From Detroit to Berlin: How Techno Took Over the World

As the 1980s began to unfold, so did the talent of Juan Atkins as he went into creating and recording what exists as one of the most prominent works in the land of techno. Building on his perspective of modern music, Atkins focused on the more psychedelic elements of Parliament funk. With the sharp synth pop personified by Kraftwerk and the techno-futurist ideals detailed by Alvin Toffler, Atkins masqueraded his name behind aliases such as Cybotron, Model 500, and Infiniti. Under these aliases he released numerous classics of superb Detroit techno. And though it can be difficult to identify the exact origin for any style of music, the obvious selection for techno is the electro track “Clear,'' recorded by Atkins and Rick Davis as Cybotron in 1982. Soon after this release, he departed from the album-oriented Cybotron to work solo and debuted his most generative material as Model 500 from 1985 to 1989. However, Atkins began producing much more steadily during the 1990s. This decade of his work showcased new rhythmic principles from contemporary dance music while also displaying his unwavering sense of melody. So, when the electronic scene went back in its history to recognize musical innovators, Juan Atkins was a name revered and celebrated as the godfather of techno

Beginning his life in Detroit in 1962, Atkins learned and played bass as a teenager and then took up keyboards and synthesizers after becoming familiar with their use in Parliament records. In the late 1970s, local DJs, Ken Collier and the Electrifyin' Mojo, introduced Atkins to a range of other synthesizer-directed bands, including Kraftwerk, Telex, and Prince. Atkins then purchased a Korg MS10, his first synthesizer, and started recording with cassette decks and a mixer for overdubs. The rest is history. Following his impressive career in the 1990s, Atkins stayed active in the early 2000s. He put together a series of highlights named Classics in 2002 and then an album of new productions called The Berlin Sessions in 2005, along with a double-disc, 20 Years Metroplex. Model 500 returned to R&S with the 2010 single "OFI"/"Huesca" and the 2012 single "Control." Atkins and Von Oswald released an album titled Borderland in 2013. Digital Solutions, the third Model 500 studio album appeared on Metroplex in 2015. Then the album Transport, by Juan Atkins & Mortiz von Oswald present Borderland, was issued by Tresor Records in 2016. Atkins and Von Oswald would work together again the following year to release the EP, Angels.

Juan Atkins

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