I am really liking these Detroit sounds I am hearing. Just loving it. I just heard this tune, as in 10 minutes ago, while listening to the latest programme from Benji B on BBC Radio 1. Seems like I discover these Detroit tunes whilst listening to BBC radio.

Here is "New For U" or is it "New 4u"? - by Andres. So good! It has that dreamy feel, that seems to be my fave kind of house/techno tune.

Deetroit tech

I found this video via my twitter feed - see, twitter is good for some things eh?

Its a video produced by RA (Resident Advisor) and its a beautiful short documentary about the birthplace of techno. Unfortunately most Americans have no idea where electronic music came from. But if people did some digging they'd learn that house and techno originated in Yankland in the 80s'.

I myself didn't really know this for a long time - even when I lived right by Detroit! Imagine, a lover of electronic music, living right by Detroit, having no idea that the music I love found its origins just a few miles down Ford Road. That shows though, how buried this crucial part of music history is in the mainstream.

That's why I like this video, because it expresses those frustrations, of how much Michiganders and Americans have no clue about this amazing part of music history in America. Me and my brothers and some friends have expressed these same frustrations. Imagine if house and techno became as big in America as they did in Europe, or as big as hip hop in America - electronic music would nowhere be as underground as it is now.

Anyway, watch the video. What I especially love is the bit about the Youthville group - those kids are so damn lucky! And talented! And I'm pretty sure I've passed by that building. And here's an article about Motor, a club that's mentioned in the video.

Real Scenes: Detroit from Resident Advisor

Now that I think about it, I'm a filmmaker, I love electronic music, and I'm familiar with Detroit - I wish I did some work on this video!

Oh also, here's a list from Beatport of more films about Detroit techno! One day I will have watched all of them. :-D

Dance America

Hi everyone.
First off a couple weeks ago I heard this track and watched this video by Azealia Banks. I never jumped on the Banks bandwagon mostly because I thought "212" was too loud with a lot of unnecessary swearing. But I really like this "1991" tune. Why? It's a great title first of all coz the song sounds like it could've come out in 1991 - almost. Same with the video. And I'm loving the throwback to hip house. Also, this song is a proper dance tune, unlike all the rubbish these days that somehow passes for dance music, or even as house. I hope Banks is teaching those wack producers a lesson here.

I read somewhere that she left the XL label. I wonder why that is. I've always liked XL.

Anyway all the hip and cool kids will already be familiar with this song and video, but I don't care. I'm posting it anyway! 

Also, a few weeks ago I happened to tune into BBC Radio. I listened to the "Essential" show by Pete Tong except that this time, 2 lads named Jamie Jones and Seth Troxler replaced him. I wish they hosted the program every week! The duo were terrific to listen to as they had a fantastic selection and were also quite funny. And it turns out that Jones is Welsh, and Troxler is from Michigan! You can actually listen and download to the mix here, since its now expired on the BBC Radio website. Also Jones is quite fanciable :-D

One of the tunes they played was by a fella named Omar S, who is from the D! Representing good ol' Detroit Techno. Have a listen, and this is Omar's website.

Detroit takes over football! Really.

I was watching the dreadful Italy-England quarterfinal Euro 2012 match this past Sunday at my friend's place. (Rooney is rubbish by the way). We could hear the football chants of course and someone remarked that it sounded like the White Stripes. Huh? But I was too busy gripping the arm of the sofa from nervousness, to think about it further at that moment.

After England inevitably got kicked out, the football chant was stuck in my head on the way to the train. And I realized, that it did sound like the guitar riff from "7 Nation Army". But I thought nah, that's a coincidence, the English fans were just singing something similar.

And of course I was wrong. Completely wrong. Turns out, it was the ITALIAN fans and they were ACTUALLY singing "7 Nation Army" by the White Stripes! How did I find out? For some reason the chant was in my head again today, so I looked up "football chant white stripes" today on Google and I found this article. I learned that its the unofficial anthem for Italian football fans.

Well isn't that just amazing? I think it's great that this Detroit garage rock band has this tune that sports fans sing the world over. Here it is.

And here's some video of Italian fans singing the song, to prove this actually happens. This is after Italy stole the World Cup from Zidane's France (can you tell I'm not a fan of the Italians?) But it's cool that this is their chant.

High Tech Soul

Although it's not really very well made - some of it seems quite choppy and unprofessional, as a music nerd from the Detroit area, I was pretty much blown away by this one hour documentary from 2006 (you can watch the whole thing online HERE). First of, props go to my sister who recommended it to me. The rest of my thoughts are gonna go in bullet points:

• This thing has got some MAD beats! I like the original dark, menacing, dirty underground sound of Detroit techno.

• Can't help but feel some love for Detroit after watching this. I like the attitude of the place and the other-worldliness that you don't get in normal cities with tourists such as DC where I'm at now. There's definitely something REAL about Detroit. You don't end up there or go there if you're a faker.

• It's funny how Detroit techno made its first big moves in the music world in London, another place where I've lived. I never really appreciated that connection when I first moved to America. The popularity of techno music in London forever changed the music scene not just in the UK, but in the whole of Europe. The techno scene in Berlin looks wicked - I'd love to check that out one day.

• Have to check out some music from the pioneers of techno - Juan Atkins, Kevin Saunderson, and Derrick May.

who's afraid?

Here we go, a minimalist contribution from me. Don't know much about this track or artist, but I do rather like it, and the vid isn't bad either. Reppin' the adopted hometown:

Discovered: Harmonic 313

Alright, well, I might be a bit behind here but I came across Harmonic 313 recently thanks to all the hoopla surrounding the Warp20 release (which I'm sure is excellent). The name intrigued me as 313 is the area code for Detroit, but apparently that's not where the name comes from. Instead Harmonic 313 is the alias for one Mark Pritchard, one of a few aliases. He's based out of Sydney and does some nice bleepy 8-bitty dubsteppy stuff which I am likin'. There are some mixes up on the web that are readily available (see links below) but I recommend picking up the album When Machines Exceed Human Intelligence as it's quite excellent and is an actual album, meaning you can hear it evolve as it plays -- very nice. Oh, and 313 is apparently the frequency produced by planets turning on their axes, so there you go.

There's a mix here.
And another one here.
And here's the myspace page for Mark Pritchard.
Oh, and check out the Harmonic 313 homepage, which is fun and if you win the word game you can get a free track!