Farley Leads Black Techno Matters In A Reclamation Of Electronic Music For Black Creative Expression
"I think I was sent to this earth to be a party booster. The person in the room who lights up the energy and makes everyone want to be there. I also like to think outside the box and I like to make music and art that shows people new ways of seeing or acting. I see the foundations of Black Techno Matters A milestone in my career and a combination of both.
These words belong to Bernard Farley, a multidisciplinary artist whose work is based on the celebration of black artistic expression. Washington, DC-based Bernard's journey from a music-filled childhood to work as one of the innovators of the techno genre tells a story of perseverance, self-belief and the strength of community.
Bernard's familiarity with sound began in his youth with tape and rhythm recordings. “In the ninth grade, I had fun making transmitters, distortions and simple channel mixing effects on my sister's old karaoke machine,” he says. “When my family finally got their first computer, I had a demo of Beat2000, a loop-based music-making program that had all kinds of funk house, techno, drum and bass, and rave loops. I ended up getting into modular music software like Audiomulch and DAWs like Ableton Live. Now I record exclusively with drum machines and synths like the Roland TR-8."
Music featured prominently in his childhood, instilling in him an understanding of different styles. "My mom listened to disco all the time," says Bernard. "He had such a beautiful voice, he sang all the time around the house and composed songs on the fly. I was also a great dancer, which is where my dancing genes come from. I've acquired music from artists like Sylvester and labels. like MFSB and Salsal Records When I was in elementary school, I lived in Queens, New York, and my mom would bring home mixes recorded by young DJs she hung out with.
Bernard's father was a jazz musician and multi-instrumentalist who played several instruments including guitar, saxophone and keyboard and loved artists such as Sade, Anita Baker and Prince. "I improvised on jazz instruments and recorded straight to tape. My father was strict as a board: he tried to teach me how to play the guitar, but it didn't work. I think I like learning things on my own, including playing and writing."
Bernard grew up obsessed with Michael Jackson and was one of those kids who memorized all the choreography for his music videos. In high school, he was exposed to artists such as Daft Punk, Chemical Brothers, and Apex Twin through local radio in Middletown, New Jersey, and in high school, he got into techno and was exposed to the music of Jeff Mills, Richie. Hawtin and abstract folk music. . Like Otechr. .
“I went to Virginia Tech and did a show on their college radio station. I burned hundreds of CDs on my computer playing live music and it really opened my taste to all kinds of artists, including Steve Rich, Philip Glass and John Cage. In college I became a huge Björk fan and learned to sing his songs 'Homogenic' and 'Vespertine' over and over.
Techno Recycling
Driven by the need for a platform to promote black artistry in techno music, Bernard founded Black Techno Matters, a collective with a mission to reclaim techno as an expression of black self-expression. The collective creates online and in-person spaces that celebrate the black origins of techno, champion the creators of the genre, and provide space for young creators to find their voices as artists.
“I started Black Techno Matters in October 2019 after doing a Google search for black techno artists and being disappointed with the search results. There were a few sites that mentioned pioneers like the Bellville Three and Jeff Mills, but I didn't see a list of techno artists, especially in this day and age. I was particularly struck by this, because techno is black! After an hour of searching the Internet, I was able to fill a notebook with the names of black artists."
"I came up with the phrase 'Black Techno Matters' and threw a party in Washington DC that was all black artists," Bernard continued. “Some people who came to the show thanked me for creating this space, and that's when I realized there was a real need to highlight artists of color and physically bring them together in a space. Since then, Black Techno Matters has evolved into a collective that hosts events, playlists, mixtapes, music releases, and other resources that highlight and celebrate hundreds of black artists from around the world.
A personal retelling of the techno genre and a celebration of black music, Bernard's music has taken on many personalities over the years. “I've recorded several electronic music albums as a solo artist, from downtempo to techno to indie dance as an outlet. I also recorded some ambient albums like Smoke and Tea with my good friend and musical partner Patrick Blinkhorn. I have a new album coming out in March called "Hell0" and I think it really sets the stage for the music portals I want to open like B_X_R_N_X_R_D. Bernard will release his new techno album through his persona B_X_R_N_X_R_D Black. The label is relevant musically as well as on streaming platforms and Bandcamp.
Bernard's determination to celebrate her existence as an artist of color and the history of black art is the driving force behind her work, both personally and in her community. His psyche refuses to submit to the oppressive narrative, so he creates his own.
"As a person of color, to stay healthy in this racist society, I must choose hope over fear, patience over anger, and joy over despair. I have to think outside the system and work towards goals because the system doesn't work for people. that look like me. The world of music is no different. My musical goal as B_X_R_N_X_R_D and my work with Black Techno Matters is to create an alternate timeline in which the incredible power of black creativity is properly respected and celebrated."
There is an undeniable sense of pride and celebration in Bernard's words as he recalls those moments with Black Techno Matters.
“I live for moments like singing Black Techno Matters in techno music at our Liber8 party in San Francisco. Black artists comment and show respect and love for each other in our Instagram takeover series, artists tell me how wanted and appreciated they feel after attending our events.”
The Black Techno Matters website also serves as a comprehensive resource for black electronic music, including a "Blackness is Revolutionary" playlist of over a thousand tracks by black electronic music artists. “Seeing artists come together and collaborate as a result of their paths crossing on our platform, artists who have grown up seeing themselves in the genre after feeling isolated, whole black faces on our members page on the website, I can go to all of this helps me continue and develop Black Techno Matters. It gives strength."
Future community
"2023 marks the 20th anniversary of my first music release, Bernard's Song, on Ghostly International," says Bernard. “I see Black Techno Matters as a way to share my creative power and experience in the music industry with the community in a way that creates opportunities for new artists. In general, our team works like this: we all contribute to the Black Techno Matters mission in our own way, using the skills and experience we've gained along the way.
While techno was the basis for the birth of Black Techno Matters, the collective also championed other forms of artistic expression outside of music, which in turn created a more united and inclusive arts community. “Audio and video documentation of our events is a big part of what we do. Graphic design is essential to promoting and creating the atmosphere of our events, and the dancers who perform at our events bring their energy to the spaces we create. The honest words we use on Instagram to highlight artists are also a true tapestry of love and pride for black music."
2023 represents a year of growth for Black Techno Matters. "We are spreading the black fire we started in Washington DC and taking it to other cities in the US. As usual, we're doing something special for June 10, but that's all I'll say, so stay tuned."
As part of the annual Black Techno Matters initiative to celebrate and inform others about the impact of black innovation in music, art and culture, Barnard actively challenges the lack of understanding of the contributions of black people and collectives to history. The world and try to change. The idea stems from the fact that Black History is "treated as a special chapter at the end of an American history textbook that teachers never read in class," according to Barnard.
“To be clear, black history is the history of the United States. This country was built on the backs of slaves and black suffering. Black people have made countless contributions and innovations in music, art, culture and technology that have literally changed this country and the world,” he explains. “This of course includes the global phenomenon of techno and dance music that would not exist. Without us, we are not just a part of history, we are indispensable to history, and to treat it as less is to whitewash history. With Black Techno Matters, we celebrate our black heroes every day."
Supporting artists of color is an integral part of Black Techno Matters' work throughout the year, and in addition to supporting the collective through its online channels, Bernard shares ways to support and elevate black voices. “Subscribe to our newsletter or buy a t-shirt, attend one of our events, follow the artists we represent at their parties, attend their events, buy their music, leave a comment or send a thank you message. Connect with. Artists or other venues in their area so they can get more gigs. People can donate on Venmo or our CashApp (@blacktechnomatters) and support other artists in the same way. Every little thing counts."
Community and shared knowledge are core values in the spirit of Black Techno Matters. By sharing information, your community becomes stronger, and in that strength lies strength. "The future is the family. The future is community. People's power is a new power. Don't expect the white man to give you anything. If you want, do it yourself. ."
Find Bernardi on Instagram.
Learn more about Black Techno Matters on Instagram, Bandcamp, and Spotify.