[Column] German techno and the pandemic in the 2020s: Cultural transformation brought about by lockdown and revitalization
Column en Berlin Germany Techno![[Column] German techno and the pandemic in the 2020s: Cultural transformation brought about by lockdown and revitalization](/../assets/images/column-2020s-german-techno-pandemic.webp)
Pandemic: A true history of everything from lockdown to reopening to redefining music
| Text: mmr | Theme: How German techno has changed in the 2020s, what has been lost, and what has been gained |
German techno in the 2020s experienced a dramatic seismic shift centered on the COVID-19 pandemic (2020–2022). Clubs were completely shut down by the government, and the entire scene was fundamentally shaken, including tourism, economy, culture, music production, and social values.
Germany is one of the countries in the world where the “institutionalization of club culture” is the most advanced, and clubs are treated politically as cultural facilities and are even on the agenda of urban policy. Therefore, the changes in the 2020s are not just changes in music genres, but are also largely recorded in research on cultural policy, urban planning, tourism economy, and subculture in German society.
Chapter 1: The Eve of the Pandemic (~March 2020)
● Berlin had established itself as the world’s “techno capital”
Before March 2020, Berlin stood out from other cities worldwide.
- Long rave every weekend
- International pilgrimage sites such as Berghain, Tresor, About Blank, and Watergate
- Tourists are concentrated not only from within the EU but also from South America and Asia
- According to tourism statistics, clubs were treated as an area with extremely large economic effects.
During this period, Berlin”s clubs were the core of the city”s brand, and it was also notable that the city officially announced a club support policy. In terms of cultural policy, clubs are somewhat protected by the city’s cultural support budget, as they are similar to theaters and galleries.
● Musically, there were signs of speeding up.
In 2018–2019, the following trends were already emerging:
- Return of fast techno at 135-145 BPM
- Creating industrial-oriented sounds
- Re-evaluation of EBM/Rave/Trance
- More hard trance citations
but- **It was not as great as the “explosive speed increase” that will occur after 2022. **
This “sign of speeding up” was abruptly interrupted by the pandemic.
Chapter 2: March 2020–First-ever “nationwide club lockdown”
● Clubs across Germany ordered to close
In March 2020, the German government announced the following as an infection control measure: Announced complete closure of clubs, bars and leisure facilities.
This was a legal action and all clubs were immediately closed. More than 300 clubs in Berlin alone went silent, For the first time in its history, the world-famous techno city experienced a “complete standstill.”
Impact:
- All clubs closed (March 2020 to early 2021)
- All closed including Berghain and Tresor
- Income from club tourism is reduced to zero
- Occupations such as DJs, staff, lighting, and sound workers have lost income.
- Government support with “Kurzarbeitegeld” (short-time working allowance)
Statistics and media reports confirm that tens of thousands of workers who rely on clubs as a source of income have been affected.
Chapter 3: Online era and “United We Stream” (2020–2021)
The pandemic has pushed club culture online.
● Launch of “United We Stream”
Clubcommission Berlin and Arte Concert in Berlin. In March 2020, we launched United We Stream, the world’s first large-scale online club support project.
Important factual points:
- Broadcast without an audience from a Berlin club
- Use donations to maintain the club
- Watched by millions of people
- Similar models spread to cities around the world
Going online has shaken up the stereotype that clubs are a culture that takes place in a physical space. It proved that club culture can also function as a digital medium.
● Music becomes introverted due to DJ sets without an audience
Since there is no floor, DJ sets have shifted to the following trends:
- BPM decreases
- Increased ambient half tempo
- More IDM/experimental music
- Song selection with consideration for visual appeal
The early days of the pandemic were also a time when music changed into something more ““something you listen to at home” and ““something you experience through a screen.”
Chapter 4: The “acoustics” of techno will change (2020-2021)
● 1) Increase in introspective and experimental techno
Since there is no place to DJ, the demand for ““music that makes people dance’’ has disappeared for artists. Therefore, EP/album production will proceed in the following direction:
- Ambient Techno
- Downtempo -IDM
- Noise Drone
- Breakbeats/Electro
In fact, the works released in 2020–2021 are more for listening than for club peaks.
● 2) High-speed techno is rising through SNS
An interesting reversal also occurred.
Although the clubs were closed, high-speed techno (150-160 BPM) started to go viral on social media.
The reason is as follows:
- Fast beats look great in short videos
- It is easier to create a “flashy excitement” when streaming without an audience.
- Young people use TikTok to simulate club culture
In other words, “Physical clubs are closed, but high-speed techno is spreading on the internet” This strange phenomenon has progressed in 2020–2021.
Chapter 5: Club crisis and institutional transformation (2020–2022)
● Clubs will be legally upgraded to “cultural facilities” (2021)
In 2021, the German Bundestag took a historic decision.
Legally protect clubs as “cultural institutions”
This is in fact a major turning point. Until then, clubs were treated as a nightlife industry. In terms of city planning, it was treated as a ““existence that causes noise problems.’’
However, due to the decision in 2021,
- Same “cultural facility” category as theaters and concert halls
- Increased protection in development plans
- Tax benefits
- subject to public policy
Due to the pandemic crisis, The club was institutionally recognized as a ““cultural asset.’’
● Berghain”s closure and “turning into a gallery”
During its long-term closure, Berghain opened its interior to the public as a gallery space, “Studio Berlin.” It attracted attention as an example of a techno club being treated like a museum.
● Long-established stores such as Tresor are also severely affected.
Clubs such as Tresor, Watergate and ://about blank lost their gate revenue. We tried to maintain it through government support, donations, and online projects.
Chapter 6: Resuming in 2022 - Explosion of high-speed techno
● After restarting, BPM suddenly increased
Clubs will reopen across Germany in 2022. From here on, the music changes drastically.
Features after restart:
- 150-170 BPM is common
- Stronger trance elements
- 90’s rave style tone is back
- Industrial x transformer hybrid is established
- “High-speed 4-stroke” has become mainstream worldwide
The aesthetics of high-speed techno that emerged on social media during the pandemic It’s like the sound of the actual club has been overwritten.
● Visits from young people will increase explosively
In 2022–2023, the number of young tourists, especially from the EU, increased. The reasons for this are said to be a “feeling of freedom” after the pandemic and the visualization of club culture through social media.
Weekend events in Berlin Parties lasting 30-40 hours straight have become more common.
● High-speed techno is expanding in surrounding cities
- Frankfurt: Increase in hard events
- Leipzig: IfZ attracts high-speed techno customers
- Hamburg: The rise of young DJs at PAL
- Dresden: local rave is back
Techno from 2022 to 2024 has been completely updated to the “post-pandemic generation aesthetic.”
Chapter 7: Cultural policy and urban issues in Berlin in the 2020s
● 1) Gentrification and club survival issues
In Berlin, club locations have been under threat due to urban redevelopment. Post-pandemic, clubs are increasingly on the urban policy agenda.
The idea that clubs should be protected as cultural assets is gaining ground.
● 2) The vulnerability of tourism dependence is exposed
The pandemic has wiped out international tourism; Berlin has exposed the fragility of its urban structure, which has become too dependent on tourism.
Since then, the city has begun to strengthen cultural measures for local residents.
● 3) Digitization and archiving are progressing
In the wake of the pandemic, the club’s historical materials, videos, and audio sources have been made available online. From 2023 onwards, archive projects will be supported as part of cultural policy.
Chapter 8: Changes in production technology and sound creation
● 1) Home production becoming the norm
During the lockdown period, artists have had more time to create. the result:
- Acceleration of DAW-based production
- Migration from hardware to software
- Increase in self-distribution on Bandcamp, etc.
● 2) Changes in acoustic trends
Before and after the pandemic, sound production changed as follows:
2020–2021:
- Drone
- Ambient sounds recorded at home
- Narration/Poetry
- Increased field recording
2022–2024:
- 150–170 BPM
- Emphasizes the feeling of digital clipping
- Distortion extended to ultra-high range
- 90s trance chord work
In other words, The cycle of silence → explosion occurred in just a few years.
Chapter 9: 2020s German Techno Chronology
Chapter 10: Future predictions after 2025
● 1) Will speed increases continue?
As of 2024, 150-170 BPM will be the mainstream. It is unclear whether this will continue, but it may continue due to the following factors:
- Visual presentation on SNS goes well with high-speed music
- Younger aesthetics prefer “high information density”
- The international market for hard techno is expanding
● 2) The club will be protected as a cultural resource of the city.
Germany has already institutionalized clubs as “cultural facilities,” so It is predicted that protection policies will become more advanced from 2025 onwards.
● 3) Rise of regional cities
Young players’ scenes are thriving after the pandemic in places like Leipzig, Dresden, and Hamburg. In the second half of the 2020s, there is a high possibility that the concentration of electricity in Berlin will ease.
Conclusion: The pandemic “destroyed” and “remade” German techno
German techno in the 2020s was completely different before and after the pandemic.
- Club culture has been institutionally upgraded
- Music is faster and a new generation has arrived
- Online culture has expanded the boundaries of clubs
- Berlin is once again an international rave city
The pandemic has brought destruction, but it has also caused a “redefinition of culture”. German techno in the late 2020s has become a more diverse, international, and faster-paced culture than before.
This change will likely be recorded as the “2020s = era of discontinuity” in the future history of electronic music.
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