Disco
Disco music evolved out of Philadelphia’s 1960s and 1970s R&B music scene during this era, offering an eclectic blend of genres to produce its distinctive funky sound. A large band comprised chordal instruments, synthesizers that emulated acoustic instruments’ sounds, various percussion and drum instruments and various drum sounds would perform disco music, creating its signature funky sound. Disco used horns, strings, flutes and other classical instruments to produce its distinctive, “soulful” sound. Lyrically speaking, disco songs tended to feature repetitive or straightforward lyrics that contrasted with more intricate themes or messages conveyed through other musical genres of its time. Disco was a form of dance-floor entertainment designed to promote sexual liberation, making people feel good through movement. Disco also helped break down racial barriers while crossing over into mainstream society; artists like Gloria Gaynor, the Bee Gees, KISS and Boney M became known through this genre.
Disco was a hugely influential genre, inspiring other music genres such as funk and soul to incorporate elements of it into their styles, while paving the way for EDM genres like techno and house. Additionally, artists from other genres began incorporating disco influences into their songs like Dolly Parton did with her 1979 hit “Baby I’m Burnin”.
As disco’s popularity rose, dance clubs saw increased demand. Dancing clubs quickly became socialization centers where people could relax and be themselves without conforming to societal norms or standards. Furthermore, disco gave birth to an entire subculture known as “club kids” which promoted hedonism and self-gratification through musical acts like Chic, Sister Sledge, the Village People and KC and the Sunshine Band whose music helped foster this subculture.
By the mid-1970s, disco’s popularity had decreased in America while it continued to gain ground across Europe. In particular, northern soul, which began in Britain’s northernwestern areas during the late 1960s and peaked at its height between 1974-1975, exposed Northern Soul fans to sounds emerging from New York City – prompting DJs to start experimenting with contemporary soul and funk mixes at nightclubs.
Electro
An essential innovation was the invention of magnetic tape, which allowed musicians to record sounds and edit them together, leading to musique concrete in the 1940s – an artform exploring sound as art through compositions composed from recorded natural and industrial noise. Halim El-Dabh from Egypt is widely recognized for creating one of the earliest known electronic tape music pieces ever composed, known as Leiyla and the Poet, released during 1959 – this series distinguished itself with seamless integration between electronic music and folk sounds as opposed to more mathematical approaches employed by composers such as Babbitt.
In the 1960s, an increase in synthesizer technology led to an explosion of electronic music experimentation among composers. Stockhausen’s Kontakte was an exemplary piece for chamber orchestra, violin and electronic sounds which disregarded traditional musical forms like linear progression and dramatic climax in favor of fragmented approaches inspired by early 20th-century cinema.
In the 1980s, electro-funk emerged as a musical genre that combined elements of hip hop with keyboard synthesizers and drum machines. This music can be traced back to European electronic artists such as Germany’s Kraftwerk and Britain’s Gary Numan who pioneered synthesizer use in pop songs.
Electro-funk draws upon influences from early funk records and rock music. Although rapping used to be popular within this genre, its use has decreased since the 1990s. A hallmark of electro-funk is distorted drums which create a signature aggressive sound.
Although much electronic dance music draws its origins from these influences, its own distinct identity has emerged through improvisation and sampling. This has resulted in a variety of styles across genres from house music in Chicago to trip hop as made popular by Massive Attack and Portishead; later being taken up by newer electro artists such as Skrillex, Zomboy and Datsik for stadium tours and festival appearances; in the same way new wave and progressive techno genres have been shaped by younger musicians as well.
Trance
Trance music is an electronic genre characterized by upbeat melodies and rhythmic beats designed to induce feelings of blissful euphoria. It often employs guitar or stringed instruments for added acoustic instruments while heavily relying on delay/reverb effects for its unique ambience.
Trance music utilizes synthesizers and other electronic instruments to produce its distinctive sound, with artists like Armin van Buuren often employing non-traditional instruments to add an additional depth and intensity to his tracks. Trance has its roots in Electronic Dance Music from the 1980s; manufacturers such as Roland were helping develop instruments capable of producing music without physically playing instruments live, while the music industry experienced an upsurge due to MIDI which allowed different pieces of hardware to communicate for the first time ever.
As synthesizers became more affordable and accessible, the music scene quickly adopted them – bands such as Pink Floyd quickly taking advantage of its capabilities. Later in the 1970s, dusseldorf band Kraftwerk created their signature sound that still influences modern electronic music through experimentation with ring modulators, Hammond organs, synthesisers, etc. to produce something strange but wonderful: their music.
In Europe during the 1990s, trance music became increasingly popular due to a combination of factors. MDMA became widely consumed, leading to warehouse parties filled with glowstick-waving dancers united under a belief in “PLUR” (Peace Love Unity Respect). Drug scares and police crackdowns on illegal gatherings had temporary chilling effects; nevertheless the scene continued its rise with internationally-acclaimed DJs like Tiesto and BT becoming internationally famous DJs.
The 1990s was an integral period for trance music, with several key artists honing their sound and producing some of its biggest tracks. Additionally, various subgenres of trance such as Progressive Trance, Tech Trance and Vocal Trance all emerging during this era. Now, however, trance continues to have an influence across multiple genres and has even made an appearance in mainstream pop songs; its iconic basslines and bright synths remain instantly recognisable across global dancefloors.