It continues....boy, I'm enjoying my afternoon off....
Depth Charge 1-4 CD's (Submerge)
Really the most authoritative attempt to cover all of
Detroit, Submerge does an admirable job. The first
one is the best as it features almost all Mad Mike tracks
from the 303 to the harmony, but all four volumes are more
than enough to name virtually every important Detroit
producer and start you looking all the right directions. Still
available and if you don't own them you have some records to get.
Origins of a Sound CD (Submerge)
Interstellar Fugitives CD (Underground Resistance)
First is more of a big electro record than anything else, stuff from
Mad Mike, Aux 88, Drexciya and Andre Holland, all great.
For those who know how blood-pumping the electro stuff
can get this is one of the primary documents. The second
is more of that stuff but with an almost exclusively UR-related
stable and proves there is still amazing stuff coming out
of Detroit. Both still available, both obviously highly recommended.
Underground Resistance: Revolution For Change CD (Network)
The full-length for UR, the original UR that is (I think it was mostly
Banks and Mills with Hood, Baxter, Yolonda and others, but I'm
not 100% sure). Outside of the Red Planet and the Galaxy 2 Galaxy
12" this is probably the UR I find myself reaching for the most, despite not
really
loving hard techno this is the best hard techno I've heard. Most of
the best face-crushing tracks from the old UR 12"s (although the
first dozen plus UR 12"s are still warranted, especially the Punisher
12" which is probably my favorite). Awesome. Out of print, but
most of the tracks are on 12"s on UR which are still in print.
Psyche/BFC: Assorted Pieces 1989-1990 CD (Planet E)
Six Nine: Sound of Music CD (R&S)
Paperclip People: The Secret Tapes of Dr. Eich CD (Planet E)
Carl Craig: More Songs About Food and Revolutionary Art CD (Planet E)
After Banks I think Carl Craig is Detroit's most important producer,
and these four CD's show most of his old classic techno sound, which
is basically just a lot of Derrick May's stronger elements with some
evolution and development. All of these are records I still listen to
constantly years after first hearing them and show all the facets
of Carl's sound. All are basically top to bottom with classic tracks (Carl
Craig had some great quality control) although I can sympathize
with some complaints over the mastering of the CD versions.
Derrick May: Innovator 2CD (Transmat)
Alan Oldham put it, "these tracks are ten years old", but I'd say
it doesn't really matter, as they still retain all of their freshness and
emotional poignancy: I still shiver when I hear "Strings of Life", and
while some say Derrick May is yesterday's news, I'd still say he's
as relevant to fans of techno new and old as he was in 1988. This
is one of those CD's everyone tells you to get, with good reason.
Still available, hopefully will be available perpetually.
Model 500: Classics CD (R&S)
I started losing interest in Juan Atkins right after the "Classics" period
(even "Sonic Sunset" wears thin for me), because I think Juan
ended up going minimal and hard, and I like his catchy
Kraftwerk-isms much, much better. This one has most of the major
tracks from the early pre-1990 Metroplex period, from "No UFO's"
to "Ocean to Ocean" to "The Chase" to the nearly incomparable
"Night Drive". Carl Craig said once something like it was a revolution with
Kraftwerk,
it was a revolution with "Night Drive", but Derrick May was the future
and went beyond that, and to an extent Kraftwerk and early Model 500
do sound like the proto-techno sound, but that's still a great sound
and one that still works phenomenally well cruising in a Ford Mustang.
Kevin Saunderson: Faces and Phases 2CD (Planet E)
The final member of the original Detroit three, Saunderson had some
real commercial success, and his tracks do sound like that: techno
with popular sensibilities and easily accessible rhythmic progression.
And I think that's a techno sound that has some relevance. This 2CD
is the only Saunderson I own, however, as I think it more than covers
Saunderson's work, but tracks like "Rock to the Beat" and "Triangle
of Love" (done with May, right?) still more than hold their own and
work real well on a dancefloor or for your friends who are still listening
to rock music as a segue towards electronics.
Robert Hood: Minimal Nation 2x12" (Axis - reissued on M-Plant)
Not on CD, but Robert Hood's best moment and probably the moment
for driving minimal techno: Hood lost some of the electro hooks of
UR and moved straight into that ultra-selective sound, and I think this
one deserves the credit for being an American Basic Channel (who are
the ones who redefined techno for the 90's (for better or worse)).
Going to leave the Detroit-centered scene at this point....although
there are dozens of other great records, I think this stuff serves as an
introduction and I'll let you explore from there on in. Off
to Britain next in part three....
Matt
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