Detroit Techno 146 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.

Mr. G and Duncan now return to 49North with a brand new 4 track EP. The first cut, Cosmic One is a peak time futuristic roller that lures you in gently and leads you through its infectious sonic journey. Cosmic Two comes straight in with its solid electro-funk 808 rhythm, a nod to early Detroit electro but with its feet firmly set in the 21st Century, it builds and builds and builds. Cosmic Three revisits the synth work of Cosmic One and switches things up a few gears. From the get-go it’s heads down, a driving funk fuelled groove. Cosmic Four rewinds us to a beat-less reprise of Cosmic One but very much its own unique space. Like sliding into a warm bath of dubbed out beat-less analogue bliss Enjoy the ride ......

Technically, Yeah. Detroit artists Eddie Logix and Jo Rad Silver alchemize sonic matter on Real, No. The EP emerges from years of creative collaboration and blends each of the artists’ strengths into a deep-house, hi tech jazz, dubby leftfield assemblage straight from the pulse of today’s Detroit. Since 2017, the pair has been producing tracks and co-curating Technically, Yeah., an influential monthly happening that encourages (Live) electronic musical expression. The duo’s curation is grounded in community, widely genre-diverse and steadfast in commitment to technological experimentation. The Real, No. EP distills this ethos and puts it on wax. While Jo Rad is known for techno leanings and Eddie for organic jams (recently on Rocksteady Disco,) the two transform beats into substance with a diverse and thoughtfully constructed release. Glued together with attuned mixing from Salar Ansari and cut loud at Archer Pressing in Detroit, the EP’s range puts deep grooves in the bag for every discerning DJ. AKKA’s Side: “King David” sticks the synthy deep house groove right in gear with a driving, bubbling bassline and floating effervescent vocal chops from and for a special someone. “Mango Strut” offers a slight island twang and dives into a breaky depth of a bracing cathartic arpeggiated, hand drum ecstasy. A vitamin filled chugger. BEEP’s Side: The duo recorded “June Buggy” the first time they jammed together on a borrowed Juno. This propulsive Italo-ish conga groover is a mechanical piece of action. The record ends by summoning the ancestry of “Callin’ Dybbs,” a textured hi-tech jazz heater. Kasan Belgrave, young-gun horn of known pedigree, lays down the sax. The sultry brass tones lock in with buxom stabs. For those who know and those who don’t yet. This one holds depths!

All music by Andres Specter Ordonez Illustration by Sean Linn Graphics by Thomas Xu 2023 Whobody Publishing BMI

Mano De Fuego land on Yaxteq with the mighty Fuerza EP. In 2022, los hermanos Cedillo also known as Soul of Hex launched their Mano De Fueogo alias from Underground Resistance headquarters in Detroit. Their debut for Yaxteq showcases their versatillity as producers. Sagrada is pure musical magic for the dancefloor with rising chord swells, relentless bass and strings that reach into the cosmos. Aztec Obelisk gives a latin flavor to the classic Detroit electro-bass blueprint. Fuerza dives deep into hi-tech jazz including an interstellar saxophone improvisation courtesy of Tijuana’s own Manuel Paez Armendariz. DJ Dex then takes the soul of Fuerza and remixes it with the concrete foundation of jaaackin US house music. All tracks were mixed and arranged at the Yaxteq studio in Los Angeles. Saludos!!

Rawax proudly presents the 3rd release by Gerald Mitchell on his own Rawax Motor City - series. This time we have the honor to present him under his Los Hermanos alias! "Remember Detroit" is a beautiful piece of Music which makes you feel the pulse of this City. Highly recommended!

After the much loved Delano Smith remix of Gigi Galaxy's 'Interview With An Alien' turned so many heads, Det 313 label has secured three originals from the Detroit producer otherwise known to as Gary Martin. Each shows he has a unique approach to the art of groove making, with 'First Night In Lemuria (det313 version)' slower and more restrained than many in the game - almost like a Sheffield bleep anthem pitched down and augmented with a delightful, prodding bassline. 'Spirit World' is the big room pleaser of the trio, with a bubbling acid arpeggio slowly degrading and re-building throughout and some lovely sci-fi synthery going on. 'Inevitable' is the cheekiest and cheeriest of the three, all sharpened hi-hats and swirling electro beats and breakdowns that reveal its simple but damn effective musical heart to all and sundry. Nice work all round.

All music by Andres Specter Ordonez Illustration by Sean Linn Graphics by Thomas Xu 2023 Whobody Publishing BMI

All music by Andres Specter Ordonez Illustration by Sean Linn Graphics by Thomas Xu 2023 Whobody Publishing BMI

Vibraphone Records starts the new year with another banger from Basic Realities! Dubtroit is a classic techno hommage to Motor City and it comes around with an stunning remix by the Legend, Mr. "Inner City" Kevin Saunderson! The Vinyl is expected to be out last week of January! Highly recommended!

Rawax Motor City Edition presents Gari Romalis. One of the most productive humans on this Planet presents us with "Another World EP" again a high level release with his remarkeble and unique deep Detroit feeling. Welcome back, Gari!

Vibraphone presents another huge release. This time it's Silicon Minds - IHY (Interstellar Hypnotic Yama -Biko) With an timeless Mayday Tribute Mix by the one and only Derrick May!
Highy recommended!

Exhausted from a 3 years in the making album called Lagarius released in 2023. Gary Martin had a plan to not work in the studio this summer until he realized his Facebook keyboard playing friend named Brian Mars was a.k.a. Javonntte the writer of an exceptional good song on The Mahogany compilation released that year. Gary created the beat for The Infinite Time and Brian sent the bass line and the keys. Then, picking the exotic scale called Persian was how the creation of Zurvan started. Gary Made the beat and Brian sent the bass line and the keys and Lot’s of Teknotika studio wizardry followed to complete this concept Ep.

Vibraphone Records presents 49th Floor - Zamani. incl. Magic K aka Juan Atkins RMX! It's the first new release for 49th Floor after 1992 - highly recommended!

It has been a superb run but now, sadly, we come to the final part of Pariter's Derek Carr reissue series. Carr has been welcomed back into the heart of the underground in recent years with plenty of essential new sounds, but his archives as just as filled with gold. Postlude shows that with four more warm, inviting deep techno cuts embellished with cosmic synth details. 'djk' is a mid-tempo opener with smeared chords over tech-edged drums and 'Theta' gets more techno with golden synth lines rippling through the mix. 'Ariel' has a happy, upbeat feel to the chords and crisp drum funk and 'L'equipe' shuts down with a slightly slower, more laid-back vibe. All killer no filler.

Apnea 105 presents Kyle Hall in pure Detroit Techno explorations, deep and cosmic dancefloor burners crafted around Hall's signature syncopated rhythms, reminiscent of Detroit's 90s Matrix Records era.

Smooth Detroit influenced techno tracks including a acid work out on the long going Soiree label. Tracks by Tunisian Dj Mourad, Chicago's Teknobrat, Scotlands Jay Strata and Detroit's Drivetrain.

Collection V1" marks FIT SOUND's first compilation, showcasing tracks from renowned artists Jared Wilson, Bizz O.D., and FIT Siegel. Detroit’s own Jared Wilson is a true master of the Tb-303, delivering jacking and melodic acid for over a decade. 'Mind Travel' is a mesmerizing 10-minute journey that intertwines melodic acid lines with ethereal strings. Bizz O.D., an enigmatic figure known for her jackin' acid techno tracks released between '93 and '98, emerges once again with the previously unreleased floor-killing acid stomper, 'One Two,' which, despite being recorded in the mid-'90s, remains as fresh as ever. FIT Siegel's contribution, 'No Feedback,' originated as a sampling exercise in the studio and transformed into an experimental yet functional piece that would find its home in the crates of adventurous DJs."

After flexing his more functional dj-tool approach on the previous Rod20 releases, ROD goes full on Detroit Techno on the Hood Spirit EP with four 1 take hardware jams filled with colour and light.

Hold Me Recordings is Manuel Gonzales and Ryan Spencer. Our objective is to maintain a constant flow of releases from local artists here in Detroit

Detroit legend Omar S returns this week on his always different but always unmissable Fxhe label with the bouncy and neon-lit groove of 'Hard Times', which sees him collaborate once again with Megan Louise of Canadian outfit Desire (Italians Do It Better) on vocals. The original comes backed with a handy instrumental mix and a dreamy, plus an evocative rework by Idib chief Johnny Jewel over on the flip.

From the label: "Detroit’s 2Lanes delivers a heavy mix of tribal and dub percussions, hypnotic and eerie chants, sweeping and resonant synths across four tracks, with a collaboration featuring Jonathan Aylward's expansive stand-up bass licks to close out the EP. The result is a mind-bending, smoked-out psychedelic experience for Psychic Relief’s second release."

Young Detroit-native Kenny Hooper steps up for his debut release on Elypsia Records with not one, not two but three 12 inches full of prime Motor City techno and electro escapism. Titled ,,Detroit Orbiter Series" Volume I, II and III, each EP features four tracks, showcasing Kenny Hooper's brilliant and contemporary personal take on classic Detroit sounds. The twelve tracks of the ,,Detroit Orbiter Series" trilogy signal the arrival of a fresh Motor City talent ready to rake the world and dance floors by storm with his chunky and funkified sonic fictions. Elypsia Records is very proud to welcome Detroit's next generation of promising artists!

Young Detroit-native Kenny Hooper steps up for his debut release on Elypsia Records with not one, not two but three 12 inches full of prime Motor City techno and electro escapism. Titled ,,Detroit Orbiter Series" Volume I, II and III, each EP features four tracks, showcasing Kenny Hooper's brilliant and contemporary personal take on classic Detroit sounds. The twelve tracks of the ,,Detroit Orbiter Series" trilogy signal the arrival of a fresh Motor City talent ready to rake the world and dance floors by storm with his chunky and funkified sonic fictions. Elypsia Records is very proud to welcome Detroit's next generation of promising artists!

Omar S Pain ep showcase Detroit's young talent from Alister Fawnwoda,King Milo, Tayloe and John F.M. old Looking Ass on Future Smash Hit (I Love Your Girlfriend!!!) Comes in different color vinyl. Boxes dont say what colors so dont ask now or later!!

Brand new double pack from Detroit Techno legend Gary Martin aka Gigi Galaxy

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.

Motor City label Upstairs Asylum celebrates its roots in 313 with this new Dance Detroit EP featuring a wealth of American house innovators. First up, Reggie Dokes and Steve Crawford join forces on 'Fear Of Failure', a house track steeped in Detroit soul. Martin Prather's 'Until' follows on with his stylish and soul-drenched grooves. Steve Crawford then goes it alone and turns up the drums on his potent 'Let You Go' (feat Tony B) and then get deeply emotional on 'Love Is Here' this time with help from featured artist Anthony Poteat. Prather and then label regular and Atlanta man Reggie Dokes closes down with his 'Not Ready.'

Norm Talley's Upstairs Asylum label only arrived in 2021 but is already up there with the great Motor City imprints. The boss has been busy putting together a trio of new EPs for the first half of 2023 that showcases a wealth of Mid-West talent. House hero Boo Williams kicks off this one with his typically tight drum programming and party-starting synth work on 'Tickin Clock.' Eric Johnson keeps it raw, deep and loopy on 'Melodic Gruv' then Reggie Dokes brings his signature Atlanta house sound to 'Mother's Child' with its melancholic lead sax and 'End of Time' is a broken beat bliss out.

Upstairs Asylum Recordings is one of the many seminal Detroit labels run by local legend Norm Talley. It's right in the middle of a busy run right now with no fewer superb run with three new EPs all dropping in quick succession. This one is a split EP with US duo Solid Gold Playaz taking care of the a-side. As always with this pair, their sounds are deep and dusty house with exquisite melodies tugging at the heart. On the flip, Gari Romalis steps up with the slick percussive skip of 'Detroit After Dark' then 'Panties' from Brian Neal brings jacked up analogue groves that lean into techno with a big fat bassline.

Last seen on Discogs in 2017, the mysterious Marvyn Don returns with a full release of his old Lilac Road & Swag related EP from the early 2000’s, with four UK techno and tech house inspired rollers that are fit for any dark club or afters. This EP has been brought back to life with some exciting additions to the series coming later this year. Grab it whilst you can! Limited to 300 copies.

Some 20 years on from its initial release, it's amazing how fresh and current 'Praise' by Leigh Dickson sounds, every bit as reinvigorating as a swim in an icy mountain stream. Sushitech imprint Pariter have opted to remaster the lush original mix in its full glory, adding the already well known and much loved Baby Ford Heavenly Circuit remix alongside a new, unreleased 'alternative remix' and new mixes by Pariter's own Ogerman and Derek Carr. All four sides are eminently playable in the deep house/techno framework, as you'd imagine, with varying levels of the original's bewitching instrumentation retained.

Detroit's finest with another nice various artists release! Drivetrain (Detroit, Usa) The Greatest (Hard Times Mix) taking flavorful elements from his deep house original, this is a killer dose of thick-set, granular house-meets-techno; blissfully wrapped in plush, woozy, jazz-flecked overtones. Motomitsu (Paris, France) - Bless perfectly appointed, synthetic strings rise and fall; back-dropping deep, purling bass, anesthetic keys and distant, wraithlike vocals drifting in and out of view. Jani Ho (melbourne, Australia) - Mono Charge club weaponry delivering an exhilarating, full-throttle ride through a menagerie of ever-shifting layers, which themselves are in a constant state of leg-sweeping flux. Owen Ni (athens, Usa) - Another Sunny Afternoon a stratospheric, psyched-out house heater, fired up of aerial synthesizers, whisking off to beatific and unearthly sonic euphoria.

Tresor Records is proud to announce forthcoming special editions of its entire catalogue of Drexciya and related projects. 2022 marks the 20th anniversary of the passing of James Stinson and the releases of the Transllusion and Shifted Phases albums. In recognition, the rightsholders, their families, and the label have commissioned Detroit-based contemporary artist Matthew Angelo Harrison to re-conceptualize the covers of Tresor's Drexciya-related catalogue. These editions will be released sequentially, bimonthly, starting early-September 2022. Three months after the album release of 'Neptune's Lair' in September and its companion 12" 'Hydro Doorways' being released in October, 'Harnessed The Storm' and 'Digital Tsunami' are coming on November 11. They are followed by the release of Transllusion in February 2023. The series is completed by the long-awaited re-release of 'Shifted Phases – The Cosmic Memoirs Of The Late Great Rupert J. Rosinthrope' - at the end of March. These records, individually and as a catalogue, represent some of the most crucial moments in the Tresor label history, with the sound and mythic world of Drexciya undoubtedly inspiring generations.

After Polyschematic EP 1 and 2 (rmce009 and RMCE009.1) Polyfan Polyphenix is back with the Polyvalence EP. The record includes 4 cuts of melodic electro breaks that connect seamlessly to his previous EPs on Rawax Motorcity Edition

Rebecca Goldberg wrote Trois Cent Trois as an auditory postcard with musings from a late-summer road trip across France in 2021. On TCT Rebecca sonically guides us through the emotion of new adventure and the risks involved during a time of global uncertainty. The first single, Troit Cent Trois, is a play of the French way to say Detroit and 3-0-3. Like Rebecca's previous work on Detroit Underground, acid is the EP’s predominant sound. The next stop, A2 track Le Détroits, is an acidic metaphor for the celestial beauty of the French countryside. Face A ends with The Perception of our Power, a Ghettotech cut that's full of Detroit-funky/beloved-in-Paris bounce. Flip to Face B and bathe in the acid arpeggiation of the lead-off track Paradoxe du Plaisir (Pleasure Paradox in English), referring to the practical difficulties encountered in the pursuit of pleasure. The destination B2 track, What It Means (To Start Over in a Ruined World), waxes poetic on the explanation with throbbing percussion and call and response rhythms. According to Viktor Frankl in Man's Search for Meaning, "Happiness cannot be pursued; it must ensued and it only does so as the unintended side effect of one's personal dedication to a cause greater than oneself or as the by-product of one's surrender to a person other than oneself." Trois Cent Trois was featured on Bandcamp’s “New and Notable” releases list and was highly regarded in The Wire magazine. For the vinyl release, Rebecca designed a minimal black and white package with slanted black text reminiscent of France's directional local road signs. The vinyl is limited to 303 copies and each one is hand-signed and numbered.

Uplifting, anthemic, epic Detroit school Techno track by Stojche incl. 12 vinyl only locked grooves and two addtional interpretations by a.r.t.less label boss Don Williams. Limited edition in hand-pulled screen-printed cover.

After shifting clandestinely between second hand crates as a bootleg vinyl for the last 25 years, Eddie Fowlkes’ Deepcover finally gets a proper pressing and 2 remixes by one of today’s most dedicated students of electro funk, OCB (Driss Bennis). Originally released on the Magic Tracks compilation CD by Juan Atkins, featuring tracks by artists like James Stinson and Keith Tucker, the track has all the elements of early techno soul straight from the hands of its inventor. Indescribable sounds combine in unexpected ways that just fit, pushing and pulling in all the right directions.

Dancefloor Prophecies for humanity delivered by Detroit based spoken word artist Mike Ellison. Features a DJ tooled acapella to further spread the True meaning of Detroit Techno around the Galaxy.

Detroit techno luminary Terrence Dixon joins Kynant with six tracks of signature minimalism.

Mastered by Giuseppe Tillieci (aka Neel) @ EnissLab Studios, Rome. Artwork by Christopher Honeywell

Cryovac Recordings is allowed to exist by artists and craftsmen that take up the cause and come together to share their skillset. A Cryovac artist is a master of their own style. They are heros that represent the best of Detroit’s spirit. From Dietrich to Desmond to the house of Archer, Cryovac is a product that is crafted at each step by years of know-how. The Cryovac machine continues its course through an ever changing technosphere.

Polyverse is the new debut album of the very exciting and fresh sounding Kosmogonik. Nine driving and atmospheric tracks that vibrate all the way from heavyweight techno to cosmic ambient.

Six releases in and Michigander label head Brian Kage teams up with the legendary French Techno producer, Taho, aka David Jacopin. The electronic music world knows to put respect on the Motor City, but the "Détroit EP" represents a fusion, emphasizing l’accent aigu — not a typo or spec on your screen that needs cleaning. Between Kage and Taho, their production pedigree includes releases for labels like Fxhe, Planet-E, Delsin, F.Comm, and more, so it's no surprise the pairing makes for a masterfully produced EP covering the spectrum of Detroit house and techno sounds, with an added deft touch from its French connection. "D-Twah," the D's first pronunciation, opens with classic Detroit house energy featuring all the modern accoutrements. Distant chatter between solar systems gives way to a springy bass line that sets off an interplanetary party starter with uplifting piano chord progressions and just a touch of scattered cosmic disco effects. Angelic synth choirs and arpeggiated lines introduce short breakdowns before all systems fire back up. This one is surefire fuel for the discothèque. "La Belle Vie" picks things up with playful hand percussion, a driving guttural bass, and heavy Detroit techno stabs, reminiscent of its title in translation, one of techno's greatest hits a la Inner City. Beautiful strings sneak in building tension and drama before a piano releases any pent up energy through the stratosphere. It begs to bring on the underground warehouses or Movement festival stages again. Entering electro terrain, "Tour De Troit" encapsulates Detroit's earliest robotic impulses, starting with inimitable, snappy 808 drums, which are pedaled over with deep pads and a revolving acid bassline. It drifts off into dreamy territory with smooth, jazzy synth waves before funky keys coolly cut through the haze. Whether early in the night or afterhours, breakers are always prepared to slide across the floor for this sound. "Acid Renaissance" offers a clear epilogue to this journey with its cinematic and orchestral symphony. These emotive elements tower over electric undercurrents that complete an ending fit for having stumbled upon some epic space age discovery. At a time when NASA's Mars Perseverance Rover just provided the first audio recording of the Red Planet, this could very well have been the film score to that mission. If Detroit's electronic music history is seen as a time capsule, Brian Kage and Taho have opened it, rearranged its parts to fit their mutual influences, and sealed it back together with a project worthy of future explorations.

A staggering collection Detroit techno-soul music, beamed directly into your consciousness from 1994. Kenny Larkin should need no introduction to those whose ears are trained in the ways of the motor city and her musical sons and daughters. He is one of a handful of artists from the city whose original and unique sonic output has helped shape and advance techno as an art form and as a serious musical movement across the world and it's galaxies beyond, a formidable DJ and producer whose music continues to push the envelope today. 'Azimuth' gives us what would be Larkin's first full length offering, and across 11 tracks of blistering hi-tech machine funk, ambient, soul drenched rhythms and futurist club music he deftly crafted a classic. This is the album you hold in your hands now, here in 2021. Originally released on Warp Records, 'Azimuth' is back here in it's expanded form of a 2 x LP and bonus 10" reissue. A record that effortlessly sounds like it came to earth yesterday while being 25 years old, a true Detroit classic that still makes waves across the planet today. File under - 'Essential'. 'Azimuth' has been legitimately reissued for 2021 on Kenny’s own Art Of Dance imprint. Remastered from DAT tapes and original sources by Curve Pusher. Designed by Atelier Superplus.

From 1995 comes Kenny Larkin's staggering long player 'Metaphor'. Larkin's 2nd full length under his own name sees the Detroit firebrand continuing his singular approach to techno and electronic music with this set of futurist leaning jams that still stands head and shoulders above today in 2021. Packed to the brim with soul, emotion and depth 'Metaphor' is the natural successor to 'Azimuth' released only the year before, it's the manifestation of Larkins 'techno soul' agenda laid bare through the fusing motor-city minimalism, driving techno-funk and deep as the ocean ambience and melody to deliver a truly original and awakened collection of timeless tracks. As with his other LPs and projects, this record is a remarkable document and testament to how ahead of the curve Kenny Larkin was / is as a producer and creator. It's quite hard to believe these signals were beamed down to us in the midst of the 1990's. The quality and breadth on display across these discs deftly explains why these records are so coveted and cherished today and why this expanded reissue is such an exciting proposition. File under 'essential Detroit'.

Part 2! Another heater from Detroit's finest Upstairs Asylum. Norm Talley in full effect bringing together all the good souls of Motor City.

Another heater from Detroit's finest Upstairs Asylum. Norm Talley in full effect bringing together all the good souls of Motor City.

Eddie 'Flashin' Fowlkes, the godfather of techno-soul is back on his own Cityboy label.

Buildings was born out of a creative merger between Detroit’s 313 Acid Queen (Rebecca Goldberg) and Italian maestro Sickboy (Stefano Piseddu), their 4th and 2nd releases on Detroit Underground respectively. The duo have thoughtfully arranged a half dozen tracks inspired figuratively and literally by the landscape of Detroit. Working 7,000km and multiple time zones apart, having never met in person, their individual expressions intertwine in soundscapes reminiscent of techno’s origin and exist in a way only capable in our present time. Devoted as ever to the roots of Detroit techno, Goldberg and Piseddu have built a magnificent album around the Detroit Map Series theme conceptualized by DU label founder Kero and designed by Neubau Berlin.

Six releases in and Michigander label head Brian Kage teams up with the legendary French Techno producer, Taho, aka David Jacopin. The electronic music world knows to put respect on the Motor City, but the "Détroit EP" represents a fusion, emphasizing l’accent aigu — not a typo or spec on your screen that needs cleaning. Between Kage and Taho, their production pedigree includes releases for labels like Fxhe, Planet-E, Delsin, F.Comm, and more, so it's no surprise the pairing makes for a masterfully produced EP covering the spectrum of Detroit house and techno sounds, with an added deft touch from its French connection. "D-Twah," the D's first pronunciation, opens with classic Detroit house energy featuring all the modern accoutrements. Distant chatter between solar systems gives way to a springy bass line that sets off an interplanetary party starter with uplifting piano chord progressions and just a touch of scattered cosmic disco effects. Angelic synth choirs and arpeggiated lines introduce short breakdowns before all systems fire back up. This one is surefire fuel for the discothèque. "La Belle Vie" picks things up with playful hand percussion, a driving guttural bass, and heavy Detroit techno stabs, reminiscent of its title in translation, one of techno's greatest hits a la Inner City. Beautiful strings sneak in building tension and drama before a piano releases any pent up energy through the stratosphere. It begs to bring on the underground warehouses or Movement festival stages again. Entering electro terrain, "Tour De Troit" encapsulates Detroit's earliest robotic impulses, starting with inimitable, snappy 808 drums, which are pedaled over with deep pads and a revolving acid bassline. It drifts off into dreamy territory with smooth, jazzy synth waves before funky keys coolly cut through the haze. Whether early in the night or afterhours, breakers are always prepared to slide across the floor for this sound. "Acid Renaissance" offers a clear epilogue to this journey with its cinematic and orchestral symphony. These emotive elements tower over electric undercurrents that complete an ending fit for having stumbled upon some epic space age discovery. At a time when NASA's Mars Perseverance Rover just provided the first audio recording of the Red Planet, this could very well have been the film score to that mission. If Detroit's electronic music history is seen as a time capsule, Brian Kage and Taho have opened it, rearranged its parts to fit their mutual influences, and sealed it back together with a project worthy of future explorations.

Seven years after the classic ‘Theater of a Confused Mind’ (as Population One), Detroit techno phenomenon Terrence Dixon is back on Rush Hour with a new album, this time under his own name. ‘Reporting from Detroit’ is another prime example of the distinctly unique sound language Dixon has developed over the last three decades - defiant, forward-thinking afrofuturist techno that could only have been made in the Motor City. The first pressing is limited and holds an extra record with 2 extra tracks called "Electronic Travellers" & "Growth And Development".

Wowww. heavy compilation, puttogether by Delano Smith (Mixmode) and Rick Wilhite (Vibes New & Rare Music) featuring a fine selection on who's who in Detroit music - spread out over 3 vinyl discs !

Tracks from the mobile video game "Record Packer" scored by Omar S and released alongside his new Detroit based virtual and physical exhibition "Conant Gardens Party Store".

Detroit's Sean Deason drops the second release in our New Detroit Deep series, following Hazmat's Infinite Silence ep. Sean has delivered an ep of classic Detroit Techno and Breakbeat, showcasing all the Detroit Techno elements of groove and soul.

Tracks from the mobile video game "Record Packer" scored by Omar S and released alongside his new Detroit based virtual and physical exhibition "Conant Gardens Party Store".