Rave-cultured
The primadonna of the night stage, taken away by the unstoppable beats and gloomy underground clubs. The rave culture has never been more widespread, more mass-cultured than ever before. Leaving behind its image full of dark corners and suspicious places, it's taking the lead in the modern nightlife scene. And as the new turnabout shows up, one can only slow down and take a smooth turn. But where the neon lights of the bumping stage start and where they lead remains unanswered.
Techno culture is quite a modern term; the essence of rave was born in the 1980s on the Chicago house music scene and Disco Movement groundwork. During that time, the supporters of techno/rave were seen by mainstream culture as outsiders. The history of techno music begins with the emergence of house music back in the early 1980s in Chicago as a variant of the disco music that was popular in the clubs at the time. The very first raves used to be illegal gatherings taking place in underground warehouses and other familiar locations. Only at the beginning of the 2000s did techno music evolve and became guarded by the so-called umbrella term - EDM (Electronic Dance Music).
Far away from its cultural and historic roots, one can find another side to rave culture - the darker side of the spectrum. It isn’t a secret that the history of rave is closely tied with psychoactive substances. The most widespread of them are MDMA, LSD, and ketamine. MDMA has been on the top list among ravers because it “makes them feel closer to those around them, heightening their sensory perceptions”. Usually, the main motive behind it is that drugs and music work together to foster the openness and energy that are the hallmarks of raves. What’s more important to mention is that not all ravers participate. There are also ravers who do not partake in drugs and are still included in the community and rave culture. For some ravers, the techno culture brings some spiritual essences, being almost religious to some extent. Many researchers have even explored the religiosity of raves, looking at the music and dancing as a ritual, the “shamanic” state of consciousness, and the DJ playing a role of “spiritual leader” for the crowd.
Moving away from spicy gossips, the techno culture as we see it today has undergone a bunch of transformations. Here, we are mainly talking about the commodification of rave culture and its “mass-culturing”. The shift of techno culture from illegal and hidden drug-filled gatherings into the mainstream club culture is indeed fascinating. Rave completed a long journey, diffusing somehow from its underground roots. Originally organized as an opposition to mainstream culture and an alternative to mass music, the majority of modern raves represent a severe metamorphosis of the classy raves. No longer an inferior, these days EDM and rave culture have taken over the scene and have become one of the world’s most popular genres.
Techno DJ and Vocalist SUKU/ via @sukubratz
As a result, we can easily spotlight the influence of techno on modern pop culture in many variations starting with fashion and ending with youth movements. The integration of house music into mainstream media products was almost seamless. The vast majority of modern pop singers use elements of EDM in their song production: Lady Gaga, The Weeknd, Madonna. The list can go on and on, but the idea is clear. The Brat Summer itself is nothing else but a requiem to the techno culture. Inspired by the techno traditions of her teen years, Charli XCX created the trendiest album of this year, which primarily relies on house music beats - and the selection indeed didn’t miss its target. Modern pop music production heavily relies on techniques pioneered by techno such as the use of drum machines, synthesizers, and one and only - sampling. These techniques have mainly reshaped the sound of contemporary pop, hip-hop, and R&B. Not to mention the rise of the genre which eventually led to the creation of some of the most worldwide known festivals like Tomorrowland and Ultra Music Festival.
One cannot leave behind the intersection of techno and streetwear which started the bloom of fashion brands catering outfits for both nightclubs and overcrowded concrete jungles. The utilitarian, functional styles that originated in the rave and techno scenes have become mainstream and resurrected as a godfather of trends such as oversized silhouettes, neon accents, and the use of technical fabrics.
The cinematography didn’t fall behind either. Let us remember the classics like The Matrix and Blade Runner, featuring techno sounds in their incredibly well-delivered and canonical soundtracks. Even the movies’ visuals resonate within techno culture, adding a bit of spice into the pieces.
Another more hidden aspect of rave culture is inclusivity within the community. EDM festival-goers come from a diverse background of ages, races, nationalities, and sexual orientations. But in rave culture, they are encouraged to be different and original. Rave is uniting people in a unique manner, an appealing cover of music unity.
Straight from hidden clubs and illegal gatherings into the mainstream scene and worldwide nightclubs - the techno journey was indeed a phenomenal one. Beginning as a protest to mainstream rules, techno ironically or maybe luckily partly became one. The impact of rave culture on modern pop tendencies is indeed multifaceted and sometimes even hidden. As techno continues to evolve, its legacy remains a driving force for the night scene and club life. And we have nothing left but to enjoy the movement to its fullest.
