| Classics | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Compilation album by | ||||
| Released | 1993 | |||
| Genre | Detroit techno[1] | |||
| Label | R&S | |||
| Producer | Juan Atkins/Model 500 | |||
| Model 500 chronology | ||||
| ||||
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
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| 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. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 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 2 3 4 5 Howe, Rupert (August 1993). "New Albums". Select: 84.
- 1 2 3 4 5 Bush, John. "Classics - Model 500". AllMusic. Retrieved August 18, 2015.
- 1 2 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.
- ↑ Atkins, Juan (November 11, 2012). "Juan Atkins on Kraftwerk". Electronic Beats. Archived from the original on June 30, 2017. Retrieved February 29, 2020.
- 1 2 Brackett & Hoard 2004, p. 27.
- 1 2 Bowe, Miles (January 9, 2012). "1985-1990: Model 500 - Classics". Tiny Mix Tapes. Retrieved August 18, 2015.
- 1 2 Classics (Liner notes). Model 500. R&S. 1993. RS931CD.
{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
Sources
- Brackett, Nathan; Hoard, Christian David (2004). The New Rolling Stone Album Guide. Simon and Schuster. ISBN 0743201698.