How a Freak Lightning Strike Created a Techno Classic

Warp Records made some of the best electronic music albums from the 1990s. Artists like Aphex Twin made sounds that people called Intelligent Dance Music. Canadian musician Richie Hawtin worked differently from the British artists on the label. He grew up near Detroit where techno music began. His album Dimension Intrusion connected directly to American electronic music.

Hawtin made his studio at his parents house with Roland machines and keyboards. He linked everything together and recorded long sessions that lasted 40 minutes. He edited these recordings into shorter songs for the album. The musician used classic gear like the Roland 303 and a Korg Wavestation keyboard. He recorded everything live onto tape before editing.

Lightning struck during one late night session and made his gear glow before shutting down. His Korg Wavestation sounded different after the storm ended. The keyboard made more distorted sounds after the electrical damage. This accident helped him create some of his hardest techno tracks. The lightning changed his music forever.

The track he made during the storm became Train-Trac.1. Railroad tracks near his house inspired the name and beat. Hawtin cannot recreate those special sounds from that time. His simple setup and the lightning damage made a unique moment.