909rewind Vol. 13… Carl Craig

Welcome to 909rewind, a new series from 909originals that delves into the early careers of some of dance music’s biggest names, uncovering hidden gems and familiar classics from the archives.

We dive into an artist’s back catalogue to uncover rare singles, albums, productions, remixes and more… the tracks that helped shape their sound and set them on the path to legendary status.

With today, 22 May, marking the 50th birthday of one of the key innovators of Detroit’s ‘second wave’, Carl Craig, this week’s 909rewind playlist delves into the early career of this techno luminary.

Blending ambient, jazz, funk and breakbeat nuances, Craig has long sought to distance himself from the straight-up ‘four to the floor’ stompers of many of his contemporaries.

This was perhaps best evidenced on his 1997 breakthrough, More Songs About Food And Revolutionary Art, an album described at the time as “an important footnote in a Motor City generated text that is far from finished and yet to be fully understood.”

Under guises ranging from Paperclip People to BFC, and from Psyche to 69, there’s a distinct soulfulness to his output (whether in his own productions or his remix work), as he explained to XLR8R in a 2017 interview, discussing one of his standout compositions, At Les.

“There is a musical aspect of it, there is the sound, and there is a sonic characteristic that comes not only from the recordings but how it is arranged,” he explained. “It just emotes a feeling that, at least in versions that I have been involved in, has transpired through the music.”

Happy 50th birthday, Carl!