Work performed includes a comprehensive literature review of research on electronic music production, electronic music analysis, rhythm in electronic dance music, and tempo modulation in popular music. The project yielded an analytical research framework for techno production structured in three categories: sounds, tracks, and kicks. These categories emerged through a grounded theory analysis of video content created by 24 professional techno producers for commercial online platforms such as Aulart, Echio, Home of Sound, and Seedj. Video courses were analysed by 24 different techno producers: Alarico & No.Name Alex Wilcox, Anetha, Anfisa Letyago, Arthur Robert, Blawan, Carl Craig, Chlär, Claudio PRC, D.Dan Âme, Hadone, Hannes Bieger, Joe Farr, Luke Slater, Manni Dee, Quelza, Regal, Rrose, Setaoc Mass, Stiv Hey, Temudo, and Vil & Cravo. The study further integrates an ethnographic component, whereby the author conducted interviews with professional techno artists Chris Liebing and DVS1 about their approaches to production and compared the responses to data collected from video analysis. The resultant techno production framework reveals a hierarchy of categories: sounds as a primary concern, tracks as form, and kick drums a key sonic feature. Techno production, reflecting techno music, is shown to be predicated on the repetition and iteration of idiomatic sounds, structures, and processes. Extended temporality is found to be effective in techno production and performance in the form of pivot mixing, a specific application of tempo modulation, and prime rhythm, a specific application of tuplets. A mixed-methods approach developed further understanding through inclusion of autoethnographic and practice-based components, whereby the author incorporated techniques acquired from the professional techno producer content and academic literature into his own productions. Practice-based outputs include the production of six extended plays (EPs) — EP1, EP2, EP3, Primal Extensions, Prime Funktion, and Sunday Summer. These EPs are released or scheduled for release through NovaMute, the techno sub-label of Mute Records, across 2024 and 2025. These records incorporate the findings on techno production from the previous stages of the project as well as findings on extended temporality. Findings on extended temporality are exploited in the form of Every Div, a hardware instrument prototype created in collaboration with dadamachines and Every Something and planned for release in 2025. A series of widely seen videos published on social media disseminates the project findings on extended temporality. Finally, three articles were produced, one scheduled for publication in the Cambridge Companion to Eletronic Dance Music and another two currently under peer review.
