From cats to buckets to wine glasses: this band shows you how to make techno music without computers
German based Klangphonics takes the tech out of techno. Mostly.
Image: Klangphonics via YouTube
Does the thought of making music without a computer scare you? How about making techno music without one? German trio Klangphonics and their unconventional approach to techno music-making is a reminder that some things are more interesting when done the ‘hard’ way.
Derived from the word ‘technology’, techno is typically produced using electronic instruments like synthesizers, sequencers, drum samplers or actual instruments that are processed in a digital audio program.
Instead of letting machines do the heavy lifting, the members of Klangphonics take a lot of the technology out of techno, often replacing it with good ol’ acoustic instruments and a myriad of household items with more conventional day jobs, to say the least.
The band’s YouTube channel includes live sessions and videos that feature the use of buckets, air compressors and wine glasses. One even involved an important member of the family – the cat – and its masterful meows and hisses.
Without watching the videos, most listeners likely wouldn’t assume that Klangphonics’ music was made without a computer, considering how close they sound to a typical EDM track. Klangphonics’ website explains the band’s thought process and approach to their music: “By using a combination of acoustic instruments and electronic elements, they bridge the gap between producer and live band. This results in a very natural, organic sound, whilst still retaining the energy associated with deep house and melodic techno.”
“[A] performance that works as well in a club as it does in concert,” in essence.
