Well, I'm Driving In A Black On Black In Black Porsche 924

When I first heard the wizard drop this track ['Future'], I thought the electrifying mofo just landed his mothership on my roof. My porch lights burned out. The very next day I headed for Buy-rite music on 7mi, I had to hook up on this track. I gave a big shout out to juan, who just happened to be chillin' in Buy-rite that day. Now, when I take this track for a ride on the 1200's, it still gives me chills. Those phased out synths and trade mark snares compliment the futuristic baseline, not to mention the piloting vocals.


The above is a comment from Model 500 discogs [left by author 'zorlac'] referencing their first hit, 'No UFO's/Future' 12" from '85. We are not exactly sure who zorlac is, but he sounds like a cool guy if he was on a first-name basis with Juan as in Atkins, co-creator of Detroit techno and just a straight up important figure in electronic music, who recorded under many names but most prominently as Model 500. 'Techno' has taken on somewhat lame connotations at present (well, it's just not our thing), but the Motor City OGs' electro funk style was totally another story– more Afrikaa Bambaataa/Kraftwerk meets soul meets hard Ford-factory robotism than much within the modern sphere of techno, or maybe we just don't know enough which is probable. 'No UFOs' is a dope song, but 'Night Drive (Thru Babylon),' also from '85, is their best– a track burning with late-night energy that paints a landscape of a gritty, but hyper-stylish, retrofuture dystopia that seems especially surreal in the context of Detroit 2010.

We came across the amazing clip above, featuring 'No UFO's' (among a bunch of others that are definitely worth watching if you're bored), from the The New Dance Show, a Detroit tv show from the late 80's/mid 90's that was basically Soul Train but in Detroit with dope music like Egyptian Lover and shit, and the most stylish people ever.

Model 500 - No UFO's (Vocal) (251 kbps)
Model 500 - Night Drive (Thru Babylon) (254 kbps)