CLUSTER
TikTekno
by Pierluigi Fantozzi
Cluster esplora i nuovi sensi che si aggregano attorno a correnti musicali del passato e del presente, alle loro estetiche e pratiche. Come l’accordo dissonante da cui prende il nome, Cluster metterà in luce contrasti e accordi del rapporto tra suono e le comunità che si costruiscono attorno ad esso.
Do we really have to accept that the word “rave” is losing its connection to illegal parties? In Europe, “rave” is synonymous with “free party.” This is a uniquely European usage, as in English-speaking countries, the term refers to any kind of techno party. Until recently, this difference in meanings wasn’t much of an issue; today, however, “rave” on TikTok content refers to a lifestyle based on the English meaning of the term.
As of the time I’m writing this, the hashtag #rave has 15.5 million posts on Instagram and 3.1 million on TikTok: it’s almost impossible to find one that doesn’t take place in a club or at a festival. In recent years, social media has transformed techno from a niche phenomenon into a mass one, and the paradigms are all in those videos: codified, flashy, all-black aesthetics on conventionally attractive bodies with choreographed dance moves. Even the music follows a pattern: the moment right before the drop, spiced with melodic themes, often borrowed from pop songs, until a 4/4 bass drum kicks in for just a few seconds. This is a formula favored by the algorithm, which rewards videos that captivate users.
The speed with which techno culture has become a trendy phenomenon has caused dismay. We shouldn’t be shocked: the history of popular music is full of marginal cultures that became global, commercial genres. A year ago, many media outlets reported that Berlin’s club culture had been recognized as UNESCO intangible cultural heritage. Many were outraged: why protect Berlin and not the African-American context of Detroit, where techno was actually born? Too bad it was fake news that few bothered to debunk. The speed at which this news spread shows that we’re at the peak of techno’s trendiness. Now that social media has rewritten its codes and imagery, the question remains: are we witnessing the end of a story or the beginning of a new one?
LISTENING SELECTION
- Crema De la Soda — Piango al tecno | ‘Ciao, 2020!’ was a Russian TV special broadcast entirely in Italian (one could talk about it for hours...). ‘Piango al tecno’ is one of the most famous tracks from the programme. ‘I cry at the techno, you're not with me, water falls at the rave’.
- M¥SS KETA — MUSICA ELETTRONICA | M¥SS KETA is the character born in 2013 who, in the Italian pop scene, most embodies the world of clubbing.
- Whitemary — DENSO | Italian indie artist who draws heavily from the sounds of electronic music.
Pierluigi Fantozzi
Pierluigi Fantozzi, 1995, is a musician. He graduated from the National Academy of Jazz in Siena and obtained his master’s degree at the Conservatory of Bologna. A clarinet player, he has played in jazz ensembles, but has cultivated an interest in electronic music, also collaborating with Tempo Reale. Since 2023, he has been part of the Controradio team, for which he has conducted interviews with important figures on the international music scene. As a radio speaker, he leads his own programme ‘Passabanda’.
