Rave on: How techno music evolved during the pandemic

Dharam Saraviya aka Dreamstates has been playing cosmic dreamy house, breakbeat, and techno across the nation for eight years now. Deeply passionate about techno, the branding executive turned DJ is "constantly reading about and listening to it". During the initial days of the pandemic-induced lockdown, he performed this electronic music form over Zoom calls for 100 to 150 listeners. "A safe space was created where fans could enjoy the music they love and break away from their monotonous routine. But the minute the dance floors opened again, online gigs became a thing of the past. They are just not as much fun."

Indeed, dancing to techno is an immersive experience that reverberates through the body. When the pandemic halted in-person gigs, the experience was missed across the globe by fans and artists alike. While World Techno Day is observed every year on December 9, legions of followers worldwide will swear that no single day can do justice to their love for this style of music. Mid-Day.com spoke to artists, industry experts, and enthusiasts to delve into how the genre changed for fans and artists during the pandemic.

Based on its origins, techno actually serves as the ideal escape in our uncertain times. "Historically, techno music was born from the ruins," Saraviya shares. "The city of Detroit was undergoing a massive bankruptcy and came to an industrial halt. Talking about the early 80s and 90s when techno was gaining popularity, it has been the soundtrack of the cities that are facing some kind of industrial trouble, whether it's Detroit, Berlin, or Manchester. These cities which were going through loss became the home for techno as people needed something to seek solace in." The genre was the creative rebellion, an attempt to create positivity that enabled people to forget their worries on the dance floor, he adds. "Presently, a sense of loss is what dominates the global mood and the dance floor is what offers an escape, a chance to rejuvenate to tackle the world outside and return to our mundane lives."

Dharam Saraviya aka Dreamstates has been playing cosmic dreamy house, breakbeat, and techno across the nation for eight years now.Pic/Dharam Saraviya

Drawing a parallel to revenge travel (spike in travel owing to a prolonged halt in travel), the Mumbai-based DJ says that audiences and artists are both indulging in ‘revenge attendance' and ‘revenge bookings' respectively. "There is definitely a feeling of wanting to go all out as long as everyone is fully vaccinated. Earlier, people wanted to always get on a guest list because they took our music for granted but the year-long gap has made them more willing to spend on attending performances because they value the experience more."

He plans to maximise his calendar just in case there is another lockdown later. "I don't mind booking 12 to 15 shows a month because who knows what's coming next, everyone - the fans and the artists - want to maximise the opportunities they're given. Even if everything dries up in the months to come, we can rest assured knowing we did everything we could in the time it was possible."

Techno music has a reputation of being popular among party goers. When the pandemic halted our social lives, many were forced to transition from in-person experiences to digital. "I think the biggest part of in-person gigs is the energy you share with the artist, the crowd, and the company when you attend one. Consuming it digitally is great but definitely doesn't match the energy and vibe a physical gig has. It left me wishing I could listen to them in person," says the 27-year-old artist manager.

She turned to music heavily during the initial lockdown, "I reckon the only thing that kept me sane during the pandemic was music, so yes I did consume it considerably more than ordinary but it was a mix of multiple other genres. Luckily, many artists you didn't have physical access to were hosting online events which was a great experience and fairly different."

"For me as a DJ, the scene completely flipped. I tried making the best out of the situation by organising live sets online which people were free to join. Techno has shifted to people's homes, it has become a household experience because of the innovations in the genres by new artists and legacy artists adopting a new style," shares Mubeen.

The 33-year-old DJ has been playing house and techno primarily for the past eight years and emphasises how artists have changed the way they perform, "Over the past two years, we have seen a lot of online activity from DJs who would stick to gigging in the past. Before the twitch and YouTube license restrictions, there were a lot of video gigs on these platforms. Now there are sets released regularly on Soundcloud, Mixcloud, etc."

Indian cities get in the techno groove

Be it Bhopal or Mumbai, the popularity of techno is spreading. "No matter where I play, people are much more into techno. Mumbai is very gritty. The abandoned cotton mills or warehouses which have been converted into nightclubs lend a very authentic setting for this style of music," observes Saraviya.

Outlining the mood of the clubs across cities, he adds, "Whether it is Delhi, Chandigarh, Kolkata, or Pune, all of the clubs are trying to create a safe space for ravers in the sense that one isn't forced to wear a mask on the dance floor because they trust attendees have gotten fully vaccinated. To breathe and dance freely like this is a rarity now."

"The Mumbai scene has always been more welcoming to music and new genres that offshoot from your regular programming. Considering techno is a very large spectrum of sonic soundscapes, different genres have found their audience pools of people who genuinely just enjoy it," shares Bandra-resident Nayantara Kumar.

Offering an insider look into the techno scene in Bangalore, Sai, CEO of an artist management company called Slate, shares "The techno scene in Bangalore has truly come to the forefront over the last couple of years. The city has stayed true to its character of embracing new music with evolving times. Most encouraging aspect of techno music in Bangalore is the acceptance shown by younger crowds with each passing year. The music itself has managed to strike a chord last seen during the EDM era."

No wonder Mubeen continues to be optimistic about the future of techno in India, "Even during the pandemic, people who enjoyed going out in the past will continue to do so. And, with the popularity of the genre increasing, people will keep coming to gigs and bring their friends for them too."

The one place which continues to buzz with techno music has been Goa with its vibrant parties. Owing to restrictions around international travel, countless domestic tourists have turned up with an expectation of having a good time. "When the lockdown started, it seemed like the season was not going to kick off like every year. But, because of Indians who couldn't travel abroad, a denser crowd showed up," says Lowell Monteiro.

Lowell plays under the moniker DJ Amoux. Pic/Lowell Monteiro

A music enthusiast who got into music because of psy-trance music in Goa, he has been playing twilight, dark-psy, progressive house, and melodic techno genres for underground parties under the moniker DJ Amoux for over five years now. "The difference in the scene before the lockdown was that the main artists were mostly foreigners, but now even the big parties feature an all Indian line up. This has also given rise to small venues where they have strictly electronic music parties which helps in expanding the fan base."

"While techno music isn't new in India, the scene has truly picked up in the past three to four years making it a mass favourite," shares Goa resident and techno enthusiast Shikhar Vishnoi. Ten years ago, the shift happened from Bollywood to commercial English and pop music, and the same trend is now being seen from commercial English to techno and electronic music. The trend is rising in metros and tier II towns where popular joints host major techno gigs, even wedding cocktails are seeing a trend of techno after-parties for youngsters."

Vishnoi migrated to Goa during the pandemic and continues to work remotely, enjoying the gigs at Goa's happening venues, "The rising culture has given a platform to many techno artists to perform from small venues to mega events. People have truly embraced the groove of techno. I see people from all walks of life coming together on the dance floor with their arms in the air."

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