Black To Detroit, reclaiming Techno

In the light of what’s going on right now, Twitter has been full of conversations about systemic racism in the music industry. In particularly in Electronic music, where Techno, House, Dubstep, DnB etc are not even considered black art forms, yet it’s Black creators are at the core of its foundations. Black people and Black culture has given so much to our contemporary world, yet how has it become so whitewashed that so many no longer even consider it a space for them?

I’ve watched more than a few documentaries about Techno and its Detroit roots, but Black To Techno takes it a little deeper into the roots of its creation. Focusing on how Techno could have only been birthed by Black Americans living in Detroit at that time, it touches light on the influence of its legendary automotive industry, the great migration to the North and the Black American church.

Although it’s not a straight up conveniently documentary, the short film takes a more abstract route by being poetic in its nature. For example, suggesting ideas like “they put souls into the machines and that’s what created techno today” and how “the structured rhythms of techno is a reflection of city’s street design”.

Is it a coincidence that such an industrialised city birthed an industrialised sound?

Maybe because of its industrialised sonics, that it soon found itself in the hearts of creative communities in much of post-European totalitarianism?

Btw if this has interested you, definitely also check out the interview Mixmag did with AceMomo. They go all in, in regards to reclaiming the Black identity in Techno. https://mixmag.net/feature/acemoma-impact-mix