Review: For the latest volume in Planet E's long-running Detroit Love compilation, label boss Carl Craig has handed over to DJ Holographic (real name Ariel Corley), a rising star of the Motor City scene. It's a hugely entertaining collection told, with Corley doing her best to showcase artists on the up - from both Detroit and elsewhere - as well as established stars of the underground. Musically, it's as diverse and mixed-up as you'd expect, kicking off with revivalist Afrobeat (Underground System), slick deep house (Pontchartrain with Javontte) and revivalist '80s soul (Shri Schwartz), before taking in everything from broken house and nu-disco, to sci-fi techno, sleazy warehouse jams, sleazy acid, percussion-rich Latin house and much more besides.
Motor City Drum Ensemble - "Raw Cuts" (Marcellus Pittman remix) - (7:32) 120 BPM
Burning Bridges - "System" - (6:59) 122 BPM
Gary Martin - "Galaxy Style" - (6:39) 125 BPM
Ken Young - "Horney Chords" - (7:25) 124 BPM
ATAXIA - "Time Original" - (6:04) 128 BPM
DJ 3000 - "Delray" - (5:30) 128 BPM
Sawlin - "Wired Evening" - (6:46) 120 BPM
Chicola - "Sidechain Memory" - (7:28) 120 BPM
Motuo - "Purple Pulse" - (5:41) 125 BPM
Burning Bridges - "Low Down" - (6:16) 124 BPM
Gary Martin - "We Get Down" (12" mix) - (6:24) 126 BPM
Patrice Scott - "A Detroit State Of Mind" - (5:06) 116 BPM
Stacey Pullen - "Detroit Love Vol 1" (continuous DJ mix) - (1:14:03) 124 BPM
Review: Recently Planet E founder Carl Craig joined forces with Studio K7 to launch Detroit Love, a new label that takes its name from the techno veteran's touring party. To kick things off, Craig asked Motor City veteran Stacey Pullen to lay down a mix that encapsulated the Detroit spirit. In practice, that means a Michigan-heavy tracklist, with rolling, futurist techno, deep house and tech-tinged house cuts from the likes of Craig Sherrad, Delano Smith, Burning Bridges, Patrice Scott and Gary Martin being joined by similarly-minded cuts from international artists (see Soulphiction's fine opening track and Marcellus Pittman's legendary remix of Motor City Drum Ensemble's "Raw Cuts"). Pullen plays around with tempo and intensity throughout, but it's the inherent rawness and sci-fi feel of Detroit music that shines through.
Review: Spanish hi-tech soul maestro Eduardo De La Calle on the true home of it: Planet E - and it's about friggin' time if we do say so! Over the last several years, the Madrid native has respectfully borrowed from the traditions of first and second wave Motor City sounds, but he undeniably carved his own path via his respected Analog Solutions imprint. The Icosahedrite EP features three life affirming explorations in techno-soul. From the the galaxian Jupiter jazz, through to the classic funked up futurism that pays homage to greats like Transmat and Metroplex like on "Mr Dewey D". There is also the more powerful and straight ahead functionalism of "Rhythmic Soundscapes" which is just as heads down and DJ ergonomic as his aforementioned AS material. This follows up some great releases by him in 2017, on the likes of Anemone, Forbidden Colors and Monogram Systems.
Review: As the title suggests, Terrence's Parker's first album since 2014 was inspired by the two constants in the experienced producer's life: his Christian faith, and the ongoing struggles of Detroit. Musically, it's an unashamedly retro-futurist affair, with Parker largely delivering a range of feel good tunes that draw heavily on techno, gospel, New Jersey garage and Chicago house. Highlights are plentiful, from the warm sci-fi ambience of "The Sabbath" and rich, late '80s soulfulness of "Transition", to the bubbly techno shuffle of "Let's Go" and the rush-inducing piano house stomp that is "Don't Waste Another Minute". "Latter Rain", which is served up in two distinctive versions - the beat-less, string-drenched soul of the "Hearing The Rain Mix" and the classic US garage skip of the "After The Storm Mix" - is also superb.
Review: Over the last two decades, Niko Marks has been responsible for a wealth of evocative, musically rich deep house and techno, most of it released on ultra-limited CDs via his U2X Productions label. Here, he rejoins fellow Detroiter Carl Craig's Planet E imprint, some 14 years after releasing his sole EP for the imprint. Day of Knowing is typical of his work. Featuring his impeccable, jazz-fuelled keys work, the album's nine tracks smoothly fuse elements of deep house, Motor City techno, soul, and jazz-funk. As a result, it's a wonderfully warm and musically rich collection, jam-packed with the kind of material capable of moving the heart, feet and head.
