We are not looking at which iteration progresses the quickest or furthest, but which holds the most promise.
A recording from the Teknoville party — one of the early rave events in Belgium, hosted by national radio Studio Brussels at the Cherrymoon club.
Instruments
The main instrument in this performance is the Akai VX600 — a synth with a brutal, aggressive filter, notorious for being difficult to control and occasionally drifting out of tune for no apparent reason. The bassline is a Casio CZ1000, particularly well-suited to that style of bass — a sound that would later become known as the "Reese Bass."
Influence
We were chasing the "Trance" sound — a sub-genre that emerged from the early techno scene. Listening back, you can clearly hear the influence of tracks like "What Time Is Love?" and "Kylie Said to Jason" by The KLF — who were, to my knowledge, the first to coin the term "Trance" on a record sleeve.
Nobody knew yet whether trance would become a genre or just a passing moment. We kept going anyway — not because we knew where it was heading, but because the direction felt right.
Tools
- Akai VX600
- Casio CZ1000
- Yamaha SY55
- Roland TR-808