Classics (Model 500 album)

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Classics
Compilation album by
Released1993 (1993)
GenreDetroit techno[1]
LabelR&S
ProducerJuan Atkins/Model 500
Model 500 chronology
Classics
(1993)
Sonic Sunset
(1995)

Classics is a compilation album by Juan Atkins under the alias of Model 500. It was released in 1993 by R&S Records.

Production and music

The album's tracks were initially released between 1985 and 1990.[2] Select noted that tracks "No UFO's" and "Off to Battle" have been "polished in the studio".[1] Juan Atkins has stated that George Clinton's bands Parliament and Funkadelic were important to his musical awakening.[3] He grew up listening to The Electrifying Mojo's radio shows.[3] He also acknowledged Kraftwerk as one of the influences on his music.[4]

Release

Classics was released in 1993 through R&S Records.[2]

Reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[2]
Select(4/5)[1]
The New Rolling Stone Album Guide[5]

In a contemporary review, Select gave the album a four out of five rating, calling it "a fairly comprehensive collection of the work of Juan Atkins"[1] The review noted on the album's release that Atkins "has lately become something of a forgotten hero," and that this release should "encourage him to get involved with the present again."[1]

AllMusic gave the album a five out of five star rating, praising tracks such as "No UFOs", "Sound of Stereo", "Night Drive" and "The Chase".[2] The review concluded that the album s track "form one of the most consistent, forward-looking discographies of the decade, alternately noisy and sublime."[2] Tiny Mix Tapes praised the album in 2012, stating that "Electronic music is often stigmatized as having a shelf-life like milk. Some trends from just a few years ago are already dated, yet Classics still sounds fresh. Sure, it doesn’t sound like it came out last week, but I would argue that many listeners would be shocked to hear that some of these songs are over a quarter century old."[6] The review compared the album to Kraftwerk's Trans-Europe Express, Boards of Canada's Music Has the Right to Children and Bural's Untrue as electronic music "that sounds timeless"[6] In The New Rolling Stone Album Guide (2004), gave the album four stars and noted that "[Atkins's] most important work post-Cybotron came under the moniker Model 500, whose singles including the great "No UFO's", ""Off to Battle" and "Night Drive (Time, Space, Transmat)" are collected on Classics"[5]

Track listing

All track written by Juan Atkins/Model 500[7]

No.TitleLength
1."No UFO's (remix)"6:58
2."The Chase (Smooth mix)"5:42
3."Off to Battle (remix)"6:04
4."Night Drive (Time, Space, Transmat)"6:04
5."Electric Entourage"6:46
6."Electronic"6:00
7."Ocean To Ocean (instrumental)"6:42
8."Techno Music (M500 Version)"5:35
9."Sound of Stereo"6:51

Credits

Credits adapted from Classics liner notes.[7]

  • Juan Atkins/Model 500 – writer, producer, performer
  • Third Earth – art

References

Footnotes

  1. ^ a b c d e Howe, Rupert (August 1993). "New Albums". Select: 84.
  2. ^ a b c d e Bush, John. "Classics - Model 500". AllMusic. Retrieved August 18, 2015.
  3. ^ a b Eede, Christian (April 9, 2019). "Techno pioneer Juan Atkins is rewiring his electro legacy". DJ Mag. Archived from the original on July 5, 2019. Retrieved February 29, 2020.
  4. ^ Atkins, Juan (November 11, 2012). "Juan Atkins on Kraftwerk". Electronic Beats. Archived from the original on June 30, 2017. Retrieved February 29, 2020.
  5. ^ a b Brackett & Hoard 2004, p. 27.
  6. ^ a b Bowe, Miles (January 9, 2012). "1985-1990: Model 500 - Classics". Tiny Mix Tapes. Retrieved August 18, 2015.
  7. ^ a b Classics (Liner notes). Model 500. R&S. 1993. RS931CD.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)

Sources