DETROIT THURSDAY

Back with some more classic Detroit Techno inspiration. Perhaps me and Headphonesex should start a new MP3 blog dedicated to this genre alone?! As I said before, I've barely scratched the surface of the current revival. A quick look at Hard To Find Records reveals the amount of original EPs coming back into stock along with various reissues (although I've heard reports that the Buzz represses are a bit shoddy). Interesting to see Blake Baxter's "When We Used To Play" in there, too. I never owned a copy of that EP (in fact I hardly own any - most of my Detroit stuff is on compilation albums and cassettes!) although listening to the brief MP3 clip, it sounds quite different to the 'unreleased version' on Network's seminal "Retro Techno/Detroit Definitive" album, released in 1991 and still one of the most important documents of the age. It was certainly instrumental in cementing my own love of this music and one of these days I'll type-up John McCready's original inner-sleeve notes in full, as they still resonate with passion. This version features a busier 909 drum-workout than the original and as producer Kevin Saunderson said in the sleeve notes, "I listen to this now and it still sounds so strange. I wanted to make it seem relentless". Indeed, and coupled with the breathy, deliciously detached female vocal this is probably one of my favourite examples of Martian-Techno-Soul from that era. It was recorded in Summer 1987 and, 14 years on from Kevin's previous comments, it still sounds so strange. I figured it needed a 're-issue' in blogland, so check it out...

MP3: Blake Baxter - When We Used To Play (Unreleased Mix)