Glamcult Radical Tracks: A Plethora of Acid Techno

As the tides of spring wade in, we drift a couple of steps closer to the beginning of rave season. And what better excuse is there to make this month’s playlist inspired by the ultimate, original sound of rave culture in Europe; the iconic 303 synth of acid techno?

Originating from Chicago’s acid house, acid techno combines the 303 synthesiser with hard-hitting undercurrents of rhythm from classic techno to create a cutting-edge, high-octane, propelling sound that is perfect for relentless, hypnotic dance sessions. The pounding, reverberating frequencies of acid techno lie parallel to the genre’s foundations in anarchy and rebellion, as much of its evolution took place in underground illegal raves predominantly in London. But, also in free parties and squats around Eastern and Western Europe. The looping sound design of acid techno stays true to its counter-culture roots, giving a sense of resistance to the mundanity of corporate life as, by contrast, it embraces the notion of perpetual liberation and release. 

This playlist is ordered consecutively by date, beginning with ‘F.U.2’ (1990) a release from the early pioneer of the scene, the UK-based Richie Hawtin, who went by a number of aliases such as Plastikman and F.U.S.E.

As we move through the tracks, the influential label Stay Up Forever features twice. Founded in 1993 on anti-establishment ethics, the label pushed back against the conservative UK government who moved to illegalise raves in 1994. Iconically, the founders of the label were involved in organising the largest-ever free party in the UK: the 1992 Castlemorton Common Festival had 20,000-40,000 attendees and lasted a week.

As technologies advance into the 2000s, ‘Body Talk’ (2005) shows how the sound of acid techno has the capacity to become more clean and more refined. Later moving into the 2010’s, we see how the boundaries of the genre are pushed and how it subsequently flourishes. More aphotic club room sounds are seen in ‘Acid Derriere’ (2017), 4×4 slap breaks with ‘Robotnik’ (2018) and proggy undercurrents with ‘Invisible Lines’ (2019).

Overall, we wish you a pleasant ride down the alley of smileys and never-to-be-forgotten icons. Check out the playlist, follow us on Spotify to stay updated, but most importantly… happy rave season, we hope to see you everywhere!