In a message dated 6/15/00 5:26:46 PM Eastern Daylight Time, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes:
<< Don't forget Panic in Detroit on Buzz. Lots of stuff on Buzz. >> Speaking of summing up, here are the eight most recognized very out of print "classic" Detroit comps. They are available on vinyl as well. Comments below each. Techno: The New Dance Sound of Detroit 2CD, Ten/Virgin (UK) Rhythim Is Rhythim: It Is What It Is Blake Baxter: Forever and a Day Eddie “Flashin’” Fowlkes: Time to Express K.B. Experience: Electronic Dance Members of the House: Share This House A Tongue & D Groove: Feel Surreal Spark: Mia Hesterley Juan: Techno Music Area 10: Love Take Me Over Reel By Real: Aftermath KGB: Stark MK: Mirror Mirror Octave One: I Believe Infiniti: Techno Por Favor Psyche: Elements Vice: Ritual A bit out dated at this point: about half the stuff seems to have lost its flavor and the other half are available on lots of retrospectives. I didn't really go for Techno 2 very much, perhaps because I've never been a fan of "I Believe" so I only really liked the Psyche track (the MK, Infiniti and Vice) are alright. The first comp has tons of stuff that's appeared on the Atkins, May, and Saunderson retrospectives. Anyone else think "Big Fun" doesn't sound quite the same these days? Embrace the Future CD, Buzz (Belgium) Destiny: Kaleidascope Random Noise Generation: Falling in Dub Vice: Mindmelt Never on Sunday: Memories of You The Disciples of Jovan Blade: Take Me Away Roots and Culture: Kuzalunga Octave One featuring Lisa Newberry: I Believe Eddie "Flashin'" Fowlkes: Liquid Disaster Never went for any of these guys productions. Panic In Detroit CD, Buzz (Belgium) Open House featuring John Beltran: Rainforest Prototype: The Path Serenna X: Yennek M500: Dimensions Eddie “Flashin’” Fowlkes: O.C.C. Lucky Charm: Double X-Posure Inertia: Satisfaction Eddie “Flashin’” Fowlkes: Pure Afro Sound Good comp: John Beltran is the man. The rest of the tracks are alright but this is not an essential comp. Relics CD, Buzz (Belgium) Long Ago: A Relic Interval I Rhythim Is Rhythim: Beyond the Dance Remix Interval II BFC: Evolution Interval III Long Long Ago: Another Relic Interval IV Model 500: Info World Psyche: Crackdown Remix Interval V Mayday: MS 6 Interval VI Rhythim Is Rhythim: The Dance Interval VII Suburban Knight: The Art of Stalking Interval VIII Longer Than Long Ago: A Relic Easily the best of the Buzz comps: I think most any Detroit producer other than Underground Resistance or the Martian (which might be Mad Mike again) has done nothing even approaching what Derrick May recorded (most of it over a decade old at this point). Equinox, the Beginning: Nite and Da CD, Buzz (Belgium) Urban Tribe: Covert Action Carl Craig with Sarah Gregory: As Time Goes By (Sitting Under a Tree) Never on Sunday: The Journey Carl Craig: No More Words Carl Craig: Suspiria Sarah Gregory: As Time Goes By (Sitting Under a Tree) Open House featuring Placid Angels: Aquatic Again a phenomenal track by John Beltran, but this track appears on "Earth & Nightfall". I'd say the other Carl Craig stuff sounds like very old, early experiments, none of the punch of say "My Machines" or the realization of "Landcruising". Another decent record that isn't essential: what's really strange about this CD is they could've probably fit the four Retroactive 12"s (minus the Sarah Gregory 12") onto one disc and yet they only put about a half hour of tracks on (and the best track from Retroactive, UR's, does not appear). Virtual Sex CD, Buzz (Belgium) Bango: Mystical Adventures Neuropolitique: Bananagate Stefan Robbers: Foreign Dimensions As One: Shambala Rhythim Is Rhythim: Icon Redcell: In Version Carl Craig: At Les Lark: Tedra Very good comp for the May, Craig and Redcell tracks. The other tracks are all good but I don't think in the same league as those three legendary producers. Both the May and Craig tracks reappear elsewhere making this comp not really worth the $50+ you can expect to pay for it. Bio Rhythm CD, Network (UK) Rhythmatic: Take Me Back Nexus 21: Self-Hypnosis Symbols and Instruments: Mood (Optimystic Mix) MK: Somebody New Kate B: Free C & M Connection: Bio Rhythms Rhythim Is Rhythim: Emanon Neal Howard: Indulge Critical Rhythm: Fall Into a Trance Paris Grey: Don’t Lead Me (2001 Mix) Good, but too much UK stuff: the only UK producers from the pre-Warp era I really still like are Rhythmatic who make awesome, punchy reduced techno and to some extent MK. A Rhythmatic retrospective CD would be cool but I can only think of about five tracks by them so maybe not enough material. Bio Rhythm 2 CD, Network (UK) Rhythmatic: Frequency (Depth Mix) Fade 2 Black: The Calling Energize: Report to the Dance Floor (Electro Mix) Heychild: Heychild’s Theme Rhythim Is Rhythim: Drama Psyche: From Beyond Model 500: Info World Nexus 21: Together Xon: Dissonance Constant Ritual: Hard Ways to Come Suburban Knight: The Worlds C & M Connection: Flutes Much better than the first Bio Rhythm. Tons of Detroit and some very good tracks from Nexus 21, Rhythmatic, etc. I'd deem this one essential, most of the tracks are probably the best things their producers ever did (a lot of these producers were fairly obscure though). RetroTechno: Detroit Definitive Emotions Electric CD, Network (UK) Model 500: No UFO’s Reese: Just Another Chance Mayday: Freestyle Rhythim Is Rhythim: The Dance R-Tyme: R-Theme Cybotron: Clear Reese: Rock to the Beat X-Ray: Let’s Go Blake Baxter: When We Used to Play (Unreleased Mix) Separate Minds: First Bass Kevin Saunderson: The Groove That Won’t Stop Rhythim Is Rhythim: Strings of Life (Unreleased Mix) Obviously the track listing indicates how good this is. I'd say this holds up much better than the Techno 2CD for an overview of the Belleville Three. The Cyboton and X-Ray are very dated, the Baxter and Minds tracks aren't my thing, the Saunderson and Atkins tracks are on their retrospectives. Even as a good comp though I still wouldn't call this essential: if you have "Innovator", "Faces and Phases" and "Classics" you have the best stuff with almost no filler from the three originals. I suppose if you consider this a mix CD it's not too bad. The only discs from the eight above I'd call essential are "Bio Rhythm 2" and probably "Relics". The rest are good but as I grow less and less interested in anything but the very best techno I lose interest in even above average material. Matt
