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12"
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LSG 001EP
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2019 repress. "Established by Diagonal Records co-founder, Jaime Williams, Life's Good is a necessary, occasional new portal for reissues of golden era Detroit and European techno. The label's first project pays special attention to an overlooked classic and an unheard diamond by Juan Atkins: namely his M500 gem 'Dimensions', which originally appeared on the seminal Buzz compilation, Panic In Detroit; and a previously unreleased version of the Tresor bomb, 'Flash Flood', produced under Juan's Infinti moniker. Both tracks have been 'salvaged' by Russell Haswell and newly remastered by Rashad Becker, bringing them firmly up to scratch for DJs and rendering the material how the artist originally intended it to be received. A stellar highlight of the lush Panic In Detroit compilation and a huge personal favorite of Life's Good, M500's pendulous, percolated and uncannily UK-styled bleeper 'Dimensions' was unfortunately crammed along with three other tracks on the LP's A-side, which made the track tricky or unsuitable for DJing in clubs. With Juan's blessing and access to the original master tapes, Life's Good Records have rectified the problem, re-cutting the tune to its own side of vinyl and, in the process, lending a new lease of life to one of Juan Atkins' subtlest, slinkiest and entrancing early '90s workouts. On the B-side, Life's Good have coaxed out an abridged, alternate version of the all-time classic 'Flash Flood,' which should be well known and adored by any self-respecting Detroit fiend. However, in this version the intro is entirely different, replacing the trancey lead with an acidic synth voice and swapping out the percolated bass for rugged sub-bass surges to much darker, paranoid effect that better lives up to the track's impending title. With the original now over 20 years old and very familiar to the 'heads', the alternate version presents a truly revelatory twist on an evergreen techno anthem."
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2CD
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TRESOR 216CD
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2015 digipack repress of the classic compilation gathering the essential works that marked Juan Atkins' career and changed the electronic landscape forever. Includes liner notes by Dan Sicko. Featured here are ground-breaking early works such as "Clear," "No UFO's," "The Chase," "The Passage" and "Off to Battle" -- electronic compositions that will always be counted as foundation blocks for a music/culture style that endures to the present day and on. Somewhere between Kraftwerk, Funkadelic and Depeche Mode, Juan Atkins delivered a new sound that changed the face of electronic music forever. For someone often referred to as "The Godfather of Techno," you'd think Juan Atkins would command more respect in the mainstream music industry. When you consider a career spanning over two decades and an influence too great to be properly measured, it's strange and almost troubling. Perhaps Cybotron's future-shock paranoia was merely ahead of its time. Juan doesn't often acknowledge the factors within the business that have kept him and Detroit techno out of the popular spheres, instead of ignoring or rising above them. This mindset, an exuberant hope for the future, is what sets him and his music apart. Knowing that Atkins' optimism and faith are integral to his work, it seems strange to stretch back to his earliest material. The contrast between the last Model 500 records and his work with Cybotron is quite sharp. It's even more striking when you consider that Juan's entrance into the music business came at age 17. Also features work from Atkins' other aliases such as Channel One, Infiniti, 3MB and Vision.
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