- If you haven't seen a picture of The Cube by now, you probably don't read many electronic dance music websites. If you haven't heard of M_nus or Richie Hawtin, you probably haven't listened to minimal techno in the past decade. And if you haven't been to a CONTAKT event this year, you probably don't live in Detroit, Barcelona, Berlin, London, Amsterdam, Rome, Ghent, Buenos Aires or Tokyo.
Photo credit: .the jass.
When CONTAKT was unveiled, many questioned the sci-fi movie poster marketing theme, resulting in a host of comedic photoshops and parody websites. Despite the laughter, though, 5,000 enthusiastic partiers approached, identified and made "contact" in Tokyo at the final CONTAKT event of 2008. Those in attendance can confirm that Richie Hawtin achieved what he set out to do—offer something different than the average techno party that everyone has become accustomed to. This much was immediately sensed upon arrival at the colossal Makuhari Messe. Womb Club promoters handed out free CONTAKT-inspired manga (Japanese print / cartoon style) magazines that illustrated the story of the cube. After the opening DJ set by Fabrizio Maurizi, a black curtain covering the stage was pulled away to reveal a massive suspended custom LED lighting installation, displaying mesmerizing visuals perfectly synchronized to the music, and a stage performance setup that allowed all of the Minus artists to seamlessly mix together, blurring the line of when one DJ or live act began, and ended.
The musical transitions were not the only overlapping idea; multiple forms of technology increased communication between the performers and the audience. An iPhone application allowed you to log in and post messages to the visual LED display during the performance. Swiping the Minus membership card (embedded with an RFID tag) by the Minus Cube automatically enrolled you in SMS text messages sent from Richie Hawtin on stage: "Hello Tokyo! We hope you are as happy as we are to be in JAPAN!!!" And whether you were in Japan or not, logging into the Contakt website allowed you to watch and listen to a live streaming broadcast of the performance through video cameras mounted on the stage, and in the middle of the dance floor. The electronic participation between the entertainer, and the entertained, kept the technologically forward thinking Japanese audience involved—screaming every time one of their names or messages appeared on display. More SMS text messages kept everyone in the loop: "Magda + Marc Houle. Gaiser coming soon!" Although it was at times difficult to differentiate the individual artist's musical style, what emerged was a collaborative sound that was—without a doubt—Minus.
Photo credit: .the jass.
After nine CONTAKT performances around the world, Minus evolved the show to heighten the sense of touch, sight and—most importantly—the sound of minimal techno. One of the final text messages Richie sent: "I wonder where CONTAKT will go in 2009? Let's see..." Perhaps CONTAKT will incorporate more technology to stimulate the remaining two senses; next year we'll smell and taste Minus.