# The birthplace of techno

By [Brandon Donnelly](https://brandondonnelly.com) · 2016-05-16

chicago, chicago-house, cities, derrick-may, detroit, detroit-techno, electronic-music, future, high-tech, house-music, juan-atkins, kevin-saunderson, machines, movement, music-festival, post-industrial, techno, techno-music, uncategorized, urbanism, video

---

Detroit has been called the birthplace of techno. Beginning in the early 1980s – when the city was well in decline – the [Detroit techno](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Detroit_techno) sound started to emerge, thanks to musicians such as Juan Atkins, Derrick May, and Kevin Saunderson. 

Chicago had house music. And Detroit had techno music – among, of course, many other musical genres. But what I find fascinating about Detroit techno, in particular, was how it really reflected the ethos of post-industrial Detroit. It was high-tech. It was about machines. And it was obsessed with the future.

Below is a clip from a 1996 French documentary called Universal Techno. Even if you’re not into electronic music, I think you should _at least_ watch the segment starting at 1:40. I love how Derrick May talks about Detroit, and what should be this balance between the past and the future. It really reflects my own views on city building.

\[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RSX\_r0u3uzE?rel=0&w=420&h=315\]

If you can’t see the video, [click here](https://youtu.be/RSX_r0u3uzE?t=1m40s).

I’m thinking about Detroit and its music because I’m headed there during Memorial Day weekend for the annual [Movement Electronic Music Festival](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Detroit_Electronic_Music_Festival). It has been about 2 years since I was last in Detroit and so I’m excited to see the city in full swing.

---

*Originally published on [Brandon Donnelly](https://brandondonnelly.com/the-birthplace-of-techno)*