The terms “techno” and “house music” often conjure up images of a dark, sweaty nightclub in Miami or Berlin, or maybe even of Ushuaia in Ibiza (a house music hot spot). But the reality of this genre is much more versatile and multifaceted than many think.
The range of creativity that can be had with house music is truly unlimited, as DJs are free to add their own spin on existing songs to create a new version, sample a vast range of different audios or even produce their own music from scratch. The techno community is constantly building on each other’s work and evolving, providing no shortage of new music with innovative new sounds, rhythms and beat patterns.
Even within the overarching genre of techno/house, there are so many subgenres of music. There’s chill, more lo-fi techno that consists solely of beats, but there are also tracks more suited to a night out that feature high-energy beats and catchy tracks. There’s truly a niche for every person with techno.
The music itself is addictive, filled with repetitive beats and tracks that stick in your head. The music can almost put you into a trance of sorts, turning a boring walk to class into a mini rave.
Techno also allows for a much larger community to be involved in the creation of music. Anyone can mix their own tracks. Just look at John Summit, one of the biggest names in techno music right now. He got his start DJing at bars and fraternity parties in college while teaching himself how to use the DJ equipment by watching tutorials on YouTube.
Or take Tiesto, one of the biggest DJs in the world. He started DJing school parties at 14. It’s truly a community that is brought together by an appreciation for music of all genres, and the creativity of constantly producing new remixes and sampling all types of music.
In addition to the versatility and community of techno, the music itself is also conducive to peak brain function. The rhythm and repetition that are hallmarks of most techno music actually mirror the repetitive circuitry in the brain. While that may sound a bit technical, just think of how the brain constantly sends electrical signals to convey messages. Techno is constantly sending out waves as well, except in the form of beats.
In this way, house music is often effective in deepening concentration and supporting memory, making it great to listen to while studying or working away in the library.
While listening to music in general releases dopamine, or the “happy” chemical released in our brains, house music specifically helps trigger a dopamine reward system, in which the “beat drop” that is commonly seen in techno songs results in a release of dopamine. This all has to do with the buildup and anticipation of this “drop”, followed by the climax of that beat, and the subsequent release of dopamine that in turn makes us feel happy.
In addition, the varying tempos of house music can be matched to a wide range of physical activity, meaning that house music can be the soundtrack to every part of life. Most house music has a speed of around 120-130 BPM (beats per minute), which has been shown to produce greater feelings of happiness and joy. This has a lot to do with our respiratory (breathing) and cardiovascular (heart) systems, which respond to the tempo of music and stimulate the sympathetic nervous system accordingly.
In simpler terms, music with a faster speed, or greater beats per minute, speeds up heart and breathing rate, which in turn helps us feel more energized because of the increased blood and oxygen flow, and in turn helps us to feel happier.
So, while techno might make us feel happy mentally because of the fun songs, it also can help us feel better physically due to the tangible effects that listening has on our bodies.
The world of techno and house music can feel daunting at first, especially when you’re new to the genre. While you can’t go wrong with any artist, here are a few songs to help start your journey into the world of techno and all it has to offer. Some fall more into the pop realm of house music, while others are more of the nightclub techno style. There’s a variety of all types of techno on this list so you can get a feel for the array of styles the genre has to offer.
Songs to Try:
- “ItsNotREEAALLLLLLLL” by Fred again..
- “Love Can’t Turn Around” by Pete Tong, Riton, Vula, Jules Buckley, The Heritage Orchestra
- “In the Yuma” by Chris Lake, featuring Aatig
- “Sippin’ Yak” by Cloonee
- “Move Your Body” by Marshall Jefferson, Solardo
- “Relax My Eyes” by ANOTR, Abel Balder
- “Shiver” by John Summit, Hayla
- “Delilah (pull me out of this)” by Fred again..
- “Head & Heart” by Joel Corry, featuring MNEK
- “In the City” by Charli XCX, Sam Smith
- “Desire (KC Lights Remix)” by Calvin Harris, Sam Smith, KC Lights
- “Baby again..” by Fred again..
- “BEATS FOR THE UNDERGROUND” by Mau P
- “La leçon particulière” by Lavern, Francis Lai
- “You” by Dom Dolla
- “Lost” by RSCL, it’s murph, Twin Diplomacy, Jack August
- “We Could Be Love” by Hayden James, AR/CO
- “Can’t Do Without You” by Caribou
- “If U Need It” by Sammy Virji
- “t.t.t.” by Ranger Trueco