There’s something magical about a late-night techno party — the bass heavy, the air thick, the only light a single strobe bouncing off sweat-slicked walls. For those who’ve lived it, it’s a memory tattooed to the soul. For those who haven’t, filmmaker Luke Jaden just cracked open the time capsule.
‘Kids Like Us,’ Jaden’s latest short film, takes us deep into Detroit’s early ’90s underground rave scene — a moment that not only birthed techno’s second wave but built a community of outsiders, dreamers, and misfits all dancing under the same roof. And it does so with reverence, honesty, and heart.
Produced with electronic music legend Richie Hawtin (yes, that Richie Hawtin), ‘Kids Like Us’ is now streaming on NOWNESS. Shot on gorgeous, gritty 35mm Kodak film, the short isn’t just a visual throwback — it feels like Detroit. Real Detroit. Ruins. Rhythm. Rebirth.
Detroit, 1994 — The Beat That Changed Everything
At the core of ‘Kids Like Us’ is a pivotal event: the legendary Spastik party that Hawtin threw at the crumbling Packard Plant on August 13, 1994. Promoted via hotlines, mystery flyers, and street signs, the night saw the debut of his Plastikman live set — a performance that changed the game. Daniel Miller of Mute Records was there. So was The Blessed Madonna, just a young raver then, but already absorbing the culture that would shape her future.
But Jaden’s film isn’t just a glossy nostalgia trip. It’s grounded in the lived experiences of people who were there, and shot within the pulse of a real Detroit techno party. That honesty — the smoke, the sweat, the noise — radiates through every frame.
More Than Music
This isn’t just a film about techno. It’s about what happens when you find your people. When a crumbling warehouse becomes a sanctuary. When you’re lost, and the beat finds you.
“For me, this was always about connection,” says Jaden. “About how music — techno especially — brings people together when they feel most disconnected. The early ’90s Detroit scene was about more than the music. It was survival, it was expression, it was a womb of acceptance.”
And that spirit still echoes. Jaden’s reflections — on identity, resilience, and the strange beauty of shared chaos — will hit home for anyone who’s ever stood in a club at 3AM, heart wide open, losing themselves to find themselves.
A Collaboration Born from Mutual Respect
For Hawtin, who’s spent over three decades bending techno into art, ‘Kids Like Us’ was a chance to revisit his roots without the romanticized lens. “Luke approached the story with real care,” he shares. “He did the research. He listened. He wanted to find the truth in those moments — the small details, the real emotions — and turn them into something lasting.”
What results is a film that’s cinematic but unfiltered. Emotional but not sentimental. It’s about the power of the underground to create something eternal — not in grand gestures, but in shared experience.
Behind the Lens
Luke Jaden’s been carving a name with work that blends beauty, emotion, and a love for storytelling that never shies away from rawness. With ‘Kids Like Us,’ he leans into his Michigan roots, unearthing a culture that raised him — literally and spiritually.
With nods from Cannes Lions (YDA), Filmsupply’s Best New Filmmaker award, and commercial credits from ZARA to Ford, Jaden’s eye is sharp, and his heart’s in the right place.
And with Richie Hawtin onboard — the mind behind M_nus, Plus 8, and PLAYdifferently, not to mention countless nights that became legend — the film has its foundation solidly in the legacy it’s portraying.
Techno as Time Machine
Ultimately, ‘Kids Like Us’ asks a simple but powerful question: how do fleeting dance floor moments create bonds that last a lifetime?
If you’ve been there, you already know. If you haven’t, this film is your invite.
Watch ‘Kids Like Us’ now on NOWNESS.
Directed by: Luke Jaden
Executive Producer: Richie Hawtin
Produced by: Octagon Haus
Music by: Plastikman
Shot on: Kodak 16mm & 35mm film in Detroit
Clothing, vibes, and vintage aesthetics provided by SMPLFD, Sonic JuJu, Reware Vintage, and more.
Because sometimes, it’s not just about the music. It’s about the kids like us who found themselves inside it.
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