Carl Craig – Landcruising

One of those albums that should carry a Parental Advisory sticker: Contains unnecessary guitar noodling (how can one mess up a great track like Science Fiction adding that at the end?)

Music for the deep generation.

Seriously stunning album, I can't believe it took me so long to get this. Artistic, melodic techno of the highest order.

This is an absolutly mindblowing album, by one of my favourite artists. I heard this up and down for a long time when it was released in 1995.

Carl Craig. For me, he's the biggest, the most influential musical hero emerging from Detroit. Yes, that's saying a lot but this album is a solid proof how such a claim can be made. For me, a definite proof that a quality full length Detroit techno album can be made. I'd even rate this as one of all time greatest electronic music albums ever.
So, you know Carl. He has his unique style, far from hard hitting, percussion driven techno. The deal is that we have a wide range of techno here, some more beat driven, some more sound scape oriented, dare I say ambient. Hey listen, the guy has even made a techno tune which has an electronic guitar on it, 'Science Fiction, and it still sounds freaking awesome. 'Science Fiction', which was later released as a single and practically the only single from this album, is a remarkable, atmospheric breakbeat techno which is a great way to kick things off after the melancholic 'Mind Of A Machine'. 'A Wonderful Life' and later 'Home Entertainment' provide more ambient intervals which fit in really well. Then the mellow moods of 'Landcruising' , the energy and technological spirit of 'They Were' and 'One Day Soon', this album is wide range of musical sceneries each and every one perfectly executed.
Released back in 1995, I can only imagine what this sounded like. I found this years later and I was blown away. Trust me on this one, I swear, you really can't put a price tag on this one.

pretty, pretty good

Like the track titles, the scope of this album is vast. Big slabs of synth caress your inner ear and make you burst with positive energy which is heightened by the rhythmic undercurrents, leaving you aching for more joyful experience in this wonderful life (and maybe sharing some of your own).

If you never heard about Detroit Techno's Sci-Fi based on sophisticated, futuristic and innovative soundscapes (and yes, with some Jazz influences), you should start by listening to Carl Craig's tracks such as "Mind Of A Machine" and "A Wonderful Life". That’s one of the reasons why you shouldn’t miss “Landcruising” LP at all, since it contains both tunes and many more of that level. The first mentioned track has a so 'ahead-of-our-time' atmosphere that you can easily imagine a Blade Runner scenario when listening to it (I have heard histories that 'machines had minds' many times, and this track ensured me about this possibility, for real). The climax sprang from all these elements bring us to the inevitable conclusion that it deserves to be considered one of the highest examples of ‘Sci-Fi’ ambient-techno masterpieces. The second one has lovely pianos combined with synthesizer pads plus dub elements of the hi-hats & snares that bring a unique atmosphere to the tune – something that makes us wonder how far can go the human mind’s creativeness, and how wonderful life can be...

I remember Carl once said in an interview, no one at his record label really understand how to promote it.......me personally, I would strap a monster soundsystem under a Stealth Bomber and fly around the world and let rip with these killer slabs of digital soul...at dangerously low altitude, with me strapped to the nose, groovin' like a Drexciyan with a plankton problem....

A further masterpiece like "More Songs About Food And Revolutionary Art" and "Programmed" (as Innerzone Orchestra, both records on Planet E), since I've heard such advanced works I always keep an eye on Carl's recent activities. So it's recommended to watch out after "The Detroit Experiment" too!