Here's some more from second-wave Detroit cat, Marc Kinchen. He was mentored by Terrence Parker and his early output was very techno. As Separate Minds he released "1st Bass" in 1988; it sampled a sound from Konami's 1987 stealth fighter video game Metal Gear to generate an outrageous melody, then laid a vocal loop from Saunderson's remix of The Wee Papa Girl Rapper's "Heat It Up" over the top to create dance floor mayhem. In taking that video game sample and using it to create music, Kinchen was really pushing the concept of techno - a genre whose name was symbolic of where it came from, how it was produced, and where it was going. Probably only electro (the 80s form, not the current dross) could claim a similar relationship between intent and name.
Having served his apprenticeship in Detroit, MK headed to the bright lights of New York where he became a leading exponent of dubby deep house (see K.E.L.S.E.Y's "Baby Can (M.K. Dub)" on the previous 313 Detroit post here). Eventually, he became one of the city's top remixers, helping Celine Dion and Betty Boo to achieve chart success... so no one's perfect.
For those of you who like your banging club techno from the turn of the millennium, Carl Cox's Intec imprint will be well known. I think one of its best tracks is Deetron's "Don't You Know Why?" from the Alien Entertainment EP (Discogs). Rocking:
But essentially it's just a rehash of "Get It Right", which is uptempo vocal house music bedded over manic percussion (the vocal is courtesy of Aretha Franklin's excellent 1983 release of the same name). MK also introduces some great techno noises later through the mixes, adding depth and twisting them in new and pleasingly darker directions.
This release also has quality straight up Detroit techno in "Divisions" and another house cut in "Feel The Fire".
All in all, really good stuff from a not too well known release.
Discogs A1 Get It Right (R. Flack Ooh Mix)
A2 Get It Right (M.K. Mix)
B1 Feel The Fire
B2 Divisions (Techno Mix)
B3 Get It Right (S & M Mix)
B4 Get Up Early (Remix)
Well regarded onDiscogs, but the housier or more abstract tracks have aged better than the big room techno ones. My favorites are Marc Kinchen's "Baby Can (M.K. Dub)" and Carl Craig's "Free Your Mind (Future)", but there is plenty to meet all tastes. Reel by Real's "Distance" is an absolute bleep-style classic - if you like this you should check last year's Martin Bonds retrospective "20 Years Surkit" for more Class A Detroit stylings.
A1 Dark Comedy - War Of The Worlds A2 Reel By Real - Distance B1 K.E.L.S.E.Y. - Baby Can (M.K. Dub) B2 Piece - Free Your Mind (Future) C1 Subterfuge - Unconscious World C2 Santonio - Electricity D1 Eddie "Flashin" Fowlkes - Warwick D2 69 - Desire
Fuck me if I haven't been a bit quiet on the posts of late. Never mind, here is a link to a reasonably long mix - 1hour40min or so - total old skool - and just done today so excuse any excesses. For those of you at Arm In Arm 5, you'll recognize the first half - I forgot to hit record on the night and this is my approximation of the set. It's straight up rocking dancefloor techno, rave and acid house - for those who are planning to sit down tonight in front of the telly and watch the fireworks, this mix isn't for you (but it should be).
Going to be a hot one here in Aus, 40 degrees Celsius (105 Fahrenheit) so this is just the one for a hot night out. No tracklisting; that would ruin the surprise!!!! Hope you enjoy; especially, some of my all time favorites for the last 2/3.
Oh, and happy new year - party like it's 1990!!!!!!
Don't think I've posted too much stuff from Detroit, but here's some quality tech house from the Burden brothers, here as Random Noise Generation. The original of "Falling In Dub" was released in 1991; it's here again and is still the top mix on this release. Other mixes are all different (and all good), from rave techno to house. Highly recommended.
