ELEVATE YOUR MIND 2014
KMS Records presents a widescreen snapshot of the legendary label’s current status in the electronic music world, this time with Dantiez Saunderson (Kevin’s son) firmly at the A&R helm. Founded In 1987 by Detroit pioneer Kevin Saunderson, KMS can be seen as one of the most important outlets for techno over the past three decades, with a vast back catalogue boasting releases from many of the genre’s major players.
Whilst the label’s heritage is hard to ignore, this 15-track sampler is an unmistakeable look to its future, drawing on new, unreleased and re-worked tracks from a diverse and truly international roster of KMS artists. Setting energy levels at maximum from the off is Mr Saunderson himself, his Inner City collaboration ‘The Love I Have’ given a euphoric vocal mix by fellow Detroit hero Mike ‘Agent X’ Clark.
Next up is Toronto-based DJ/Producer, Greg Gow (a longtime KMS Artist) treating us to a ballsy 2014 techno rework of the classic KMS release, ‘Untitled B’ by Chez Damier.
From here on in it’s the new guard with all new releases. Belgian producer Lionel Weets wears his deep affinity with the sound of Detroit on his sleeve on ‘We Can’t Sleep’, followed by Australian up-and-comer Joe Brunning drawing from the 303 on the acid-drenched ‘Freaky Funk’. Dantiez Saunderson makes his father proud with the peak-time pulse of ‘Hologram’ alongside Ken Young, whilst Canadian young gun Joe Mesmar turns out some rolling tech efficiency on ‘Hot Trouble’.
Klement Bonelli takes things into stripped down, jacking territory with ‘I Give Up’, giving way to Bram Fidder’s bumping percussive workout ‘Impact’ and the trippy tribalism of Philipp Ort’s ‘Dwell’. Argentinian export Seph keeps things warped with ‘Jade’, before Antonello Teora conjures up a stunning Italian sunrise moment on ‘LT’.
Dantiez Saunderson returns to the action with a Vocal Harp remix of ‘Lucid Ethics’, a melodic pumper that sounds instantly timeless. Frenchman F.E.M keeps the melodies flowing on ‘My Drug’ while Spanish talent KPD takes us on a trip through the low-slung tech-house of ‘Pumba’. It seems only right that Kevin Saunderson finishes the journey he started, this time handing over his 1991 E-Dancer classic ‘Pump the Move’ to California native Tomio Ueda, delivering a reinforced re-working driven by the original’s unmistakable synth line.
