''Elements 1989–1990'' is a 1996 compilation of early recordings by

Detroit techno Detroit techno is a type of techno music that generally includes the first techno productions by Detroit-based artists during the 1980s and early 1990s. Prominent Detroit techno artists include Juan Atkins, Eddie Fowlkes, Derrick May, Jeff Mi ...

musician

Carl Craig Carl Craig (born May 22, 1969) is an American electronic music producer, DJ, and founder of the record label Planet E Communications. He is known as a leading figure and pioneer in the second wave of Detroit techno artists during the late 1980 ...

, released under the pseudonyms Psyche and BFC. It was released on Craig's label Planet E Communications and reissued in 2013. In 2011, ''

Fact A fact is a truth, true data, datum about one or more aspects of a circumstance. Standard reference works are often used to Fact-checking, check facts. Science, Scientific facts are verified by repeatable careful observation or measurement by ...

'' named it one of the 20 greatest ambient albums ever made.

Recording

The recordings comprise some of Craig's earliest music, including his first recording "Neurotic Behavior." Beginning his career in his bedroom, Craig worked with a borrowed 4-track recorder. Some of the tracks were recorded in the homes of Derrick May, Renaat Vandepapeliere (of

R&S Records R&S Records is an independent record label founded in 1983 in Ghent, Belgium. R&S represents the initials of Renaat Vandepapeliere and Sabine Maes, the couple that created the label. R&S Records has had several subsidiaries, most notably Apollo R ...

), and singer Sarah Gregory. These recordings were released on labels such as Transmat, Fragile, and Craig's own Retroactive imprint. The track "Elements" was released on the various artists compilation ''Techno 2: The Next Generation'' (1990).

Reception

The compilation showcases Craig's atmospheric, introspective approach to

techno Techno is a genre of electronic dance music (EDM) which is generally produced for use in a continuous DJ set, with tempos being in the range from 120 to 150 beats per minute (bpm). The central rhythm is typically in common time ( ) and often ...

, a feel which ''

'' described as "tranquilised sci-fi." Critic Tony Marcus praised the compilation, labeling the recordings "narcoleptic, interior techno."

AllMusic AllMusic (previously known as All-Music Guide and AMG) is an American online database, online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on Musical artist, musicians and Mus ...

called the compilation "quintessential

" which demonstrated "Craig's talents as producer even at this early point in his career." Critic John Bush called the recordings "seminal" and stated that they are "long pointed to as the birth of the second wave of Detroit techno."

Tracklist

All tracks by

(tracks 1-5, 11 credited to Psyche; tracks 6-10, 12, 13 credited to BFC). # "Elements" – 6:50 # "Neurotic Behavior" – 7:42 # "Crackdown" – 5:58 # "From Beyond" – 5:43 # "Andromeda" – 4:55 # "Evolution" – 3:09 # "Galaxy" – 6:41 # "It's a Shame" – 5:39 # "Please Stand By" – 5:02 # "Chicken Noodle Soup" – 6:33 # "How the West Was Won" – 3:34 # "Sleep" – 5:11 # "D.Funk" – 5:16 (bonus track, 2013 reissue)

Personnel

Adapted from

Discogs Discogs ( ; short for " discographies") is a database of information about audio recordings, including commercial releases, promotional releases, and bootleg or off-label releases. Database contents are user-generated, and described in ''T ...

. *Carl Craig – producer, composer, liner notes *Anthony Shakir – edits (tracks 1 and 7) *Sarah Gregory – vocals (track 3) * Derrick May – mixing (track 5) *Brendan M. Gillen – compilation, design *Abdul Haqq – cover artwork

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Elements 1989-1990 1996 compilation albums Carl Craig albums Techno compilation albums