Detroit Techno Vinyl 108 Items

It has been a superb run but now, sadly, we come to the final part of Pariter's Derek Carr reissue series. Carr has been welcomed back into the heart of the underground in recent years with plenty of essential new sounds, but his archives as just as filled with gold. Postlude shows that with four more warm, inviting deep techno cuts embellished with cosmic synth details. 'djk' is a mid-tempo opener with smeared chords over tech-edged drums and 'Theta' gets more techno with golden synth lines rippling through the mix. 'Ariel' has a happy, upbeat feel to the chords and crisp drum funk and 'L'equipe' shuts down with a slightly slower, more laid-back vibe. All killer no filler.

Murphy Jax, over the past few years, has been steadily building up a back catalogue of solid electronic workouts. Delivering content for the likes of Clone`s Jack For Daze Series, Hypercolour, Exploited and Turbo, Jax’s style meanders through a variety of styles, ranging from low-slung, chuggy grooves through to straight up Chicago inspired house rhythms, always keeping the production intriguing and melodic. Here Murphy joins the Chiwax roster (A sub-label of Rawax, also running the Dubwax and Housewax labels), alongside heavy hitters like Gemini and Perseus Traxx. Jax tells us the story of the album ´´Imagine a pre-apocalyptic generation of robots on a planet of machines. This is the last generation before the big war against the darkness, slowly coming from space. Some groups are fighting each other in chaos, others party before everything seems to end and lots of them don’t know - yet, but they all dream of Echo City. The one and only safe point, founded by Dr. Nigel Echo in the deep, cold and blue core of the planet. Dreams, desires, rebellion and chaos. They´re all going to fight the coming darkness, united by the prince of nanomagica. Taking place at several different locations, we are looking into the last hours before it all begins and ends at the same time.´´ ``Teleport : Echo City´´ embraces a variety of styles, ranging from Chicago House, Classic Deep House, Movie Theme style cuts and raw Acid workouts. The mood of the records goes from child like melodies to dark, hypnotic and brooding synth heavy tracks. As expected Murphy Jax delivers an incredible LP of uncompromising quality here, ``Teleport : Echo City´´is out on Chiwax 4th September 2013.

Collection V1" marks FIT SOUND's first compilation, showcasing tracks from renowned artists Jared Wilson, Bizz O.D., and FIT Siegel. Detroit’s own Jared Wilson is a true master of the Tb-303, delivering jacking and melodic acid for over a decade. 'Mind Travel' is a mesmerizing 10-minute journey that intertwines melodic acid lines with ethereal strings. Bizz O.D., an enigmatic figure known for her jackin' acid techno tracks released between '93 and '98, emerges once again with the previously unreleased floor-killing acid stomper, 'One Two,' which, despite being recorded in the mid-'90s, remains as fresh as ever. FIT Siegel's contribution, 'No Feedback,' originated as a sampling exercise in the studio and transformed into an experimental yet functional piece that would find its home in the crates of adventurous DJs."

From the label: "Detroit’s 2Lanes delivers a heavy mix of tribal and dub percussions, hypnotic and eerie chants, sweeping and resonant synths across four tracks, with a collaboration featuring Jonathan Aylward's expansive stand-up bass licks to close out the EP. The result is a mind-bending, smoked-out psychedelic experience for Psychic Relief’s second release."

Detroit legend Omar S returns this week on his always different but always unmissable Fxhe label with the bouncy and neon-lit groove of 'Hard Times', which sees him collaborate once again with Megan Louise of Canadian outfit Desire (Italians Do It Better) on vocals. The original comes backed with a handy instrumental mix and a dreamy, plus an evocative rework by Idib chief Johnny Jewel over on the flip.

After flexing his more functional dj-tool approach on the previous Rod20 releases, ROD goes full on Detroit Techno on the Hood Spirit EP with four 1 take hardware jams filled with colour and light.

For those in the know, Brian Kage's chops as a producer and studio wizard are well established. The artist has released on Omar S' Fxhe, Carl Craigs' Planet-E, Steve Bug’s PokerFlat, Rob Modell’s Echospace, his own labels Beretta Music and Michigander, and other imprints, helped launch the careers of internationally respected DJs and producers like Seth Troxler, Ryan Crosson, and Luke Hess, and mix, mastered, and engineered for Ataxia, John F.M., OB Ignitt, Monty Luke, and more. Lauded for a sound that is rooted, yet forever forward in its approach, his most recent work, 909 Nights EP, is no exception. The title track reintroduces a winning team with Taho and Kage combining forces again. The release gets off the starting line with a booming kick, that signature drum sound of acid house's most infamous rhythm machine. Syncopated closed hats and cymbal crashes rush in before their crunchy snare and clap companions join in. Pitch bending open hats introduce track progressions like earth shattering orchestral stabs and rich, uplifting piano notes underwritten by deep chords and a fat bass line while short, squelchy, guitar-like licks dance below. As atmospheric as it is bumping, a synthetic flute playfully flutters into the mix, elevated by airy strings and a French filtered elastic brass solo lead. A touch of acid completes this journey through sound. Listeners would be forgiven for thinking they reopened Club Zanzibar in Detroit and this was its anthem. Shifting gears, "Warehouse Vibes" flares up next with phased effects and a filtered kick driving the track along a conveyor belt towards an all-enveloping dubby techno bliss. Pressure steadily builds up before being released in the form of steam flowing from creaky, rusted pipes. While the sonic palette delivers on its promise, this is no ordinary warehouse we've entered the gates into; it's breaking in through the shattered window of an abandoned industrial manufacturing facility territory instead. Perhaps a little fuzzy after the previous beatdown, "jax" is an intentionally full-body workout as the fist-pumping grip of the preceding cut gives way to hip-thrusting, put-your-back-in-it dancing action. Jacking drums lend the track a hefty bounce while the vocals really hammer the point home, in case there was somehow any confusion left as to what to do with this one. An impressing flex, partygoers are guaranteed to be going home seeing gains after each play. The Motor City may make less cars these days, but Brian Kage is an integral component of artists under the 313 emblem ensuring there's no shortage of newer model Detroit house and techno productions that are reliable and well worth the ride.

Motor City label Upstairs Asylum celebrates its roots in 313 with this new Dance Detroit EP featuring a wealth of American house innovators. First up, Reggie Dokes and Steve Crawford join forces on 'Fear Of Failure', a house track steeped in Detroit soul. Martin Prather's 'Until' follows on with his stylish and soul-drenched grooves. Steve Crawford then goes it alone and turns up the drums on his potent 'Let You Go' (feat Tony B) and then get deeply emotional on 'Love Is Here' this time with help from featured artist Anthony Poteat. Prather and then label regular and Atlanta man Reggie Dokes closes down with his 'Not Ready.'

Norm Talley's Upstairs Asylum label only arrived in 2021 but is already up there with the great Motor City imprints. The boss has been busy putting together a trio of new EPs for the first half of 2023 that showcases a wealth of Mid-West talent. House hero Boo Williams kicks off this one with his typically tight drum programming and party-starting synth work on 'Tickin Clock.' Eric Johnson keeps it raw, deep and loopy on 'Melodic Gruv' then Reggie Dokes brings his signature Atlanta house sound to 'Mother's Child' with its melancholic lead sax and 'End of Time' is a broken beat bliss out.

Upstairs Asylum Recordings is one of the many seminal Detroit labels run by local legend Norm Talley. It's right in the middle of a busy run right now with no fewer superb run with three new EPs all dropping in quick succession. This one is a split EP with US duo Solid Gold Playaz taking care of the a-side. As always with this pair, their sounds are deep and dusty house with exquisite melodies tugging at the heart. On the flip, Gari Romalis steps up with the slick percussive skip of 'Detroit After Dark' then 'Panties' from Brian Neal brings jacked up analogue groves that lean into techno with a big fat bassline.