Morning all, Just a (not very) quick note to list some of the Detroit purchases I made over the weekend:
Robert Hood "NightTime World 2" (M-Plant) Excellent vinyl triple pack (finally) from Mr. Hood, I hadn't heard it before as I don't have a CD player (something I intend to rectify if only for the reissue of Sun Ra's "Languidity") and had been warned that it wasn't that good. Maybe it's because I approached it with a scepticism to have blown away but this just confirms for me that Rob Hood is one of the top 3 producers from Detroit right now (see below for the other two). From the cover of Love Unlimited's "Midnight Groove" to the straight up minimal techno of "Teflon" to the closing "Blackness" it's a forward looking collection. Underground Resistance "Revolution For Change" (Network) Finally found it. The last copy in Smallfish was peeking out at me from down behind the counter just before I left. Underground Resistance "Nation 2 Nation" (UR) I have never found a copy of this which was properly centred. This one is. I also heard "Millenium 2 Millenium" and wasn't vastly impressed. I resisted the temptation to buy it anyway, but I will probably cave in in future... Deep Chord 7 No comment on top of all previous ones needed really. Sounds like Basic Channel stuff. Which is OK by me. Still looking for #09, and finding it increasingly hard. If anyone in the US digs up a spare one, let me know privately, I'll cover the costs (though email me before you shell out for it, in case I find one tomorrow or something.) This is also the case with "Every Dog part 1", of which only 50 copies made it to the UK, allegedly. Stacey Pullen "The Stand" (Black Flag) Hi energy bassline or no, I reckon it's great dancefloor stuff. Haven't had the chance to hear him DJ recently, as Space are evil when it comes to announcing line ups that haven't been booked. Sean Deason & Claude Young "Zig Zag" (Intuit Solar) Zig is the one for me, nice subtle production all round. I have to admit, I haven't heard anything Sean has done for ages, i.e. since about 96 (sorry Sean). I will rectify this in future on the evidence of this. Claude Young "Fading The Edges" (Deta) What the f***?! This is superb. If you haven't got this already then get it. Claude Young takes it to another level: the attention to detail is phenomenal, and damn, this sh*t is deep! My 2nd of top 3 Detroit producers right now. Thanks to Tristan for pointing this one out. Anthony Shakir "Tracks For My Mother" (Frictional) Nobody, for me, does it better than Shake just now. There was a lot of talk recently about (the lack of) parallels with jazz in techno, yet for me Anthony Shakir is well and truly in the jazz ethic. Everything he does exudes artistic integrity for me: raw, honest, soulful electronic music. Respect. A true creative force. No 1, if you hadn't guessed it... Includes a version of "Bob" from his release on Klang. Joe Henderson "Power To The People" (Milestone) I have looked for this for ages, just for the Pharoah Sanders-esque "Black Narcissus", so I am pleased. Apologies for the lack of techno to this one, but it is from Detroit. If you haven't heard Joe before, and you'd like to, check out his excellent LPs for Blue Note (especially "Mode For Joe", which is perhaps the best album on the whole label). Also, I have finally got round to getting a new mixer (over a year of withdrawal symptoms were getting too much), so I will, when I get the means to record, be putting a few mixes/compilations online. I'll (tactfully) let you all know as and when. You'll have to forgive me if it isn't all promos/white labels: as you can see from the above, I've been catchin' up a wee bit. Take care, Jonny.
