A Closer Look at Cell Injection's Iconic Observe Techno Parties
Cell Injection members Moe Espinosa and David Flores are perhaps best known for their respective solo projects: Drumcell and Truncate. The two share a creative vision transcending any medium or format, however — a prime example is their Observe gatherings.
Espinosa and Flores founded the Observe parties together in 2018. Before we get into that, though, a little backstory is needed, as Espinosa is part of the reason Los Angeles has a techno scene in the first place.
L.A. had a vibrant rave scene dating back to the early ‘90s, of course. But techno was nearly nonexistent in the city before Espinosa and the Raiz brothers founded DROID BEHAVIOR in 2000. Their parties started as a handful of techno diehards and soon grew to fill massive warehouses.
In the late 2010s, though, Espinosa faced an identity crisis. He felt as though techno had become a popularity contest — one in which he found himself participating.
“I came to the realization on a personal level that none of those things, even if I did achieve them, would bring me personal happiness,” Espinosa told 6AM. “None of it would actually fulfill whatever void I was feeling.”
He continued: “At that point, I said to myself that if I am going to continue to do this, I am going to try to do it with the same kind of naivety as I did when I went into it as a kid. To purely enjoy myself as much as possible and never have to face the consequences of sacrificing my integrity in any way for the sake of business. This was a bit of a launching point for us to start fresh, with a new name, a new brand and identity to work under: Observe.”
Observe gatherings showcase the stripped-down brand of techno Drumcell and Truncate’s fans have come to love with production values that only event organizers with two decades of experience could pull off. They’re not limited to L.A. and often manifest as bespoke events in other cities throughout the U.S. — most notably Detroit, where Observe: Scene annually takes place as a Movement after party.
It doesn’t get more underground than Moe Espinosa and David Flores’ Observe techno parties. Nor have they even been around that long, meaning that a promising future lies ahead for them with plenty of surprise twists and turns.
