January 2022

People who like Hed Kandi Vol 1 also listen to Mike Huckaby, Lerosa, Delano Smith, Marcellus Pittman, Benjamin Brunn, Anton Zap, Black Jazz Consortium, Rick Wade, Lowtec, Vakula.

Upstairs Asylum released Hed Kandi Vol 1 on Mon Jan 24 2022. The 4 track House release features Delano Smith, Patrice Scott, and Deepset. Upstairs Asylum has released vinyl by Norm Talley, Omar S, Moodymann, Rick Wilhite, Delano Smith, Marcellus Pittman, Jon Dixon, Gerald Mitchell, Javontte, Tyree Cooper, Ataxia, Brian Kage, Gari Romalis, Rick Wade, and Mike Clark. People who like Hed Kandi Vol 1 also listen to Mike Huckaby, Lerosa, Delano Smith, Marcellus Pittman, Benjamin Brunn, Anton Zap, Black Jazz Consortium, Rick Wade, Lowtec, and Vakula.

Of the original crop of Detroit DJs, Delano Smith is one of the few still dedicated to the craft. Reflecting on house and techno without his influence would reveal a very different musical landscape today. Coming up when the world was just discovering the impact a DJ could have, Delano traversed his way to the top in a tough scene full of talent. Although dance music post The Belleville Three and Underground Resistance is well documented, the context that set the tone for them to emerge is less so. At a time described as the Wild West by some, when party culture was taking its first tentative steps, Delano honed his skills under the the guidance of the late, great Ken Collier. With initial sets fusing soul, disco and early electronic sounds, Delano planted seeds in the minds of Detroit’s subsequent generations. Those dancing to his sets in the late 70s and early 80s would later become ambassadors of a scene with worldwide appeal. Now, Delano stands shoulder to shoulder with the figureheads he once educated, writing a brand new chapter for house and techno. Delano’s story is long and intriguing, first taking to the decks in friends’ basements, these weekend sessions turned into the dance hall parties that paved the way for Delano’s residencies at clubs across Detroit. Championing permutations of the post-Disco era, a sound described by the D’s luminaries as “progressive” before house and techno were officially coined, Delano began to receive bookings beyond his home state, eventually touring what would become a familiar axis between the US and Europe. Following a period out of the game, Delano returned with a new focus, forming the DJ collective BeatDownSounds with long-time peers Norm Talley and Mike 'Agent X' Clark. The trio offered a unique, slowed down and raw take on house, a sound picked up by London/Tokyo label, Third Ear Records, and presented on the double-length compilation ‘Detroit BeatDown Vol.1’, the success of which enabled Delano and his partners to represent the Motor City on an international level. Comparatively late to production, Delano started releasing his own music in earnest from 2002 onwards, finding homes on esteemed underground labels and of course on his own Mixmode imprint. In 2009 Delano formed a pivotal relationship with the Berlin based Sushitech Records, following a chance meeting with label head Yossi Amoyal, the setting Panorama Bar, a club that would later help define Delano’s musical direction. After a string of successful Sushitech EPs, Delano dropped ‘Odyssey’ onto the scene’s collective consciousness, an album spawning enduring dancefloor favourites. Two years later his sophomore long player arrived, loaded with dark and dubby material ‘Twilight’ was a curve ball to follow the hysteria that greeted his debut. 2017 saw Delano add yet another Sushitech LP to his discography, entitled ‘Detroit Lost Tapes’ it offered archived material, dug out and recontextualised with a worldwide tour following in support.

Delano Smith

Patrice Scott’s roots in the Detroit music scene go a long way back. At the age of just 11 he lived down the road from early DJ group Direct Drive and it was at these block parties that Scott decided that this is what he wanted to do. That his inspiration should be so deeply rooted in live music and the dance floor environment makes sense – he has become known as one of the most innovative and dynamic club DJs from the Motor City with his own deep and textured house & techno sound. In those early days of the Detroit techno scene Patrice was exposed to legendary artist and disc jockeys like Juan Atkins, Derrick May, Kevin Saunderson, Jeff Mills as well as radio personality The Electrifying Mojo. Patrice also was profoundly inspired by the Chicago Sounds of Larry Heard, Ron Hardy and Frankie Knuckles a few hundred miles west. Patrice’s music reflects much of the rich sound palette of deep house and techno from the 1990’s but combines this with a sense of constant innovation which depends less on trends and fashions and more on Scott’s own passion for seeking out an otherworldliness in music. In 2006 Scott launched his own imprint, Sistrum Recordings, which has since released a long series of records to ongoing critical acclaim. 2015 saw the long awaited release of this debut album – “Euphonium” – where Scott displayed “jaw – dropping production prowess, both from a programming and compositional perspective” (Resident Advisor) Patrice Scott remains one of the scenes most ambitious and interesting figures with a relentless focus on unique music, the dance floor environment and collaborating with a compelling selection of American and European artists.

Delano Smith / Patrice Scott / Deepset - Hed Kandi Vol 1

Label: Upstairs Asylum

Format: Vinyl

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