Various – Retro Techno / Detroit Definitive - Emotions Electric

This lovingly produced compilation from 1991 has more of a retrospective flavour as the name suggests. The earliest tracks here are Cybotron's 1983 Kraftwerk-ian electro classic "Clear" and Model 500's proto-techno "No UFO's (D-Mix)" from 1985. This release was the first appearance on CD for nearly every track.

The thick booklet is loaded with label discographies, artist biographies for Juan, Kevin and Derrick, short quotes on the creative origins behind each track and a re-edit of John McCready's NME piece from 1988. The quality and care obviously put into this collection helped to cultivate a fan-base devoted to Detroit techno as serious sonic art and music for home hi-fi listening as well as in the club.

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Neil Rushton's liner notes:

There was no warning. In the middle of 1987 and Chicago Ja-Ja-Ja- Jack fever a record from Detroit filtered into the UK. The label was called Transmat. The design was futuristic and suggested a 21st century Multi-National. It came from a bedroom in a neglected part of Detroit where taxi cabs would not go. Records from Detroit were the epitome of soul. This record was devoid of soul. It was however steeped in spirit. It was called "Nude Photo". The artist was Rhythim Is Rhythim. Listening to it the first time was weird. The second time made it seem even stranger. A sequenced mutant technology borne of a crazed imagination. A phone number on the label was answered by a man called Derrick May. He sounded... different. He sent a white label of the next 12". It was called "Strings Of Life" and it was a masterpiece. It still is. 20 year olds at Midlands Club where I played "House Music" hated it. The 15 year olds at the kids session went mad. Something was happening. Within two months Derrick arrived in England with four boxes of "Strings Of Life" to help pay for the flight. He had tapes of tracks with strange titles like "Sinister", "Wiggin" and "R-Theme". We didn't know it, but the bandwagon was already halfway down the hill.

Derrick mentioned his old schoolmates, Kevin Saunderson and Juan Atkins. "They make music too", he said. "We call it Techno". A meeting was arranged. It seemed we might be able to sell some records. Mick Clark at 10 Records agreed to take a compilation of this strange music. In Detroit I needed one final track to complete the album. Kevin pulled out a box with "Big Fun" scrawled across it. The next tape he played was "Rock To The Beat". I told Kevin to get ready to quit university. He thought I was joking. Within 12 months Techno had established itself as the most enduring influence on dance music. The nineties began and this remained the case. Suddenly life was all about tracking how many millions of sales Inner City had chalked up, video budgets and remixes. Techno had gone mainstream. Too many conversations were about money. This album is from a time when Techno was a secret society. Not many people knew the codes. A time when staying up all night in Derrick's studio-come-bedroom where the taxi cabs wouldn't go meant hearing "It Is What It Is" for the first time. "Freestyle", "No UFO's" and "Just Want Another Chance" followed. It was wonderful. Retro Techno rewinds to them. It is what it was. Emotions Electric indeed.

Neil Rushton 1991

My CD has bronzed. Thankfully the audio seems unaffected. I've ripped the tracks off it without difficulty.

Hadn't heard this in a long time, and noticed today that it is starting to suffer with the common oxidization issue that plagued some CDs during this era.

How I love this Album, pure classic Detroit Techno. I've had this piece of vinyl nigh on 22years and never tire of listening to it. Just Another Chance by Reese is pure gold. Highly recomended to anyone who loves this sound.