Various Artists
Detroit: Beyond The Third Wave
Astralwerks/US/2 X LP
This is a collection of lush, smooth, techno tracks from the likes of Claude Young, Stacey Pullen and Sean Deason. Add to that, quirky electro from Ann Arbor’s Brendan Gillen and hard track work from Terrence Dixon and Will Web, all rounded out by rough house from Kelli Hand and Anthony “Shake” Shakir.

Beyond… is no more special than the recent True People box set, but the music is of the quality one would expect from Detroit artists, whether you prefer to lose yourself in the elastic dreaminess of Claude Young’s “Impolite To Refuse,” jack hard to “Last Trip” by Mode Selector or recall the Eighties via the Cybotronic, circuit stomp of Ectomorph. Exquisite artwork from Alan Oldham and the fact that it’s the first compilation to come out of the US since KMS’ “Techno I” compilation in 1989 makes this an achievement, or it drives home the point that for many  years opportunities were denied this Motor City talent. You decide. 8/10 Chris Orr