History
Lo-fi techno is rough, hardware-made techno with a deliberately dull or noisy sound s1. It uses cheap drum machines, old synthesizers and tape or low-quality recording s1. The low quality is part of the style, not a mistake s1. In the early 1990s, producers in The Hague released this kind of music on the label Bunker s2. Unit Moebius and Legowelt were among the well-known names s2. The sound was raw and simple, close to acid and electro s2. In the 2010s a new group of producers returned to this rough style s3. Skee Mask and the label Ilian Tape are examples s3. The music often has a warm, dusty and slightly broken feel s1. Some tracks also use breakbeats and ambient textures s3. Lo-fi techno is not a fixed scene s1. The name describes a way of producing and mixing more than one exact sound s1.
Sound
- A muffled, low-fidelity mix
- Warm, dusty drum machines
- Simple, rough melodies
- Tape or noise textures
- A raw, unpolished feel
Key figures
- Unit Moebius — Dutch act central to the Bunker lo-fi sound
- Legowelt — Dutch producer with a raw, hardware sound
- Skee Mask — Producer linked to the 2010s lo-fi and breakbeat techno revival
- Danny Wolfers — Another name used by Legowelt
Labels
- Bunker Records — The Hague , 1992
- Ilian Tape — Munich , 2007
- Cocoon Recordings — Frankfurt , 2000
Defining tracks
Connections
Came from: Detroit Techno , Acid House , Electro
Sources
- Lo-fi music — Wikipedia
- What is Raw & Hypnotic Techno? — sinee.de
- Raw Techno — Melodigging