Detroit dance music thrives on intergenerational connections. In the late '70s and early '80s, the late Ken Collier mixed disco, soul and early electronic dance music in eye-opening DJ sets that left a mark on up-and-coming artists like Delano Smith. Once Smith established himself in the city's explosive techno community, he, in turn, influenced soon-to-be legends like Juan Atkins, Eddie Fowlkes, Jeff Mills, Norm Talley, Mike "Agent X" Clarke and others.
Now an elder statesman, Smith is etched into our history books as a crucial contributor to Detroit dance music, both house and techno. He's known especially for the Detroit beatdown sound he pioneered alongside Talley and Clark—slower, sexier records than what Detroit techno is generally associated for. (The trio even put out an RA Podcast under the name in 2010.)
It's more recently that Smith has become known as a producer. He started his own label, Mixmode Recordings, and became a regular on Berlin imprint Sushitech, where he released many of his albums, including the jazzy deep house masterclass An Odyssey. His style has evolved over the years to incorporate ambient, dub and more contemporary techno influences.
More recently, Smith's career has been sidelined by an ongoing battle with a rare and untreatable form of cancer. He's hosted livestreams throughout his ordeal to keep in touch with his fans. His RA Podcast, which he calls his "Legacy Mix," is a celebration of his favourite sounds: euphoric chords, jacking drums and deep-space melodies, the elements that have and will continue to reverberate through Detroit and beyond. It also marks the beginning of a more hopeful period for Smith, as he gets ready to travel again, especially with his Legacy Detroit series, which celebrates the lineage he's an indelible part of, and always will be.
@delano_smith
Read more at https://ra.co/podcast/914