Crate Diggin’: François X’s Motor City discovery

It’s impossible to talk about François-Xavier Zoumenou (aka François X) without mentioning Paris. The techno artist has been one of the forces behind the city’s electronic music renaissance in the last few years, but before he’d released any music he was already a name in the French capital’s scene. He’s been a resident of the much-loved Concrete club since their early beginnings, a position that’s no doubt helped his recent rise across Europe. Zoumenou discovered techno scouring through the city’s best record shops, where a friendship with DJ Deep helped shaped his understanding of the genre. The French legend took an early shine to Zoumenou, and later went onto sign his first records to his seminal Deeply Rooted House label. Zoumenou’s own Dement3d imprint has also added to his status, with his debut Irregular Passion LP from last year a good example of his aptitude for writing techno with personality. This Saturday he plays in Room One for the first time ahead of Marcel Dettmann, so we asked him to list some of the formative records from his discovery of techno. For his list, he outlined 5 all-time favourites, produced by some of Detroit’s most acclaimed pioneers.

No More Words (Neo - New Age Tribal Mix) – Carl Craig

I was a huge fan of Carl Craig when I started digging for electronic music. What really amazed me was his use of strings and atmospheres that for me depicted my sound of Detroit perfectly. This record is very special for me, it’s got the funk and the blues that all techno records should have. A masterpiece. I think I discovered it for the first time in a shop called Betino in Paris in the Planet E section (although it was released on Retroactive). It was a key point and a vital discovery in my love for deep and moody atmospheres.

Just A Feeling – Instinct

What can I say about this record?! It was DJ Deep’s favourite track at the time; he played it every time he was out. And when he was not playing it, I was the one who was asking him to play it. I have so many memories from parties with this one; of the night, the moody atmospheres, the haunted strings, the Martin Circus Disco Circus sample. So Detroit. I tried so hard to get my hand on this record – the first time I had it on vinyl was when Laurent Garnier and Carl Craig released their The Kings of Techno compilation.

Urban Tropics – Juan Atkins

A funny record this one – credited to ‘The Originator’ Juan Atkins, but some tracks on the EP were made by Marty Bonds (aka Reel By Real), and it seems Mike Huckaby made Urban Tropics. So typically Detroit again, but whose is it? Nevertheless, I heard this record for the first time in a record shop in Paris called 12 Inch where DJ Deep was doing an in-store session. I was literally struck speechless by the music; you can feel the melancholy of those guys, and it instantly catches you. The melody is so beautiful and the bass has that funkiness we rarely see nowadays. Classic.

Microlovr – 69

OK, now we’re into some serious business with this track. This is what I call timeless music. I can say it’s the one track I have listened to the most in my life. It’s so futuristic. Wow Carl, you did it: music from outer space. I also bought this at Betino, but you have to understand at the end of the 90s my homework came from two people: DJ Deep and Betino, at his shop. I cut my teeth amongst serious music lovers. I was lucky! Microlovr is one of the tracks I found. Listening to this rhythm section continuously was part of my daily addiction; it’s amazing how the loop bounces on the floor, like Futuristic P-Funk for me. I was also really crazy about those strings.

Racial Lines – Psychic Warfare

A beautiful and truly engaging track that was created by ‘underdog’ Detroit techno producer Jay Denham. I discovered it through the contemporary ‘digging method’ of Discogs around 15 years ago, when the Internet came into our lives. I literally sucked everything from that void and resource of information: mix pages, Discogs, commemorative websites, everything that could inform me about the community. I am a geek, so for me it was a kind of Eden. This track is from a time when Detroit had a real and strong political engagement surrounding the black community, something we are lacking today. Do not forget where that music comes from – “No matter how much you hate me, I don’t hate you”.