Looking back at an unsung hero from Warp Records’ seminal Artificial Intelligence compilation series. Once mentioned alongside contemporaries Aphex Twin, Autechre, Luke Vibert, and Mike Paradinas, Yorkshire-based producer […]
Somewhere in Detroit: Underground Resistance, Submerge, Techno and the Detroit Way (A Film by Roland)
A couple weeks ago, Roland released a new short film about Detroit’s greatest musical collective since Motown, the cooperative and record label dubbed Submerge and UR (Underground Resistance). Somewhere in Detroit reveals intimate conversations, providing unique insights into the tight-knit co-op at the center of Detroit techno—the creators, pioneers, and futurists who embody the spirit of the genre. The mini-documentary also charts how members of Underground Resistance not only pioneered the futuristic techno sound, but also worked to facilitate, amplify, and distribute the work of other independent artists and labels emerging from the Motor city.
Underground Resistance co-founder Mike Banks is featured prominently in the mini-documentary, which is a delightful surprise as he is known to rarely give interviews. His interview portions are filled with incredible quotes but here are a few: “Maybe Detroit was economically depressed, but musically rich than a motherfucker”, “My archenemies: major record companies. In their need for greed, they kill culture”, “What is the future without young people? A bunch of old motherfuckers? You out the way, man.”
The film is also accompanied by a deep dive on “Underground Resistance, Submerge, and the Detroit Way.” Read more: https://articles.roland.com/the-detroit-way/
