Jeff Mills is one of the world's busiest DJs, so it's hardly surprising that it's taken him a while to release this 13 track album of new material.
He's one of the originators of the Detroit techno sound, first coming on to the emerging scene in the late 80's as a radio DJ. Mill's abstract, revolutionary sounds continue to inspire DJs and producers around the world, but his influence reaches far beyond the dancefloor.
It's not only the music that has such importance, but his ideas for bringing his work to a wider audience by combining the music with other artforms.
He did this on a grand scale when he recorded his own soundtrack to the classic silent film 'Metropolis'. It debuted at the Pompidou Centre in Paris, and was shown all over the world at more than 50 locations. His range of projects is truly impressive.
In addition to a hefty gig schedule, there's an upcoming series of short experimental films, a soundtrack to a French film, and a book about his label, AXIS Records, all in the pipeline.
This latest LP isn't quite a 'concept album', but it is loosely bound together by a Sci-Fi theme. The music is inspired by the Twilight Zone, Time, the 'What If' series by Marvel Comics, Black Holes and expanding Black Matter.
Mills uses these influences to portray a futuristic musical vision .
It's not as dark , nor as bizarre, as might be expected. The future according to Jeff Mills embraces new technologies and uses them to expand our musical horizons.
Sounds created from machines take on warmth and life with his guidance.
They're multi-dimensional and full of rich textures. The album is an adventure. It opens with a volley of synth rushes on 'The March' , then a post-modern scene develops track by track, culminating in the minimalist funk of 'See This Way'.
Tracks like 'Mbm' and 'More Black Matter' are force fields of driving technothrob. The sounds and arrangements are truly out there. Bright arcs of orchestration bring light to stark backgrounds of beats. Feel this in the swooping strings on 'Imagine', or in the sci-fi soundtrack that emerges over a bed of strings on 'Stark (Detroit Story)'. A scattering of bleeps is thrown over a house beat, and then falls into dark orchestration on 'Fantasia'.
Logical sequences are juxtaposed with the illogical. They are seemingly random, but listen closely and a pattern begins to appear - almost. At times, it's the aural equivalent of an optical illusion. There is plenty of conflict and contrast throughout, and it makes exciting listening.
This is the "thinking man's techno", but don't get too deep. It's enjoyable as well. New technologies have opened up a new frontiers and Mills is going where few dare to go. He's the original techno explorer, and this is a tale of his travels.
