Rapster
2006
The Kings Of Techno
About This Album
Few things about this two-disc mixed set make clear sense, especially when they are viewed through the eyes of a techno neophyte. Once the contents and contexts are examined, however, everything falls into place. Roughly one-third of the tracks contained on these mixes from Laurent Garnier and Carl Craig can be classified as techno; the majority has more to do with the roots of the form, while a handful of tracks -- all of which are on Garnier's disc -- have very tenuous (geographic) ties. Though the discs are subtitled "The Detroit Perspective" and "The European Perspective," both are very Detroit-centric. Garnier, the European, delivers the former: a short history of Detroit through soul-jazz, hip-hop, proto-punk, funk, and some actual techno. Craig, the Detroiter, delivers the latter: each track in his mix was made in Europe and struck a nerve with the young clubbers and radio listeners of his city, and they encompass Italo disco, Franco disco, industrial, synth pop, and early U.K. techno. Garnier's mix, which is presented as one 78-minute track with no indexing, is given some extra enhancements: the tracks are interspersed with chatter between him and Underground Resistance affiliate Buzz Goree (as the two drive from Detroit's Eastern Market to the Submerge building), a short snippet of discussion with UR's Mad Mike Banks, the mumbled musings of underground house genius Kenny Dixon, Jr.
Track List

Disc 1

1.

Disc 2 (try tracks 3,5,7,10,11 and 15)

1.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
16.