High Tech Soul DVD

High Tech Soul tells story of Detroit techno

by Randomseed; Stephanie Collier

on 06/08/2008

April 25, 2007 —

Director / Writer / Producer – Gary Berdow

Release date: 9/06

Techno.

From its birth in run-down factories in one of America’s most decayed cities, High Tech Soul: The Creation of Techno Music explores this raw music rooted in Detroit and its growth into a current worldwide phenomenon.

A self-narrating journey as told by the founding players who brought the genre to life in a lifeless city, the DVD proves why techno and Detroit are synonymous.

In telling the story of the beginnings of Detroit techno music, the film provides an in-depth look into the social, economic and cultural roots behind the city’s recent history.
It explains why this unique mixture cultivated an environment in which the genre thrived.
By exposing these underpinnings, the film puts a strong effort to understanding the evolution of soul from its early incarnations into High Tech Soul music.

The story is told through extremely candid interviews of an all-star lineup of artists including the founders of the sound Juan Atkins, Derrick May and Kevin Saunderson.
With Richie Hawtin, John Acquaviva, Eddie Fowlkes, Scan 7, Electrifying Mojo, Stacey Pullen, Blake Baxter and others who took the sound to new levels, the documentary lets the history of techno unravel itself through their personal and professional stories.

The 64-minute film was recently on tour throughout the U.S. with stops in L.A., Chicago, New York, Cleveland, Denver and other major metropolitan cities courtesy of writer /director Gary Bredow. It’s all set to a driving soundtrack including Juan Atkins, Plastikman, Aux 88, Inner City and more and delivers a rich perspective on how a thing called techno came to be and how others would build on its foundation to shape future music.