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From Düsseldorf to Detroit: the machine learns to dance

Between Kraftwerk's Autobahn in 1974 and the 1988 British compilation that fixed the word techno, electronic music travelled from a private studio in Düsseldorf to a Bronx DJ's record, its keyboards played by hand in a New York studio, and to a late-night radio show in Detroit. This essay follows that route through the records, the studios and the people who carried it.

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Two analogue synthesizers and a drum machine in an industrial room.
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English summary. The full article, with every detail and quote, is published in Portuguese. Read the full article in Portuguese →

Sources

  1. Florian Schneider, Kraftwerk co-founder, dies aged 73 — The Guardian. Accessed 30 September 2026.
  2. Kling Klang Studio — Wikipedia. Accessed 30 September 2026.
  3. Autobahn (album) — Wikipedia. Accessed 30 September 2026.
  4. A music professor breaks down the theory behind Kraftwerk's Autobahn — MusicRadar. Accessed 30 September 2026.
  5. Computer World — Wikipedia. Accessed 30 September 2026.
  6. Classic Tracks: Afrika Bambaataa & The Soulsonic Force 'Planet Rock' — Sound On Sound. Accessed 30 September 2026.
  7. Afrika Bambaataa, hip-hop and electro pioneer, dead at 68 — NPR. Accessed 30 September 2026.
  8. Controversial US hip-hop pioneer Afrika Bambaataa dies aged 68 — Euronews. Accessed 30 September 2026.
  9. FAC 93 New Order: Confusion — Factory Records (catalogue archive). Accessed 30 September 2026.
  10. A Spin on Frequency: A History of Dance Music Radio in Detroit — Red Bull Music Academy Daily. Accessed 30 September 2026.
  11. The Electrifying Mojo — Wikipedia. Accessed 30 September 2026.
  12. History of Detroit Techno — Timeline of African American Music — Carnegie Hall. Accessed 30 September 2026.
  13. Atkins, Juan — Encyclopedia of Detroit — Detroit Historical Society. Accessed 30 September 2026.
  14. Celebrating the 40th anniversary of Cybotron's foundational techno classic Enter with a deluxe digital reissue — Craft Recordings (Fantasy Records catalogue). Accessed 30 September 2026.
  15. Enter (Cybotron album) — Wikipedia. Accessed 30 September 2026.
  16. Interview: Neil Rushton — Red Bull Music Academy Daily. Accessed 30 September 2026.
  17. Techno! The New Dance Sound of Detroit — Wikipedia. Accessed 30 September 2026.

Written with AI assistance. Facts were checked source by source; the text had no human review: publication was authorised by the magazine's owner on 1 October 2026 (decision log, 2026-10-01T00:39:14-03:00).

Spotted an error? Write to contatopuressencia@gmail.com.

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