Search - High Tech Soul: The Creation of Techno Music on DVD

Very well documented! Professional and definitely entertaini

M. Norton | Chicago, IL | 09/30/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"WOWOWOWOW! This movie shocked the heck outta' me. I expected a lame-attempt for filmmaking, and instead, was astounded--at just how good--it actually was. I really enjoyed it and hope to see another one from this rookie filmmaker. Did this come out to the theater? Wished it would have.....think it would have been awesome to see on the big screen, as well. Man, what an incredible film. I thoroughly enjoyed this. Definitely, not a resell. Even if you don't like techno music, you will still-love this film. Not only is it a documentary of Techno music; but it's also, a very tasteful documentary of Detroit and its' heritage. Great film!!"

An Afrocentric read on this work

Jeffery Mingo | Homewood, IL USA | 08/14/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Don't get me wrong. This documentary interviews whites and blacks. The black musical pioneers thank and credit white musicians like Kraftwerk and Depeche Mode. The work implies that techno is especially big in Berlin. (In fact, this DVD offer German subtitles, but no Spanish or French ones.) So it is multi-culti.
However, I think people interested in African-American cultural production will enjoy this. Soul music isn't usually guitar-heavy, yet Prince and Jimi Hendrix have scores of fans across races and are considered some of the world's greatest guitarists. I'm a Black person and I would think many of my peeps would dismiss techno as "too hard" and "not soulful." Therefore, it may surprise many that the genre's founders are Black. Many people praise rap because it originated from disenfranchised Blacks in the New York burroughs. Well, techno comes from Detroiters with the same sociological obstacles. One founder was wearing a T-shirt with a Benin mask and the Jamaican-inspired red, gold, and green colors.
In short, if whole multi-disc documentaries can be made about jazz and its African-American roots, then I think folk will appreciate learning how techno comes from a new generation of Black folk, often under the same conditions. Still, it's post-modern, in that it speaks of how music circulates so quickly. It concludes with the pioneers saying, "I never knew that music I made for Detroiters would influence younger musicians in Germany and Tokyo." Also, as a Chicagoan, I am pleased that these musicans credit Chicago and its house music."

I guess you had to be there

John Albert Beckwith | earf | 06/26/2008

(3 out of 5 stars)

"I think High Tech Soul would be a great film for those who were a part of the nascent House/Techno scene in Detroit. There are lengthy interviews with all of the key players that give great background on their relationships with eachother and how money and fame complicated things. The city of Detroit plays a large role here as well which should inspire a bit of pride and nostalgia for those who lived there at the time.

It was hard for me to appreciate much of the film because I had little prior knowledge of who these DJ's were and the music. I was expecting to learn a great deal more about how the music was actually made. There were some allusions to how the process of creating beats early one was complex and time consuming, but we never got to see it getting done. Frankly, for a film about a music genre, there was a lot more talking than music. But, like I said, if I was more familiar with House and Techno coming in to the film I would've better appreciated the talky parts.

If they reissue this, they should really think about including some reading material with the DVD to help provide some context for those who don't know much about the subject."