Movement Festival: A Spectacular Celebration of Techno’s Past, Present, and Future

During this year’s Memorial Day weekend in Detroit, Moodymann, also known as Kenny Dixon Jr., took it upon himself to honor a local legend and spread the word about an architect of Detroit techno. Addressing the crowd at the Stargate stage during Movement Festival, Moodymann asked for cheers if they knew who Juan Atkins was, emphasizing his significance in the city. This sentiment was echoed during an interview between Moodymann and DJ Stingray 313 (Sherard Ingram) a few days prior, where Moodymann discussed his favorite records and the importance of the “big three” in Detroit techno.

Moodymann humorously referenced the “big three” as General Motors, Ford, and Chrysler, drawing parallels to the trio of influential figures in Detroit techno. However, Moodymann asserted that, according to Detroiters, there is only one essential figure in the “big one,” and that is Juan Atkins, affectionately emphasizing his impact on the genre.

It’s worth noting that the account of Detroit techno’s origins can be contested, as Richard “Rik” Davis, former member of Cybotron, released his own solo record and contributed significantly to Cybotron’s music and lyrics before Atkins left the group. Additionally, attributing the creation of Detroit techno to only three individuals oversimplifies the complex history of the genre. Nevertheless, it remains true that Detroit was a hotbed of electronic music innovation in the 1980s, with Black artists forging futuristic and captivating sounds that found their way back to Europe, particularly Berlin, and influenced the evolution of techno in the following decades. Undeniably, Juan Atkins holds a prominent place as a pillar of Detroit techno, being the first of the Belleville Three to DJ and produce music (with the term “techno” even originating from a Cybotron track titled ‘Techno City’).