Time Warp Is Throwing It Back To Technos Heydays
From Detroit to Budapest, every capital has its own style of techno, but no country embraces the genre like Germany. It's a relationship rooted in history, especially when the Berlin Wall fell in 1989 as West Germans struggled to dismantle the party after years of state repression. Inspired by Detroit's ongoing techno boom, the Germans wrote the rules for a rave: an empty warehouse, an energetic audience and, of course, crowd-pleasing DJs.
As a genre that usually falls under the umbrella of electronic music, the definition of techno - and what it means - has become rather vague over the years. Traveling music festival Time Warp aims to set the record straight by inviting an international audience to experience "authentic" German techno rave. In 1994, Time Warp first appeared at the Walzmühle factory in Mannheim, Germany, one of the largest factories in Europe. For the past three decades, Time Warp has been held in major cities around the world and has since hosted major artists such as Richie Hawtin, Laurent Garnier and Sven Watt.
Over the weekend, Time Warp traveled to New York for two nights of non-stop entertainment in Brooklyn, hosted in partnership with Teksupport. In a new interview, Time Warp US founder Robin Ebinger and co-founder Rob Tomo talk about what he calls the real "German rave," the New York scene and the rise of techno.
Mikhail Poselsky
Time Warp describes itself as "authentic German rave". What does this mean in terms of the actual participation experience? What can Rav expect from a Time Warp party?
Ebinger: People and media say that the first Time Warp festival is the most iconic techno festival in the world - a real rage that reflects the true spirit of the culture. In my opinion, what sets Time Warp apart is our natural connection to the dance floor and our close connection to the stage and the artists.
We approach each show with nervous excitement, letting our passion for music and commitment shine through. We also pay close attention to the details of the dance floors. This means we try to illuminate the entire room, not just the light and video on the steps. It is a symbiosis of light, video and sound. Participating in Time Warp is not just about enjoying great music, but also being part of a cultural event.
As a phenomenon that originates from Germany but travels around the world, how do you adapt the experience to the city and its techno culture?
Ebinger: Creating a Time Warp experience requires a thoughtful and flexible approach to different cities and their unique technocultures. The choice of local partners is also important. Here in New York, for example, the TechGaf team has become good friends.
Mikhail Poselsky
The final festival took place in a particular industrial warehouse in the Brooklyn Navy Yard. Aesthetically, what are we trying to create with this Time Warp experience? Can you explain the process of deciding on the venue and artist list?
Toma: In Mannheim and other iterations of the Time Warp, they usually have five levels, but it's hard to find places with high capacity in the United States. The support has always been active at the Brooklyn Navy Yard, but Time Warp placed it there because we could activate two adjacent buildings to create a tunnel and create a two-story experience.
This year we found a balance between pure techno in one room and more house and techno in the other. In addition to pure techno at both venues, we wanted to diversify the line-up to soften the techno house sound and include more house and techno favorites.
Ebinger: The choice of location adds another complication. It should be the place to embody our vision of production.
The program selection, meanwhile, is a collaboration that showcases Time Warp's talent and local market strengths. The process requires understanding which international shows will resonate with new audiences, while offering a platform to established local talent.
You've talked before about wanting to make Time Warp events "closer." How do you develop that feeling knowing that an event can attract up to 20,000 people?
Toma: Many festivals and large events are mainly based on illustration and our production takes up the entire hall. We create 360-degree experiences that don't focus on one scene. We also designed an audio system that distributes music at low volume through multiple speakers, evenly distributing the sound level.
Mikhail Poselsky
