Model 500 – Digital Solutions

Not everything on here is right up my street by I love Hi NRG, Electric Night, Standing in Tomorrow & Digital Solutions. Lovely stuff

As a long time admirer of Juan's work (recognising that other folks are involved now), I have to say I found this very well produced but ultimately rather unexciting. Nothing really sticks out. Okay iIf I were to dig a little, I'd give points for that shuffled rhythm in Control with the vocoded vocals. And it modulates! The Groove moves in a similar vibe too, here's where the guitar solo finds a spot, and it's imho a higher point for the album (smack in the face for dullards that hate on this part, go listen to Enter by Cybotron!!). Hi NRG has a nice 4/4 cruising feel to it with one of the more effective synth riffs. The slow electro funk of Electric Night has that nice ascending chorus section. But there's nothing like the bold hooks of the Classics era here, or even I Wanna Be There. It's all rather too smooth.

Yeah, I dont wish to add to the bad vibes and I hate writing bad reviews. But this is appalling. What was Mr Atkins thinking?!??! I thought maybe I got it wrong when I first purchased it. Let it settle and then try giving it another whirl. Well...6 years later, it sounds worse than ever! Have to mention the terrible infographic design of the whole thing too. Next!

Hello all, even though im a fan of Model 500 and Juan Atkins in particular ive got to say that this album is terrible. Really its that bad, it sounds like a lot of un cool dads making a techno album. There s a guitar riff,solo cant remember what track ,but its so lame it needs putting down, sorry Juan hate to do it .

Anyone know who Mastered this? the vinyl release sounds really flat to me.

I not agree with negative opinions. I think this album is "god touched" and will be listened just like the old material from Juan in 10-20-5000 years to come. Great album, just at your nose and still under the radar . One will understand when some good DJ will play Hi NRG at 5 oclock in the perfect sunrise environment. This track is simply magic, and this album is from the future which is now. Juan is still crafting timeless stuff here but this time it's more sophisticated. On some levels it features advanced qualities from Infiniti realms (Storm with its badass bas, basic chanel stabs and electro production approach is like everything from Infiniti days). We can find also Deep Space here (Hi NRG is a p-funk floating in andromeda area). Standing In Tomorrow is mindblowing with the rawest Detroit substance imaginable, a classic Cybotron! And there is Control...mad, robotic, hi-tech funk... There is much creativity throughout the variety of tracks and styles, one can't simply embrace it in regular cognition process because it holds the techno heritage from all directions and beyond like some treasure chest, and it demands repetitive listens, it summons you to be back. Atkins was accused in the second part of his career of being off his track, loosing his gear, loosing his edge. Digital Solutions adresses those doubts and it's clear now that not only he was getting more&more goofy (goo-funky) with productions but also more&more advanced. Just like the best men in industry and just like father should. The logic behind his advancing would be going forward into the past, reinventing Kraftwerk & p-funk in space. Who knows if that's not what we all are ahead to, reinventing the globe we live in, we're going forward to the start point which is the master plan. And he controls the master plan. This album will rock more and more, the time will tell

I agree with Gimac123. The tracks on this album sound strangely predictable and colourless, simply repeating genre clichés with a lack of attention to detail - e.g., loops repeated to often without modulation.The mastering lacks edge and sounds suitable for a small living-room stereo rather than a PA. The whole thing seems like an attempt at making techno as a museal reminiscence palatable to a bigger, commercial public mostly interested in the "stars".

I'm his biggest fan but ultimately this album is disapointing, nothing new or interesting for me, it sounded like Model 500 but also very dated. I hated the guitar riff.

When word of a new Model 500 album spread it spread fast and everyone was excited to hear the good news. Wasn't much question if the music was going to be quality. Only really a question of direction. Would it be 80s like or 90s driving techno or even have some drum n bass. This was an easy purchase for me. Support your favorite artists. Electric night & Standing in Tommorrow are excellent. Well done retro tracks that have you saying welcome back Model 500! Encounter works for me even if I don't mind the style (dubstep). Balls for pulling it off Juan & Co. Storm is sick. Berlin meets Detroit for 2015. You don't like techno if you do not like this. The groove would work better for me without the guitar but it's ok. Station is a sick electro track. It really could have been worked over a bit and really pulled out all the stops, the rhythm of that track is dope. The last two tracks lose a little steam for me. Digital Solutions is ok but the last one wasn't my cup of tea. Overall a solid record. Should have gotten a few more tracks for being a full length otherwise this is 5 minutes or one song linger then a maxi single or E.P. However it's good to hear Juan is back as model 500. An Infiniti album would be ace as well. Hint hint. Grade B