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Review of Kevin Saunderson’s History Elevate

By Lindsey Darden

kevin saunderson history elevate1 Review of Kevin Saundersons History Elevate

Over the last two decades, artist, DJ and producer Kevin Saunderson has shaken up the music world, and finally it has responded. The mood-infused style that has assisted in techno’s evolution – as an electronic, rhythmic, and supersonic entity – has proved to be an inspiration to many an artist who has an appreciation of the layered nature of electronic music.

Known as one of the Bellevue Three, Saunderson and high school friends Derrick May and Juan Atkins were able to find a common interest in their passion for music, due in part to cultural similarities shared in spite of the lack of diversity in the Midwest suburb of Detroit, Michigan. Creating and producing tracks a few steps away from house and disco, they were able to bring the local youth together with a new sound more synth-y and electronic than previously attempted.

Eventually the Three branched into their own separate outfits with one common goal as expressed by Atkins: “to save the world from bad music.” Saunderson worked the instrumental-only route until a suggested collaboration with vocalist Paris Grey resulted in band Inner City. It was through this means that Saunderson was able to come into his own, crafting a parallel universe revolving around R&B, jazz, and of course, drum machines.

Saunderson’s most recent release is the track-heavy compilation entitled History Elevate, two discs comprised of his remixes, and himself, remixed. While simultaneously sampling then-contemporaries who have left their mark, his influences – Prince and Parliament, to name a couple – are lurking within most every track, ambushing the senses to a near-insurmountable level.

On disc one, his remix of The Pet Shop Boys’ “Go West” is dark and rough around the edges, a feat in of itself considering the bravado nature of the track. “Do it for Love”’s tempo is taken down a notch but retains Ann Consuelo’s playful, sultry vocals. Saunderson even mixes himself, a cameo appearance as it were, on the track “Money”, sampling “Velocity Funk”, another high-energy track produced in his days spent under the name of E Dancer.

The second disc launches into Saunderson’s works primarily as part of Inner City, “Big Fun” as remixed by UK duo Simian Mobile Disco), also highlighting various works under multiple aliases. Whether in the DJ booth or in the studio, Saunderson has tailored himself to the feel-good benefit of the music aficionado as well as the novice – History Elevate, as an extension of his versatility, showcases Saunderson as one of the most clever and influential powerhouses in the business.

History Elevate will be released on June 9.

Videos:

Kevin Saunderson and Paris Grey (Inner City)

“Whatcha Gonna Do with My Lovin’”