Brian Kage Electronic & Dance 6 Items

Michigander is a techno, house, and dance label created by Detroit DJ & Producer Brian Kage. It was initially established to showcase how faces and places in Michigan have played a role in influencing Brian's music. Well into double digits now, the label bossman steps up to the plate with a project of a lifetime; four slabs of vinyl filled to the outer grooves with authentic D Town techno and deep house that will floor you. Brian Kage is a staple on the Detroit techno and house scene and has consistently pushed the boundaries of electronic music. With a career marked by acclaimed releases and collaborations, Kage's sound is a testament to the rich musical heritage of Detroit. He’s released on Planet-E, Craigie Knowes, We Play House, Fxhe, Berettamusic, and of course his own label Michigander. His productions are known for their depth, soul, and technical prowess, making him a respected figure in the global electronic community. ‘Timeless Times’, is a masterful blend of classic house rhythms with the distinct edge of Detroit techno. Through this ambitious 19-track collection, Kage weaves a sonic tapestry through emotional landscapes, marked by ambient, and personal nostalgic vignettes that evoke a sense of timeless musical exploration. Although this is his first solo album, he was not alone on this sonic adventure. You will hear exciting collaborations between Kage and Mr. V, Milton Jackson, Jon Dixon, OB Ignitt, Luke Hess, Taho, Mesha Monique, RBJ, plus more surprises. ‘Timeless Times’ is not just an album, it's an auditory experience that encapsulates the very spirit of Detroit's electronic music scene and the beautiful state of Michigan.

Both a fan of the number and the machine, Michigander Music boss Brian Kage has always related eight to the paths we take in life — and being on the right one. For the label's eighth release, Kage pays homage to electronic music's futuristic past by bringing it up to speed with the present, including reimagining one of his own releases from when net labels were a thing.

Opening with "808 and the Great Lakes State," there's a clear influence — in title and sound — from a certain seminal pioneering Manchester techno group, 808 State — who formed and debuted in '88, by the way. With the recent passing of one of its members, Andy Barker, the track exists as a tribute to the formative moments and blissful memories of those '90s experience. The most iconic touches of this new age techno and acid sound are all there, but the end result is something more subtle, more spacious, and more patient for the modern ear.

Kage follows up with a new mix, re-envisioning "Eight Ways" — a deep, pulsating techno journey originally released on Thinner almost 20 years ago. With the "808 Mix," Kage takes the mentally stimulating hypnotism of the original and emboldens it into something more body driven by way of 808 bass kicks and sharpened hi-hats — a matured version begging for immediate dance floor play. The underlying liquid pads remain, with symphonic layers of increasingly dramatic piano chords, fluttery synth lines, and a heavens-opening ebb and flow of angelic melodies.

Finishing off the release, "Learn to Surrender" is pure electronic Detroit techno through and through. Electrically charged dub chords build on top of a revolving synth and rhythmic bass line, interwoven to constantly propel the track forward. Midway through, meditative vocals provide a mantra for surrendering to life, having already led listeners to becoming lost in the fully immersive sea of sounds.

“808 and the Great Lakes State” is a purposeful, mental, and physical trip connecting the many points of electronic music — and of life itself — as only a truly timeless approach can.

For those in the know, Brian Kage's chops as a producer and studio wizard are well established. The artist has released on Omar S' Fxhe, Carl Craigs' Planet-E, Steve Bug’s PokerFlat, Rob Modell’s Echospace, his own labels Beretta Music and Michigander, and other imprints, helped launch the careers of internationally respected DJs and producers like Seth Troxler, Ryan Crosson, and Luke Hess, and mix, mastered, and engineered for Ataxia, John F.M., OB Ignitt, Monty Luke, and more. Lauded for a sound that is rooted, yet forever forward in its approach, his most recent work, 909 Nights EP, is no exception. The title track reintroduces a winning team with Taho and Kage combining forces again. The release gets off the starting line with a booming kick, that signature drum sound of acid house's most infamous rhythm machine. Syncopated closed hats and cymbal crashes rush in before their crunchy snare and clap companions join in. Pitch bending open hats introduce track progressions like earth shattering orchestral stabs and rich, uplifting piano notes underwritten by deep chords and a fat bass line while short, squelchy, guitar-like licks dance below. As atmospheric as it is bumping, a synthetic flute playfully flutters into the mix, elevated by airy strings and a French filtered elastic brass solo lead. A touch of acid completes this journey through sound. Listeners would be forgiven for thinking they reopened Club Zanzibar in Detroit and this was its anthem. Shifting gears, "Warehouse Vibes" flares up next with phased effects and a filtered kick driving the track along a conveyor belt towards an all-enveloping dubby techno bliss. Pressure steadily builds up before being released in the form of steam flowing from creaky, rusted pipes. While the sonic palette delivers on its promise, this is no ordinary warehouse we've entered the gates into; it's breaking in through the shattered window of an abandoned industrial manufacturing facility territory instead. Perhaps a little fuzzy after the previous beatdown, "jax" is an intentionally full-body workout as the fist-pumping grip of the preceding cut gives way to hip-thrusting, put-your-back-in-it dancing action. Jacking drums lend the track a hefty bounce while the vocals really hammer the point home, in case there was somehow any confusion left as to what to do with this one. An impressing flex, partygoers are guaranteed to be going home seeing gains after each play. The Motor City may make less cars these days, but Brian Kage is an integral component of artists under the 313 emblem ensuring there's no shortage of newer model Detroit house and techno productions that are reliable and well worth the ride.

For Michigander’s fifth release, Brian Kage delivers four solid dance-floor fillers, each infused with a unique blend of melodic Detroit soul, intelligent acid and perfectly mixed percussion. Each offering teleports the listener into a future where social distancing has finally abated and celebration can commence. Lockdown starts the record off with undulating 303 bass notes that groove around in a circular arpeggiated formation until hypnotic 909 percussion breaks through with echoing claps and weaves together a tale of futuristic tension building. Hold On Pain Ends features a stabbing analog synth-line that repeats a half-beat phrasing contrasted with slamming technical percussion, a heavy kick and a lush pad that is perfect for late nights in a warehouse. That Woman from Michigan contains gentle swinging upbeat percussion and deep soothing chords with samples of Governor Whitmer asking all Michiganders to do their part and join together in solidarity. A subtly modulating acid line builds tension into a perfectly resonating crescendo. F.U Covid19 - An ominous swelling pad rips across the dystopian horizon as swinging rimshots build around a deep pulsing kick and a dirty mono synth swirl. Echoing vocal samples punctuate this acidic frenzy until the tension falls away giving dancers an opportunity to catch their breath before the next round of infectious rhythmic groove forces the hypnotic spell to intensify.

Brian Kage’s fourth release on Michigander Music “303 in the 313 EP” features 4 uniquely gritty and acid-soaked manifestations of mid 90’s Detroit. This exercise in analog monosynth mastery directly connects the grittiness of the urban landscape with the raw spirit of creative freedom.
Detroitasaurus starts the record off with a subtle prehistoric soundscape, steadily building rhythmic tension using hypnotic toms and melodic drum patterns. Razor sharp 909 hats hammer down there through the sonic mist as the journey continues to build. Shrieking jurassic trumpets cap off each of the peaking climbs to reveal metallic broken-down structures that are bound together with oscillating 303 threads and a grooving bassline.
Van Dyke Vessel features an atmosphere of textured percussion and metallic analog synths that wind around a deep square bass groove. Suddenly, truncated growling vocal samples start to collect into the catchy phrase “Let’s take this to outer space”. Swelling pads give way to squealing acid as this track transports dancers to a nostalgic melodic dimension.
Delray Dance undulates with thick bass slowly building into a body focused groove as it winds up and gives way to a rugged 303 saw with fluttering Spanish style synth stabs. Classic Detroit pads continue to swell, adding to the tension and leaving enough sonic space for melodic mixes in and out. This tune is the perfect tool to transition between genres.
Zonin breaks the mold by combining old-school electro vibes with a heavy dose of acid and freestyle hip hop. Heavy broken beats are combined with a rockin’ nostalgic bassline and layered party vocals that transports you to the center of the dancefloor on the best night you’ve ever had.

Slammer from Detroit's Bryan Kage on FXHE!