Detroit Techno
Detroit techno is both a subgenre as well as the forerunner of techno. It emerged in the early to mid 1980s and drew its influences from funk, electro funk and house on the one hand, on the other from European music styles like electro pop, EBM or industrial, combining the grooves of funk with the cold, mechanistic sounds of electronic music. Detroit techno's characteristics are a 4/4 beat (usually created by Roland TR-808 or TR-909 drum machines), a – compared to later techno styles – rather »more-dimensional« harmonic structure and usually no vocals. Contrary to Chicago house with its positive vibe, Detroit techno creates a cooler, more sinister and futuristic atmosphere.
Detroit techno has its origins in the suburban black middle class of Detroit. By 1980, the once prospering »Motor City« was a city in decline. Factories and companies had closed, robots had replaced workers, unemployment and crime rates were high and the middle class had fled to the suburbs. Its African-American youth was strongly into European culture and synthesizer-based music like Kraftwerk, Tangerine Dream, Yello , New Order or Heaven 17. Another important influence in this post-industrial climate were the theories and books of futurologist Alvin Toffler and the discourse of Afrofuturism. Detroit was the appropriate place for the emergence of a new futuristic sound built on experimenting with technology.
A major role in the development of Detroit techno played radio dj Charles Johnson aka The Electrifying Mojo who supplied Detroit's youth with an eclectic mix of music
in his radio show, regardless of genre boundaries, and thus also exposed them to European electronic music. Young people like Juan Atkins, Kevin Saunderson and Derrick May, three high school buddies from Detroit suburb Belleville who are considered as the founding fathers of Detroit techno and are also known as the »Belleville Three«. They shared a love for artists like Parliament, Bootsy Collins and Prince on the one hand, on the other Kraftwerk, Giorgio Moroder, Depeche Mode and Yellow Magic Orchestra.
In 1980, Juan Atkins – often called the »Godfather of Detroit techno« – and Richard Davis aka 3070 formed the electro group Cybotron. Besides »Sharevari« (1981) by A Number Of Names, Cybotron's »Alleys of your Mind« (1981), »Cosmic Cars« (1982) and »Techno City« (1984) can be seen as forerunners or even earliest examples of Detroit techno. While the electro scene started to turn its head to hip hop in the mid 1980s, Atkins fell in love with the pounding 4/4 beat of the emerging Chicago house. Cybotron split up in 1985, Atkins founded the label »Metroplex« and under the alias Model 500, he released the first Detroit techno record: »No UFO's«. Metroplex should become one of the genre's most important labels with releases like the 1986 party anthem »Goodbye Kiss« by Eddie Flashin’ Fowlkes or »Triangle Of Love« (1986) by Kreem.
In 1986, Derrick May aka Mayday – often referred to as the »Innovator of Detroit techno« – started to produce music, too. Under the alias Rhythim Is Rhythim he released the Detroit techno classics »Strings Of Life« (1987, in collaboration with Michael James) and »It Is What It Is« (1988). By the end of the 1980s, May retreated from the techno scene, being unhappy with the hype and commercialization of techno.
Kevin Saunderson initially planned to focus on dj-ing but finally also started to produce music, releasing »Triangle Of Love« in 1986 together with Juan Atkins under the alias Kreem. Saunderson – often called the »Elevator of Detroit techno« – founded KMS Records in 1987 and had huge commercial success with his project Inner City and hits like »Big Fun« and »Good Life« (both 1988). »Big Fun« was featured on the British compilation »Techno: The New Dance Sound of Detroit« by Virgin Records' sublabel 10 Records which established the term »Detroit techno« in Europe.
By the early 1990s, the so-called »second wave of Detroit techno« entered the scene with artists like Carl Craig, Robert Hood, Richie Hawtin, Kenny Larkin as well as of course Mike Banks aka Mad Mike and Jeff Mills who together founded Underground Resistance in 1989 – not only a label but also a music project/ collective with political and social messages and an attire consisting of black ski masks and combat suits (nevertheless, Underground Resistance always distanced themselves from militarism and terrorism). Mills and Banks were soon joined by Robert Hood, who later would become the founding father of minimal techno. One of Underground Resistance's classics is »Punisher« from 1991. The same year, Jeff Mills – due to his dj-ing skills also known as »The Wizard« – left Underground Resistance to pursue a solo career, founded Axis Records in 1992 and would become one of the most prominent and important Detroit techno artists, with tracks like »Step To Enchantment (Stringent)« (1993), »Black Is The Number«, »In The Bush« (both 1995) and especially »The Bells« (1996).
Another highly influential second wave artist is Carl Craig, who also produced under various aliases like Psyche, BFC, Paperclip People and Innerzone Orchestra which allowed him to experiment with a lot of styles including the combination of electronic music with jazz or neo-classical music. Starting out as a protégé of Derrick May, Craig founded his own label Planet E Communications in 1991, became a Grammy- awarded remixer and with his Innerzone Orchestra track »Bug in the Bassbin« (1992), he inspired the emerging drum’n’bass scene in the UK. Richie Hawtin aka Plastikman or F.U.S.E. founded the label Plus 8 in 1990 together with John Acquaviva and would become one of the pioneers of minimal techno.
A »third wave of Detroit techno« did not produce as important artists and tracks as the former ones, an example for a classic track though is 1999's »Jaguar« by DJ Rolando aka The Aztec Mystyc, released on Underground Resistance. Some artists like Jeff Mills or Richie Hawtin had left Detroit and techno enjoyed much more success in Europe. Nevertheless, in 2000 the Detroit Electronic Music Festival (since 2007 Movement Electronic Music Festival) was founded to annually celebrate techno at its birthplace.
