Eleven years ago, brothers Lenny, Lawrence and Lynell Burden created 430 West as a vehicle for their own style of 'funky' techno.
With a $500 loan, and fuelled by a passion for the music, they took on the moniker Octave One, and began to develop their unique sound. Along the way, they've worked with artists such as Claude Young, Terrance Parker, Mike Banks, and Eddie Fowlkes to name just a few, and given rise to a style of techno that is distinctly "Detroit".
'Detroit Calling' is a refreshing alternative to the slick, sanitized "underground" compilations that clog the racks at record shops. This is a truly enlightened selection of techno tracks, all put through the wringer by Lenny Burden. The vibe of this mix is live and real, rather than clinical and sterile like some computer-generated mixes. Burden's up for it, he's feelin' the funk, and it shows.
Listen and be transported to a dark warehouse in some rough part of town. Feel the sweat as it hangs in the air, mingling with the smells of alcohol, cigarette smoke, and the perfume of the girls standing next to the DJ box. Turn it up loud and feel the bass. The mixes are tight and spot on, but there's a kind of rough imperfection that perfectly captures the gritty energy of the Motor City.
From the opening track, Octave One's 'Eniac', the mix shifts into first gear and roars away through an awesome soundtrack that has made Detroit the techno capital of the world. Burden cruises through some exceptionally splendid moments.
There's the lush strings of Rolando's 'Jaguar', E-Dancer's big-bottomed 'World Of Deep', Richie Hawtin's Yello filter magic on 'Minus/Orange 1', and the pumping energy of Designer Music 'Problemz'. What a treat for Octave One fans - there's nine of their best included here, crowned by two mixes of the gloriously uplifting 'Blackwater'.
This is the bold edge of techno. It's sharp, and strides out in new directions with no pretenses, full of firey passion. Reality check - this is techno, as it is.
