Technoid

Technoid emerged as drum and bass producers increasingly drew from techno’s mechanical repetition and industrial sound palette.

As DnB diversified beyond jungle and liquid, a harder, more techno-aligned current formed, often associated with European scenes where techno and DnB audiences overlapped.

In the 2000s, labels and DJs began programming sets that leaned into a more rigid, tool-like approach: stripped patterns, punishing midrange, and hypnotic loops.

This period established technoid as a recognizable identity within the harder end of DnB, adjacent to techstep and neurofunk but more overtly techno in structure.

Technoid aesthetics continue to inform modern hard-edged DnB and cross-pollinate with industrial-leaning electronic styles.

Contemporary producers often integrate sharper, more modern sound design while retaining the genre’s hallmark: fast DnB propulsion with techno’s machine discipline.

Write at typical drum and bass tempo (around 170–175 BPM).

Favor rigid, loop-based patterns with minimal swing: aim for a hypnotic, “machine-locked” feel rather than a funky shuffle.

Start with a tight kick–snare backbone and add crisp, repetitive hi-hat and ride patterns that resemble techno’s insistence.

Use short, punchy drum samples with controlled tails; layer metallic or industrial percussion (clanks, ticks, filtered noise hits) to enhance the mechanical character.

Build basslines that emphasize midrange pressure and controlled distortion, often in repeating motifs rather than melodic movement.

Use reese-style basses, FM/phase-modulated tones, and overdriven filters; keep modulation purposeful and rhythmic.

Keep harmony sparse. If you use tonal elements, rely on minimal intervals, drones, or dark minor/modal fragments.

Short, repeating synth stabs or cold pads can reinforce the techno influence without making the track feel “musical” in a pop sense.

Adopt techno-like development: long sections that evolve through gradual variation, automation, and layering.

Use tension-building techniques such as filter openings, gradual distortion increases, and stepwise addition of percussion.

Keep breakdowns functional and minimal; prioritize momentum and hypnotic repetition.

Prioritize transients and midrange clarity so the drums cut through dense distortion.

Use saturation and clipping carefully to maintain aggression without collapsing the groove.

Sidechain subtly (or not at all) depending on how “techno” you want the pump to feel; many technoid tracks remain tight and controlled.