Terrence Dixon - Minimalism III (12")
label . background records
release date . october 2005
Background Records began with the release of Terrence Dixon’s ‘Bionic Man EP’ in 1998, and now, almost 50 Background releases later, returns with Terrence Dixon’s long awaited “Minimalism III EP”, the follow up to his most sought after ‘Minimalism II’ (BG-011) release.
Dixon is one of the old-breed producers hailing from Detroit and has always been one of the most uncompromising characters within the Detroit Techno circle - atypical for the city and its clichéd sound. His typically raw musical approach, eccentric as his own personality, is never willing to accept or be associated with the marketing games of the music industry.
Dixon never made a big fuss about the fact that he collaborated with Claude Young in the early nineties, proceeded to released two records on Juan Atkins Metroplex imprint and ended up co-producing the entire Juan Atkins ‘Infiniti’ album on Tresor. His own solo album ‘From the Far Future’ also released on Tresor followed. In 1995 he collaborated with Mike Banks. Yet controversy came to light as Dixon, unhappy with the co-production aspect as far as Mike Bank’s input was concerned, eventually turned down a collaboration project between them to be released on UR. Something that no-one else has ever done before, an opportunity no-one would even dream of missing. Besides the fact that it is hard to believe that anyone else would have had the balls to do so.
‘Minimalism III’ combines two musical worlds of a man and his vision. The 12” features very raw, minimal, dark and hypnotic tracks in the usual manner in which he is famed for. Classic sounding Detroit Techno Soul that radiates an unexpected warmth and beauty. Techno pieces that no-one in Detroit or elsewhere seemed to have been able to do for a long time. It is as though the Model 500 has been revisited with hi-hats ricocheting gracefully across a mass of fluttering synthesizers and taut bass lines. ‘Minimalism III’ is music which is timeless and sounds like it could have been produced anywhere between 1992 and 2005. One could call it old school, but that would not be accurate. Obviously and effortlessly avoiding any trends or hype, yet reflective on a lost genre of Detroit techno in its purest authentic form.
Without a doubt a true Techno Classic in its own rite, containing a real soul that many tried to duplicate, but was never successfully imitated.
Andy Vaz
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Very happy to hear from Mr Dixion again. B1 is Dark Sweaty Detroit Basement Party Music.
The rest of the EP takes a little time to get your head around. I haven't bought it yet, because I feel that this will be the kind of record I'll hear played on the perfect system in the perfect location a year from now and have to run home and order it.