Archive for the 1985 tag

Cybotron: Cosmic Cars + Model 500: Night Drive / Movement Detroit May 29-31

Movement 2009 photo by donte

If you go back far enough in electronic music, it all sort of starts to sound like one genre–and in the very early ’80s, it sort of was. Before Justice and The Presets, THIS was the original electro. Cybotron was the first moniker of Richard Davis and none other than Juan Atkins, a name I can only hope you recognize as, you know, one of those Detroit guys who created a type of Kraftwerk-sampling futuristic electronic robot music that he called “techno”. After founding the label Metroplex in 1985, he started using the name Model 500. In these tracks, you can hear both a European new wave influence and the infancy of the titan that came to be known as Detroit techno.

Movement, more commonly known as the Detroit Electronic Music Festival [or DEMF], comprises of five stages with almost 100 performers as an annual celebration of both the city’s influence on and the future of electronic music. Acts range from legendary producers such as Atkins to up and coming musicians and DJs, turning downtown Detroit into a massive party as 80,000 people from all walks of life listen to music and dance for three days. It’s an amazing experience I’d recommend to anyone who isn’t put off by the sound of a drum machine.

Juan Atkins will be performing live as Model 500 at Movement on May 31. See the Paxahau website more information.

Buy Juan Atkins’ music on Amazon.com
Juan Atkins on MySpace

Note: Whether you’ve never been to Detroit or a seasoned DEMF-goer, if you’re planning on attending, I highly recommend reading this article from our friends at JustQualityMusic: JQM Guide To Getting Down At Movement 2010, with festival tips and a list of must-see Movement sets, outside events, and Detroit attractions.

A-ha: The Sun Always Shines On TV / Atomic May 13

When people think of A-ha, the first thing that usually comes to mind is “Take On Me”, shortly followed by the thought “one hit wonders”. Oh but how we forget the ’80s… A-ha also won an MTV Music Video Award [back when that meant something] for “The Sun Always Shines On TV”, a better song in my opinion and something of a follow up video, featuring that girl. What is wrong with her!? She’s always shrinking away from Morten Harket like she’s afraid of him. Yes, hot Scandinavian men in combat boots singing synthpop…totally frightening.

Twenty-five years later, A-ha is doing one last world tour before they call it quits [they've been putting out albums, good ones even, all this time]. They haven’t been to Chicago since 1986, so chances are this is the only chance you have had or will have to see them. Tickets available here.

We’ll be hosting the official afterparty that night, so come by and see us after the show–and bring your ticket stub to get in free. Guest DJing with us that evening will be DJ Nando, and I can’t tell you how excited we are to be having him in the booth with us that night. Nando’s career stretches as far as A-ha’s, and he has a reputation in Chicago for throwing down some amazing new wave sets. We’re honored to have him at Atomic for his first gig ever at Neo.

Portion Control: The Great Divide

Portion Control are one of the most influential artists in the canon of  electronic music, and name-checked by some of the biggest underground artists in electronic music, including Front 242, Skinny Puppy, and Depeche Mode.  Even Trent Reznor cited them recently as a major influence.  Yet for some reason, Portion Control are still virtually unknown to many; which is a crime, because they wrote some of the best hard rhythmic electronic anthems ever during the years of 1982-1986.
This south London trio started their rhythmic chaos in 1980.  Their earliest cassettes resembled  sounds of layered cut up industrial noise that the geniuses Cabaret Voltaire manipulated.  As PC progressed further, their sound got harder.  Imagine if you will the furious noise of Throbbing Gristle spliced into the electro funk of Grand Master Flash. Combine hard analogue keyboards with propulsive beats, noises, but several melodic elements. Add Dean Piavani’s voice, rather punk and gruff to contrast the cold machines. It’s the perfect foil that gave rise to a new genre of music coined by the UK music press in ’84, “electro punk”.

However, it was 1985 when Portion Control flirted with possible stardom with the seminal 12 inch single, The Great Divide.  What was so great about this song was that it bridged a gap musically to very diverse sub-cultures. Nihilistic post-industrialists, B-Boy rappers, punk rockers, and house DJs all were mesmerized by how Portion Control used and abused the beat.  In fact, back in the day, the cool kids used to break dance in the clubs to the “The Great Divide.”  Even to this day, one can go to a club, and chances are the DJ might have a copy of “The Great Divide”.  In 1986, after the release of “Psycho-Bod Saves the World,”  they stopped recording music under the name, and tried a different project called Solar Enemy. The legend grew around the band only for them to re-surface in 2004.  Since their return to ‘rapid response electronics,’  Portion Control has been very busy releasing a double album, two full lengths, EPs, and a 7″ rebuild version of one of their biggest hits, “Chew You To Bits.   There are some people that would argue that Portion Control are better than ever.  The counting continues once more.

Portion Control on iTunes