Celebrating Black History: Detroit techno icons

Underground music was built on love, unity, respect, and inclusivity. Mixmag is celebrating Black History Month over the next four weeks in commemoration of electronic music's most cherished and revered artists who embraced these founding values.

This week, we're putting our hands up for Detroit, the birthplace of techno and the starting point for many of the genre's most iconic, forging talents.

There's no discussion of Detroit techno without mention of The Belleville Three. The legendary trio made up of Kevin Saunderson, Juan Atkins and Derrick May are celebrated as the founders of the seminal genre. The trio met at Belleville High School, became close-knit friends and all took influence from the downtrodden socio-economic setting of Detroit at the time. Motifs of violence, economic collapse and cultural despair led to industrial and desolate themes.

Through it all, the three embraced music and each became icons in their own right. Juan Atkins became known as ‘The Initiator’, Derrick May ‘The Innovator’ and Kevin Saunderson ‘The Elevator’.

After paving the way for a rich techno culture within the city and helping grow what is now known as Movement Electronic Music Festival, Saunderson, Atkins and May branched off into their own projects with the labels KMS, Metroplex and Om and Transmat, respectively. The Belleville Three hiatus will end this year as the trio finally plan to return and share the stage at this year’s Coachella and Movement.

Eddie Fowlkes is another that has become synonymous with the genre of techno. An early face in the scene, the revered artist caught the DJ bug as a teenager when he first saw Darryl Shannon mixing records at a summer party.

Fowlkes realized the positive impact music could have on a city going through tough economic times. He developed his sound signatures beside fellow Detroit icons Juan Atkins (releasing his first tune 'Goodbye Kiss' on Atkins' Metroplex imprint ) and Derrick May, who he roomed with during their formative years.

From the days of earning the name 'Flashin Fowlkes' (for his quick cut mixing) until now, Eddie has celebrated the unyielding force of techno for over three decades and is showing no signs of stopping.

[Photo: Marie Staggat]

Carl Craig represents the elite of what many people call the second wave of Detroit techno. Experimental and boundary pushing in his own right, Craig has pulled from influences of jazz, soul, disco and everything in between to explore his fascination with music, technology and futurism.

Carl has gone far beyond the role of a classic DJ: on top of heading up his label Planet E, he leads concert orchestras, composes Grammy-nominated remixes (his C2 version of Junior Boys' 'Like A Child') and works with scholarship programs for higher music education for underprivileged youths.

Craig, who's also had a vital hand in the development of Movement Festival, helms his ongoing party series, Detroit Love, which is a curated and celebratory streak of events that has invited everyone from Jay Daniel to Seth Troxler to the stage, spreading the essence of the city’s techno to countries around the world.

As he plainly explains: “We’re fighting for music that we have a vision for. My commitment to Detroit is like a commitment to your family.”

The elusive Moodymann is a master of funk, house and techno prowess and played an integral role in spreading the Detroit sound throughout Europe, producing classics like 'Why Do U Feel'. Keen to keep his persona away from the public eye, interviews are extremely rare, but his personality comes through in politically-charged tracks such as 'Sloppy Cosmic' and his playful onstage persona which commonly sees him MCing his own sets and pouring out drinks for the front row.

Underground Resistance is a true representation and crucial music segment of the city and proclaims through its vigorous progression that “without this music, there will be no peace, no love, no vision”.

Founded by Jeff Mills and “Mad” Mike Banks in the late '80s (soon joined by Robert Hood), the artists created a clear channel of musical inspiration welded between the social, political and economic situations that were shaping Detroit. The group was less of a music outlet and more of a movement, building a commanding culture essential to the development of techno.

Underground Resistance continued to run as a label until 2010, acting as a platform (along with sister label Happy Records) for Mike Banks to release his music, but Mills left the collective in 1991 to concentrate on solo projects. The innovator set up his label Axis Records and has gone onto present his obsession with science, space and time with concept shows such as Time Tunnel.

Robert Hood, aka Floorplan, pulls heavily from soul music and is a master of the kind of out-of-body, religious experience techno as proved by this set at Weather Festival. As an ordained minister in Detroit, Hood’s brand has become something of electronic gospel, finding a safe haven of acceptance and revelation in the genre. Many of his achievements are counted as milestones in Detroit techno’s history, including the 1994 release of his ‘Minimal Nation’ LP which was issued through Mill’s Axis imprint.

Blake Baxter is an influential producer in the Detroit techno realm who's remained fairly under the radar throughout his 30-year career. Even though two of his productions - 'Forever And A Day' and 'Ride Em' Boy' - feature on seminal 1988 compilation 'Techno! The New Dance Sound Of Detroit', he chose to keep himself out of the limelight, later moving to Berlin.

He's also released on Kevin Saunderson's KMS label ('When We Used To Play'), Underground Resistance ('The Prince Of Techno') and Berlin label Tresor, where he released debut album 'Dream Sequence' and 'The Project' with Eddie Fowlkes.

Conceptualized by Lenny and Lawrence Burden in the developmental years of Detroit techno, Octave One is a pioneering family affair, including revolving members Lynell, Lorne, and Lance, that has contributed hugely to the techno culture.

They first appeared with ‘I Believe’ on Derrick May’s Transmat label and have been prolific on their own 430 West imprint since the early '90s. Their live sets are still coveted, sporting a complex hardware setup and holding a unforgettable stage presence comparable to their Detroit legacy. This footage with an orchestra proves they've still got it.

Sydney is Mixmag's US Digital Content Editor. Follow her on Twitter here