Jeff Mills has never remained confined to his career as a DJ and producer. From orchestral performances to jazz side projects, he constantly works to expand his horizons as an artist. This week, he’ll add a film score for the 1922 film Dr. Mabuse the Gambler to that list.




Dr. Mabuse the Gambler was a silent film directed by Fritz Lang and based on a bestselling novel of the same name by Norbert Jacques. It consists of two parts, the first of which will premiere at UFA Film Nights on Thursday, August 25, with the new score composed by Mills.




This is not Mills’ first foray into film scores. He delivered one to accompany the 2010 update of METROPOLIS at the 2017 UFA Film Nights, and 2019 saw him perform an original score for the 1929 film Woman in the Moon.




Although best known for his contributions to techno (both artistically and philosophically), Jeff Mills has explored innumerable creative outlets since his career started 40 years ago. Originally going by The Wizard as a hip-hop DJ for Detroit stations like WDRQ and WJLB, he went on to form an industrial band called Final Cut alongside Anthony Srock in the late ‘80s. Both of these preceded Underground Resistance, the politically charged Detroit techno collective that would put Mills on the map globally.




In May 2020, Mills announced that his label, Axis Records, would expand into classical, jazz, and film scores. The following year, he and French instrumentalist Jean-Phi Dary launched an electronic jazz group called The Paradox and released a six-song album titled Counter Active on the imprint.




Tickets to the 2022 edition of UFA Film Nights can be purchased via Ticketmaster. The film will also be livestreamed beginning at 9:00 PM CET; it will be available for viewing for 24 hours on the UFA Film Nights website.



Jeff Mills Creates New Score for 1922 Film, Dr. Mabuse the Gambler

Whether you love smooth deep house or pounding industrial techno, all electronic dance music originated in the black communities of Chicago and Detroit. We wouldn't have house music without innovators like Frankie Knuckles and Marshall Jefferson, nor would techno even exist without disruptors like Juan Atkins and Kevin Saunderson. Black pioneers are the lifeblood of the dance music that we know and love today, which has grown over the years to encompass an incredible array of sub-genres and scenes across the globe. 




Frankie Knuckles

Widely renowned as the Godfather of House, Francis Warren Nicholls, Jr. - aka Frankie Knuckles - is often credited as the originator of house music. After moving from New York City to Chicago in the late 1970s, Knuckles got a regular stint DJing at Warehouse, a nightclub now enshrined in history as one of the birthplaces of Chicago house. Knuckles developed his style there, fusing disco, indie soul, European synth disco, and more into what would later become house music.

After buying his first drum machine in 1983, Knuckles crafted the quintessential essence of the early Chicago house sound: stripped-back drum machine rhythms underpinning vibrant disco classics. In addition, knuckles went on to raise funds for AIDS, homelessness, and educational charities. On Aug. 25, 2004, the Mayor of Chicago proclaimed the date Frankie Knuckles Day. He commemorated his seismic influence on dance music by naming a section of Jefferson Street, not far from the original location of Warehouse, after him. He passed on March 31, 2014, leaving a legacy that stretches across the globe.




Marshall Jefferson

Another instrumental figure in the early Chicago house scene is Marshall Jefferson. Starting as a record producer in the Universal Recording Studios of Chicago, Jefferson met Larry Sherman, the owner of TRAX Records. Massive releases from Jefferson, such as "Move Your Body" (1986), helped bring TRAX Records into prominence and catapult house music onto the world stage. "Move Your Body" was the first house track to incorporate pianos. He followed that up with a torrent of groundbreaking material. In 1987, Jefferson produced "Acid Trax" by DJ Pierre, which galvanized the development of the acid house movement worldwide. 

Follow Marshall Jefferson on Twitter | Instagram | SoundCloud




Larry Heard

The velvety tones and soulful deep house melodies are largely rooted in Larry Heard - aka Mr. Fingers - a mainstay of early Chicago dance music. His 1986 track, "Can You Feel It," was one of the first deep house records ever made. Heard built the classic tune using the Roland Juno-60 synthesizer, the Roland TR-909 drum machine, and two cassette decks. A marvel of modern simplicity with an inimitable vibe, "Can You Feel It" soon attained legendary status. In 2017, Mixmag included it on their "Best 20 House Classics from Before 1990" list, and in 2018, Time Out ranked it at Number 5 on their "20 Best House Tracks Ever" list.

Follow Larry Heard on Instagram | SoundCloud







Kerri Chandler

Equally vital in the origins of deep house is the New Jersey icon, Kerri Chandler. With timeless tracks like "Climax 2" (1993) and "Where Is Love" (1995), Chandler played a pivotal role in the development of house music throughout the 1990s. Chandler grew up in a town that pulsed with the energy of multiple music scenes, from funk and soul to jazz and hip-hop. His music drew life from these sources, consistently possessing an infectious groove and a spiritual beat, eventually earning him the title of the 'Stevie Wonder of house music.' A technical wizard with a flawless eye for detail, Chandler played a mind-bending, hour-long, reel-to-reel tape mix for Resident Advisor in 2020. 

Follow Kerri Chandler on Twitter | Instagram | SoundCloud




Paul Johnson

A prolific creator and an undisputed inspiration to all DJs and producers, Paul Johnson, knew how to get people moving as soon as they entered the club. Yet another Chicago legend, Johnson uniquely wielded both the ability to slot the perfect disco sample into a classic house tune, as well as the ability to layer up a hardened "ghetto" beat track. The result was a pioneering artist whose music won the admiration of fans in every nation. His 1999 house jam, "Get Get Down," made the charts in 14 countries. Despite losing both legs, Johnson continued to DJ and produce and maintained an unbeatable work ethic; at times, he wrote up to six full tracks in a single day. 




Juan Atkins

The true pioneer of Detroit techno – and, by extension, techno itself - is Juan Atkins. Born in Detroit in 1962, Atkins teamed up alongside Rick Davis as Cybotron in the early '80s. Together, they dropped the 1982 electro track "Clear," which also marked the birth of what became 'techno music.' Unlike previous electro tracks, which merged aspects of Kraftwerk with hip-hop, "Clear" was an amalgamation of techno-pop and club music. 

After leaving Cybotron to work alone, Atkins released his most impactful material from 1985-1987. In 1985 he founded his label, Metroplex Records, which became a cornerstone in the history of Detroit techno, and launched his first single as Model 500: "No UFOs." Along with singles like "The Chase," "Night Drive," and "Interference," these records flew off the shelves. 

Atkins' sound was futuristic, mechanical, and brooding, eliciting thoughts of late-night drives down the I-96 freeway and big, bellowing factories. By the late 1980s, Atkins had taken Britain by storm. His music largely inspired acts like 808 State, A Guy Called Gerald, LFO, and Black Dog. 

Follow Juan Atkins on Twitter | Instagram | SoundCloud




Kevin Saunderson

Motor City is where innumerable techno greats emerged. While attending Belleville High School, Atkins befriended Kevin Saunderson and Derrick May. The three musicians were among the few black students in their high school and would go on to be known as the Belleville Three - the inventors of Detroit techno. 

Kicking off his career in 1987, Saunderson paired Detroit's raw, metallic sound with the warm humanity of house music which, at the time, was exploding in popularity a few hours down the I-94 in Chicago. Coupled with the elated vocals of Paris Grey, he released tracks as Inner City. Merging the magnetic glow of pop melodies with the driving rhythms of Detroit techno, Inner City saw huge success amongst both underground and commercial scenes alike, earning 12 UK top 40 hits and selling over six million records worldwide at their peak. Saunderson is also intrinsically linked with Detroit's flagship Movement (previously Detroit Electronic Music Festival / Fuse-In), having produced the event in the mid-2000s. 

Follow Kevin Saunderson on Twitter | Instagram | SoundCloud




Robert Hood

The Belleville Three paved the way for the second wave of Detroit producers, who evolved techno in the 1990s into uncharted territories. Robert Hood is the creator of minimal techno: a stripped-back, pure approach to the genre that prioritizes soul and experimentation over showy posturing. Alongside Jeff Mills and Mike Banks, he was an early member of the Underground Resistance label (UR), which shaped the future of modern techno. Underground Resistance artists soldered acid and industrial sounds onto a blend of Chicago house and Detroit techno. All recorded on a gritty four-track. 

The label formed the basis of underground electronic scenes worldwide due to their anti-corporate and militant political ideology. Despite leaving UR in 1992, Hood remained hostile towards all economic threats to inner-city communities and continued to fuse his musical projects with social activism throughout his career. 

Follow Robert Hood on Instagram | SoundCloud




Jeff Mills

Jeff Mills is a man who requires no introduction. Known the world over as one of the biggest names in techno, his bulletproof, sharp-edged productions, and blindingly-powerful DJ sets took the genre to new heights during the 1990s. The meatiness of his sound on early UR-related releases like "The Punisher" and "Seawolf" was later refined and polished. After leaving the label in 1992, he switched from the rudimentary four-track to higher-quality recording and production methods. With its hypnotic chimes and thumping kick drum, "The Bells" (1997) is now one of the best-known techno tracks in existence. 

Follow Jeff Mills on Twitter | Instagram | SoundCloud







Carl Craig

A living example of musical experimentalism being boundless, Carl Craig has molded Detroit techno into countless new forms. From his early releases in 1989-1992 into the present day, Craig has never failed to look at dance music from unorthodox perspectives. His 1992 Innerzone Orchestra cut, "Bug in the Bassbin," triggered the evolution of drum'n'bass. Craig later transformed "Bug…" into a live jazz composition in 1996 and wove jazz into his 1999 Innerzone Orchestra album, Programmed.

He was one of the first to combine techno and classical music in a mesmerizing way with his LP, Versus (2017). The record saw him collaborate with orchestral pianist Francesco Tristano, French orchestra Les Siècles, conductor Francois Xavier Roth, and producer Moritz Von Oswald. In 2000, he launched the Detroit Electronic Music Festival and has since started his own non-profit, the 501-C3 Carl Craig Foundation, which acts as a platform to facilitate the growth of young musicians in Motor City. 

Follow Carl Craig on Twitter | Instagram | SoundCloud












10 Black Pioneers of Dance Music

Techno has many beginnings, but let's start with the most obvious one: Kraftwerk. The German synth-pop inventors' 70s and 80s albums had an immeasurable impact, but we can certainly point to their lineage in Detroit. Techno's inventors all worshiped Kraftwerk, to the point that when the group played the Motor City in 1998, one producer thanked them for his career.

"I've always called my music techno, from day one," Juan Atkins once said. "Even with Cybotron, we called that techno." And if any one person invented techno, it's Atkins, whose first project, Cybotron, a duo with Rik Davies, was classed as electro in the early eighties. But that would change in 1988, with the release of Techno! The New Dance Sound of Detroit, featuring Model 500's "Techno Music"—another Atkins alias. 

"The working title was The House Sound of Detroit," Atkins said in 2012. "I submitted my track—it was one of the last tracks submitted—called 'Techno Music.' Most of the artists on the album [said], 'We learned our craft from Juan Atkins.' Well, how can we call this house music? So, they changed the title."

This music was defiantly futuristic. "The future is really the most open-ended subject you can have," Atkins said in 1997. "It can be whatever you want it to be. You're not confined to any kind of parameter." 

But techno was, and is, also in constant conversation with its antecedents. The electric jazz and fusion of Miles Davis and Herbie Hancock are key touchstones. Detroit's Underground Resistance titled a key 1992 track "Jupiter Jazz." And Carl Craig (also from Detroit—sense a pattern?) created the Innerzone Orchestra's Programmed (1999), an album steeped in Hancock's pre-Head Hunters work on Sextant.

   

Once techno left Detroit, it spread fast. In 1989, New Yorker Frankie Bones' track "Call It Techno" caught the spirit: "Computer noise and pounding bass/Hits you in the face/Like a hammer." But the New York techno records that turned heads belonged to Queens-bred Joey Beltram. 

His Volume 1 EP, in 1990, featured the landmark "Energy Flash." Even more explosive was 1991’s “Mentasm,” by Second Phase, a.k.a. Beltram and Mundo Muzique (born Mike Mundo). For a while, nearly everyone who made techno worked audible variations on the "Hoover" noise at "Mentasm's" center. "People were making different sounds by fucking with the waveform and the attacks on it," says Adam X. 

Techno's real home overseas was Berlin. Tresor, the club and label, booked and released numerous Motor City producers, from Atkins to Blake Baxter to Jeff Mills. "You felt this alliance," Tresor founder Dimitri Hegemann said in 2002. "Tresor was the first to invite Detroit DJs to Berlin and bring techno to Europe. They helped develop the music a lot. They really influenced it. but we also assisted them, we gave them a space."

Berlin became a mecca for techno—and in the early 2000s, it became its de facto home, particularly as numerous American DJs and producers moved there in the wake of the era's rave crackdown. In 2002, one DJ told The Wire, "There's too many DJs in Berlin." 

The sound du jour in Berlin during the mid-2000s was minimal techno—pioneered by Robert Hood and Daniel Bell in the 90s, both from, you guessed it, Detroit. Hood is a former member of Underground Resistance. But Berlin plays a decisive role there, too, thanks to Basic Channel's run of mysterious, hazy, and entropic 12-inches from the 90s, among others. But the 2000s' minimalism, while often artful and cunning—see the Perlon catalog—was also widely criticized for being too intellectual and arty, missing the music's sweaty essence.     

In some ways, it resembled a thumping variation on IDM—or "intelligent dance music," the unfortunately named listening-first style. The term comes from the two Artificial Intelligence compilations that Warp Records issued in the mid-90s. Their lineups tell the tale: Aphex Twin, Autechre, Dr. Alex Paterson (the Orb's leader), Speedy J. The music wasn't intended for dancing, per se. 

"I prefer it when people stand around," Richard James, a.k.a. Aphex Twin, told Spin in the mid-90s. "It's amusing hearing what tracks people like shagging to, but I don't care what people think."     

Thankfully, most techno artists do want people to move. In the 2010s, the big move has been to emphasize the industrial/EBM (electronic body music, a la Front 242) side of techno, which is sizable—Jeff Mills played in the industrial group Final Cut before moving into techno full time. DJs like Helena Hauff and Nene H have been playing some of the most blistering sets around by commingling two kinds of hard, dark music together. Far from simple or limited, techno has proven a widely varied and variable template.



From Detroit to Berlin: How Techno Took Over the World

Sometimes a name change is simply an artist growing out of an identity that no longer resonates with them. Often it is accompanied by a complete musical overhaul and a venture into a new genre. It's always a way to try something new.

We're once again revealing the (somewhat) little-known stories of your favorite DJs and the identities they left behind before you knew them. Some DJs listed here didn't stray too far from what they knew, while others embraced a radically new style. New musical direction or not, prepare to have your mind blown with some of these artists' past lives.




Charlotte de Witte

When Charlotte de Witte first came onto the scene, she was known as Raving George. She adopted that name because she wanted to dispel preconceived notions about female DJs and for her music and skills to speak for themselves. She truly embraced techno's aggressive and despondent side and established herself as a force with which to be reckoned. As Raving George, she played festivals like Tomorrowland, I Love Techno, Sunset Festival, Pukkelpop, Summer Festival, and Dour Festival. In 2015, she decided to retire the Raving George moniker and switch to her birth name as she began to experiment with a more barebones and emotive type of techno.

Eric Prydz

You know him now as Eric Prydz, with the famous Pryda snare, but did you know he was a founding member of the first unofficial lineup of Swedish House Mafia? Informally, Prydz, Axwell, Steve Angello, and Sebastian Ingrosso found themselves DJing together a lot at The Rainbow Room in Stockholm in the 2000s. The quartet was dubbed Swedish House Mafia. But Prydz, a self-proclaimed "control-freak," chose to venture out on his own and has since adopted his own shortlist of monikers, Pryda and Cirez D.










Noizu

A quick look at the writing credits for Noizu's hit single "Summer 91" reveals the feel-good house producer's real name and a bit about his past. Previously known by his given name, Jacob Plant, the British dance producer and DJ got his big break in 2013 with releases on Ministry of Sound, Defected sublabel Speakerbox, Calvin Harris' Fly Records, and Steve Aoki's Dim Mak Records. He had several high-profile remixes for Rihanna, Calvin Harris, Benny Benassi, Iggy Azaelia, and Sub Focus. He even co-wrote a song with Rhianna for the soundtrack to the 2015 animated movie Home. Jacob's music earned him airtime on BBC1 Radio and billing at festivals like Lollapalooza and the Reading and Leeds Festivals.




Jeff Mills

Since the '90s, Jeff Mills' name has been synonymous with Detroit techno as he was part of the second wave of DJs to put the genre on the map. He felt he had to be more progressive and experimental than his contemporaries. Mills began DJing in the '80s under the name, The Wizard and was known for beat juggling, scratching, and turntablist tricks. 

He co-founded the techno collective Underground Resistance in the late '80s with 'Mad' Mike Banks, of Parliament fame, and minimal techno pioneer Robert Hood. Together, they created music geared towards abstract militancy and raising awareness about political, social, and economic issues. Mills ended up leaving the group to go solo in the early '90s, thus using his given name to fully take the techno world by storm. 




DJ EZ


House and techno DJ Elvin Zedo is also known as UK garage turntablist DJ EZ. He first used Elvin Zedo (and DJ Easy O) back in 2004. The names allowed him to play house and techno without interfering with his progress in the garage and bass scenes. Throughout his DJ career, he's hosted various radio shows featuring UK garage anthems, classics, and bass, with his current show being the weekly NUVOLVE Radio. He recently revived the Zedo moniker as a way to return to his roots but plans to continue DJing under the name EX as well. He reintroduced this alias in the most DJ EZ way possible—by playing a 10-hour Boiler Room set.





Richie Hawtin

Richie Hawtin debuted in the '90s as part of the second wave of DJs bringing that Detroit techno sound. But did you know that in 1993, Hawtin hit the music scene hard with acid techno under his alias Plastikman? Plastikman's most famous release is "Spastik," a dance music classic. This track pushed the musical envelope in skill and production, experimenting with minimal techno. Hawtin uses both the Plastikman moniker and the Hawtin name interchangeably, so it's hard to say which is the former name and which is the current one, so keep your eyes (and ears) out for both. 










Boys Noize

Alexander Ridha, aka Boys Noize, is a Berlin-based producer, songwriter, and DJ known for his genre-defying techno punk beats. He's gained popularity by collaborating with Skrillex, Jean-Michel Jarre, Tiga, and Benga, remixing artists like Snoop Dogg, Daft Punk, Justice, and Depeche Mode and creating his label, Boysnoize Records, in 2005. 

Before becoming Boys Noize, though, he was part of the duo Kid Alex, alongside Andreas Meid. Together, they supported DJs like Felix da Housecat and DJ Hell and had their first significant success in 2003 with the track Young Love (Topless), later remixed and used in a Coca-Cola commercial. The duo continued performing together until 2007 when they broke up due to Ridha wanting to go solo, and thus Boys Noize was born. 






More DJs With Surprising Pasts

The announcement of the Soundstorm Festival in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, sparked heated debate in recent weeks. The event billed as the largest festival in Saudi Arabia includes a lineup of house and techno's biggest names, including Adam Beyer, Amelie Lens, Carl Cox, Chris Lake, Eli & Fur, Black V Neck, Nora En Pure, Ricardo Villalobos, and Solardo. 

As reported by Selector News, "The 2019 debut of Riyadh festival MDL Beast drew significant backlash for having been funded by the government of Saudi Arabia, a regime associated with a long history of human rights grievances."

Berlin-based promoter Michail Stangl of CTM Festival first rang the alarm on Twitter, stating, "Sure there is no objective morality and all, but if you like money so much that you take it from a government that kills journalists and has the death penalty for being gay, you really should ask yourself some serious questions."

The house and techno community quickly pointed out dance music's early and continuing role in the social justice movement. Many expressed shock that the lineup also included techno pioneer and Underground Resistance founder Jeff Mills.

Mills responded to his fans and followers via Facebook post today. 

"By now and in the political events that have happened in the World over the past 6 years, most of you should know that it's senseless to judge citizens by their actions of their government. The same applies to judging an audience by the actions of a promoter or organizer. If that were the case, the World would have cut off diplomatic relations and isolated America during the whole Trump Presidency, banished all Chinese citizens or Russians for both their government's human rights crimes. And all Cuban people would be categorized as fascists," he says.

He addresses the issues surrounding the long list of human rights violations the Saudi government is known for, including arrests without due process, outlawing feminism, and the 2018 assassination of journalist Jamal Khashoggi. 

Recently public outrage has prompted the Saudi government to spend billions of dollars reinventing its image and cast the country as a prime tourist destination. The country has financed large-scale music events and booked top-line talents like Nicki Minaj and Justin Beiber, often paying them several times more than their regular booking fee. The government has also invested $500M into Live Nation in 2020, which has doubled in the last year, giving them a 5.7% share.

Mills urges his followers to put it all into perspective, arguing that despite the horrible track record of the Saudi government, the citizens should be allowed to dance and enjoy music.

"Yes, the Saudi Arabian government and the conditions they impose are primitive, violent and abusive and just out right evil, but it shouldn't cloud the idea and question why some there seem to think that by having such a large event and inviting DJs to play unrestricted might make some difference. Most of you can probably remember a time or an occasion in your past when you first realized the power of music and if you're reading this, it's likely that it happened while on a dance floor, listening to a DJ. What makes you think an event in SA would be any different? In fact, if there is any place where the people might need to mentally escape, it would be there. How could a Saudi Arabian dance floor be so different from yours?" 

Mills expands on how necessary music is to help heal a population that is so often in turmoil. He argues that boycotting events will only hurt the Saudi people and cut them off from an important cultural touchstone. Mills, an activist since the early days of techno, explains how engagement is a more powerful tool.

"There are people in SA right now that are in desperate need, suffering, afraid, isolated, victimized, traumatized, abused and have been killed for what they believe in. Some of you seemed to think that it's a good idea for international DJs to boycott and not go which would further isolate the young people there. That, we (all of us) in Electronic Dance Music don't care about them - it's their problem. I'm positive there isn't a single DJ booked for this event that agrees with the SA government and what they're doing, but yet, some try to connect DJs as if they're somehow complicit. That's outrageous, but hey, it's social media - anything goes! Until we fact-check, right? There can be isolation or dialogue. Both have proven to be effective. "



Jeff Mills Responds to Concerns over Saudi Arabia's Soundstorm Festival 

Though the techno scene boasts an impressive list of talented artists who are each making names for themselves in their own way, few of these names are as iconic as that of Jeff Mills. Hailing from the birthplace of the genre, Detroit, Mills practically has techno in his blood, rising to recognition around the same time as the Belleville Three, Derrick May, Juan Atkins, and Kevin Saunderson, who are commonly credited with the invention of the genre.

Early on in his career, Mills, spun under the moniker The Wizard, growing in popularity through frequent gigs at local venues such as the Lady and Cheeks, as well as The Nectarine Ballroom in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Under The Wizard, Mills also held popular slots on several local radio stations, which also exposed listeners to his unique sounds and built him a devoted fanbase.

After beginning to produce in the 80s, Mills became a founding member of the group Underground Resistance, alongside “Mad” Mike Banks and Robert Hood. Together, the group became synonymous with their gritty, pared-down take on the genre, and enjoyed a great deal of success with their unique sonic voice. They also were known for their overt political stances.

In 1992, Mills made the decision to explore the possibilities of a solo career. Armed with a residency at Limelight and newly signed to the Berlin-based label, Tresor, the artist set off to make it on his own in New York City.

Today, Mills is still regularly performing, offering today’s audiences a taste of the origins of techno. In recent years, he’s made appearances at festivals such as Amsterdam’s Loveland Festival, Awakenings, and Crssd. He’s also at the helm of his own highly influential label, Axis Records, which has given voice to many techno names of today, in addition to being the home to Mill’s own releases.