Blaise Aguera y Arcas demos Photosynth | Video on TED.com

Blaise Aguera y Arcas demos Photosynth | Video on TED.com

BBC 6 Music 6 Mix Online Radioshow

6 Mix celebrates the May Day weekend with a brand new mix from techno pioneer Derrick May. Derrick - best known for his 1987 dance anthem Strings of Life under the name Rhythim Is Rhythim - has been an iconic name on the techno scene for over twenty years, DJing worldwide to a devoted fan base. Hailing from Detroit, Michigan, May's work - alongside fellow DJs Juan Atkins and Inner City's Kevin Saunderson - has provided the catalyst for a number of producers worldwide. In his latest 6 Music show Derrick plays a selection of tunes which have influenced and inspired him including tracks by Brian Eno, Peven Everett and Model 500. There's also a brand new 'Mayday' club mix featuring hot new material from his label - Transmat Recordings - and a selection of tracks of Derrick's favourite album of 2010 so far; Gil Scott Heron's 'I'm New Here.'.

Juan Atkins reflects on 25 years of Detroit techno

This year marks not only the quarter-centennial anniversary of Miami's Winter Music Conference but also 25 years of Detroit techno, the seminal electronic dance music form that spawned the worldwide techno phenomenon. It was 25 years ago when a cohort of experimental young Detroit producers — Juan Atkins, Derrick May, and Kevin Saunderson — pioneered the "techno" style, inspired by the early synthesizer sounds of European artists such as Kraftwerk, paralleling the birth of house music in Chicago.

Atkins was surely the most pivotal figure of the early Detroit techno scene, launching the legendary Metroplex imprint in 1985 and releasing the first techno records under his Cybotron and Model 500 monikers.

Like its British counterpart Sheffield — a leading city of the industrial revolution and home to seminal electronic music acts such as Cabaret Voltaire and the Human League — the Motor City became the birthplace of such technological music. "Detroit's industrial landscape, I'm sure, had something to do with the birth of the techno sound," Atkins says. "Detroit was and continues to be the heart of industry in America."

Indeed, many of Detroit's original techno artists, including Atkins, continue to live and work there while keeping the scene and its musical legacy alive. Every year, the Detroit Electronic Music Festival brings together old and new generations of international EDM artists for a celebration of the sound born in that city.

Considering Atkins actually coined the termtechno in the mid-'80s, one wonders how he defines the genre 25 years later, following its myriad stylistic permutations. Surprisingly, his personal definition is broader than expected and has changed little since he used it to describe his own futuristic brand of electro-funk. "Techno is short for technology. For me, techno is a term to describe all kinds of electronic music," he says.

Stylistically speaking, the stark and percussive "minimal techno" form most prevalent and popular today is a bit of a far stretch from the more melodic and layered compositions Atkins first made, but he is no purist. "I don't think the new sounds are a digression. It's just different people putting their spin on it," he says. "Back then, there was more stuff happening in the tracks, but we were also making basic four-on-the-floor beats."

Atkins continues to view the evolution of techno and electronic dance music with a certain optimism. "There's a lot more producers now," he says. "The affordability of technology has allowed for a lot more people to produce than would have been possible before." He also accepts the music industry's shift to online digital distribution and the decline of record sales — which so many of his peers have lamented — with positivity and open-mindedness.

"Digital downloads have changed the way music is made and heard, and artists have to tour and perform a lot more now because it's the only way to make money in music," he says. "But I don't necessarily see it as something negative; I think it's a natural evolution. Live performance is something that you can trace back a long time and has been around longer than recorded music."

On Thursday, March 25, Atkins will be part of a star-studded lineup of legendary first-wave Detroit techno luminaries including Kevin Saunderson, Carl Craig, Moodymann, and Theo Parrish, who will play the D25 party at the Shore Club. And though in recent years he has returned to his roots, producing and performing live electronics with an accompanying band under his original Model 500 moniker, Atkins will strictly spin vinyl for the D25 party.

Seeing the Godfather of Techno more active and relevant than ever and ready to take on Conference this year proves techno is more alive and in full-swing than ever. "I don't think techno is going anywhere," Atkins says. "There will always be technological music. It might have different sounds or patterns, but techno is here to stay."

This was fun...

Pioneering DJ Derrick May returns to 6 Mix with three brand new exclusive DJ sets, showcasing tunes from his musical past, present and future

Derrick - best known for his 1987 dance anthem Strings of Life under the name Rhythm Is Rhythm - has been an iconic name on the techno scene for over twenty years, DJing worldwide to a devoted fan base. Hailing from Detroit, Michigan, May's work - alongside fellow DJs Juan Atkins and Inner City's Kevin Saunderson - has provided the catalyst for a number of producers worldwide.

In his second 6 Mix of the year, Derrick plays classic house tunes which have inspired him from Fingers Inc and Lil Louis, plus jazz from Herbie Hancock and upfront music from John Tejada. He also talks about his work as a DJ and where's he's heading musically There's also a brand new hi tek soul mix and in the second hour of the show Derrick gets on the decks for an exclusive 'May Day' club mixes, featuring Liasons Dangereuses and Patrick Cowley and hot tunes from his own Transmat label

Fusicology Interview

Being the uber busy world-traveler and action fiend that he is, Derrick May is possibly one of the hardest people to hold down for a solid interview, but you know how the ladies of Fusicology are… making it happen, always. So we seized the opportunity to pin down our old friend Derrick at the Detroit Movement Festival 2009 right around his closing night set for a few, and then again later during a visit to the still-standing Transmat Records HQ on Gratiot Ave aka “Techno Boulevard.”

A full decade has passed since he and his colleague Carl Craig, along with festival producer Carol Marvin, took the reigns and made the first Detroit Electronic Music Festival happen, continuing for the 5 years after the inception of the now legendary Detroit music festival to push it through, regardless of the difficulties they faced. It seems that, finally, a symbiotic partnership is now taking shape between the Techno forefathers and foremothers, and the current festival production powerhouse and seasoned rave promoters, Paxahau.

We thought now would be a great time to get a glimpse of how Derrick sees the festival and the city of Detroit changing – or changing the face of its environment – during this monumental time in contemporary culture, and the dance music industry in general… (*exclusive video with Derrick May below*

http://detroitfusicology.wordpress.com/2009/06/04/fusicology-exclusive-interview-derrick-may-movement-festival-2009/

Something old, something new: the Innovator on the Transmat relaunch.

A funny thing about Derrick May interviews: for a man obsessed with the future, he finds himself spending a lot of time talking about the past. Perhaps understandably, as after his iconic Transmat label ground to an unsatisfying halt, there was little to talk about except the Belleville Three. In the past year, something changed. The self-styled superhero has decided to relaunch the label and – typically – is already talking a good fight...

Full interview here http://www.bodytonicmusic.com/words/2009/oct/05/interview-derrick-may/

Alchemy

Saturday 17 April 2010: the fundamentals of electronic dance music will return from dance music past, the essence of dance music at its most perfect and most pure, a night to come together for a gold class event, simply titled - Alchemy.

The alchemists have been passionately preparing, an event, a concept, that will ignite your senses and unite music purists and electronic devotees. The festival concept is overcooked these days, so instead you’re invited to enjoy an experience that brings together all the finest classic dance music sounds from past and present, and takes you on a journey. A musical progression. A spiritual exploration. A futuristic vision.

At the helm of this event is none other than Godfather of Techno,
Derrick May (Transmat). Making a very exclusive appearance in
Melbourne, and here only, for one night. Absorb the relentless
percussion of his Detroit Techno and Hi-Tek-Soul electronic soulful beats, his emotionally unrestrained sexy electronic funk, as he encapsulates hope and spirituality from what may seem like cold and soulless machines to some. Hi-Tek-Soul is a movement and Derrick May is the one to show you the way.

Continuing this sacred Alchemy mission, UK’s Groove Assassin (Camio / Defected), known for his sublimely blending soulful sounds with a host of other influences, delivers another chapter of the musical voyage. This up and coming House producer/DJ will draw attention with his unique manipulation of eclectic beats from the past, fusing them with the sounds of now, formulating seriously fresh House beats. Breathing life into the night, Groove Assassin is set to reach into the heart of Alchemy…

Melbourne’s best known and loved techno producer, Christian Vance (HAUL Music), supporting Derrick May, will perform his stellar live show – an artist who stands alone, defines cool, a producer whose sound is positively intoxicating. Each set is organic, unique, truly an expression of Christian’s passion for his music…

House music is a spiritual thing - traditional soulful funk-fueled
House and rare groove, given birth and meaning by Melbourne’s very respected DJ Kano, kick-starts the night. A stalwart of the Melbourne house scene and renowned for his soulful, sophisticated and funky sets, Arlen De Silva closes the night with the uniting of all the Alchemy DJ sounds, surrendering to a delicious chaos of proper party music, a perfect finish to what will be a night to remember, and reminisce about, for years to come.

A chemistry of cool. Alchemy.