ABSTRACT

The press was quick to herald arrival of a new “techno” or “electronica” movement, one that in the wake of alternative rock’s decline might prove to be ‘the next big thing’, when British electronic dance music (EDM) groups like the Chemical Brothers and Underworld began attracting attention in America throughout 1996 and 1997. EDM, however, would eventually enjoy a resurgence in the early 2010s, this time fueled by the popularization of styles like dubstep. For all anticipation, many questioned whether EDM, with its lengthy, primarily instrumental song forms and relatively anonymous DJs, could succeed with American rock audiences. Thus, it is unsurprising that Newsweek’s “Electronic Eden” feature begins by focusing not on the music or its makers, but on the more immediately arresting images of techno’s young fans and their vibrant, drug-fueled nightlife scene. Techno isn’t really new: it’s been brewing in America for four or five years in underground dives, warehouse parties, big-city discos and all-night outdoor raves.