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Buyer Rating: 100.0% positive (1 rating)

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• Electronic Music

Various - Techno! The New Dance Sound Of Detroit - 30-Jul-08 11:11 AM
It is pretty much accepted that Techno, the Electronic Dance music genre born in Detroit, USA during the eighties, has on its essence a combination of Sci-Fi (Science Fiction) elements and African-American Music heritage spread mainly through the sounds of Motown and the like, from Jazz to Soul, Funk & Disco.
Transformed into a whole artistic movement, it was meant to be avant-garde music made by the young students Juan Atkins, Derrick May, Kevin Saunderson, Eddie Flashin Fowlkes, Blake Baxter, Anthony Shakir, among other pioneers. All the mentionned artists are part of this amazing compilation Techno - The New Dance Sound Of Detroit. Released in 1988 under the supervision of Neil Rushton, it would change the course of Techno forever.

Techno is a Movement guided by cultural essences, but also by these kids’ desires, dreams and imaginations about the Future. Among the first evidences of this futuristic influence can be found on the Techno Rebels expression, part of one of the main books of the Sci-Fi writer Alvin Toffler - "Future Shock" - about the impact of the new Technologies. That book had a very significant influence on Juan Atkins (known as the Godfather of Techno) early works, suggesting the use of the term Techno as the title of a new upcoming musical genre.
If this Afro-American legacy left by the references of Jazz, Soul & Funk excerced a definitive impact on the new born Techno music, Science Fiction offered essential elements as well, and this is the main reason why Techno is different from any other form of Electronic Dance Music. This Sci-Fi inspiration did not imply on the existing technology necessarily, but on the whole idea of Future imagination. It was about dreaming, about trying to foresee an entire new reality, which resulted on the first electronic music genre that systematically made use of Sci-Fi expressions, and usual Astronomy terms. Some good examples can be found on Cybotronss early music on Deep Space Records such as "Cosmic Cars" (and the proper name of the project itself, taken from the same book "Future Shock" by A. Tofler), at the same time suggesting a love heritage for Science Fiction like was on the P-Funk era of Parliament-Funkadelic and the whole Electro movement connected to the Break Dance (which also used several Sci-Fi music titles).

In fact, Techno used that Sci-Fi Soulful combination as a model, but went toward new directions comparing to the other genres mentionned before, from new synth timbres to new standards, patterns and ways of music conception - all present on this amazing selection. Through the music, visual arts and other forms of human engagements, Techno would stand as a testament of a Movement created not only through Music but as a more holistic artistic perspective.

Arguably considered the first major compilation of the genre, "Techno - The New Dance Sound Of Detroit" (1988) was compiled by the music expert Neil Rushton (whose career included a place inside Virgin Records staff and later as the head of Network Records). Neil was briliant in compiling a testament of the upcoming futuristic sounds of Techno that would influence not only Europe but the entire planet since then: Juan Atkins, Derrick May, Kevin Saunderson, Blake Baxter, Eddie Fowlkes, Anthony Shakir would all take part of this selection with tunes of quality and an accurate sense for the future of the dance music.

The release of this compilation is considered on of the major chapters of the history of Techno and an event with almost no parallels on the genre. It is said that the last choosen tune was "Big Fun" (1987) by Inner City, a project made by Kevin Saunderson with the vocalist Paris Grey (which got the collaboration of two other major names of Techno - James Pennington and Art Forrest). "Big Fun" became one of the milestones of Techno and invaded all the radio & DJ charts since 1988, acquiring the status of a major Techno hit all time. "Techno - The New Dance Sound Of Detroit" also brought Derrick Mays supreme masterpiece "It Is What It Is" for the first time on a compilation; it was released the same year as the single itself.

Alain Patrick, Aug 31, 2007

Phuture - We Are Phuture - 16-Aug-07 09:23 AM
This classic EP is an all round winner. Every track has something to offer in my mind. Whilst the timeless ‘Slam’ will still destroy most dance floors you also have ‘Spank Spank’ (A classic piece of 808 jamming) doing dirty-gritty-percussive things that you didn’t really hear again until Basic Channel / Purpose Maker and beyond. And as for the A-Side vocals: We are Phuture, You can’t defeat us, To no one we compare…. Get ready for the coming age, Cos acid takes control, So slam your body to the beat, We will own your body and soul !....etc

Incidentally, I wasn’t aware that Marshall Jefferson had anything to do with this. I always understood it to be a DJ Pierre, Gene Hunt, Mike “Hitman” Wilson affair….?......

Ebullition Records - 12-Jun-07 10:24 PM
In a way this label and its one release could considered a prototype for Inceptive Records - the Label Rich Polson & Nick Dunton went on to set up after this one. The concept and style is basically very similar, though unfortunately Ebullition had to fold soon after its launch due (I believe) to distribution complications.
Theres even a track on the Painful Memories Ep called "Inceptive" !

Richard Polson & Nick Dunton - Painful Memories - 12-Jun-07 12:48 PM
This lesser known EP set up all the foundations of a great techno label that sadly never progressed passed the first release (I believe due to distribution problems).
In particular, track 2 - "Change" is a blinding electro number that oozes attitude and balls whilst retaining authenticity throughout. It really ought to be re-released so that more people can gain access.

Freaky Realistic - 14-Jan-05 07:16 AM
I dont know the true details of what happened with this band but I have to say that it seemed to be a classic example of a project being completely fucked up by the record company. I had got hold of the Frealism album promo on cassette a year or so before its actual release and we all loved it. It sounded really refreshing compared to all the progressive house Id been flooded with around that time. The whole thing flowed along nicely with interludes in the style of a radio staion called Frealism FM which promoted "Frealism" as a way of life. The first single (Something New) was fine, but perhaps the sales were slow or something because by the time Koochie Ryder came out, the main single version had been pushed to track 3 as if it was something to be ashamed of..? My dissapointment grew with the release of the Leonard Nimoy single - I eagerly expected to hear the Full Frealistic version from the promo featured but instead it had been replaced with a shity, over produced "extended version" and bunch of mediocre remixes. I can only assume that this was the decision of some visionless cunt at Polydor. Anyway, when the album was finally released it had completely lost the vibe of the promo. Many of the versions had been altered for the worse, some tracks were missing completely and the whole interlude thing had been totally abandoned. Freaky Realistic imploded soon after that. A damn shame in all. I had people begging me for copies of the promo for years afterwords.
Im not sure that "Frealism" would be relevant now but it was perfect in 1992 and no-one had a proper chance to notice. All because of what appears to be just bad A decisions... But I guess thats just freaky reality.

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