One thing I’ve never been when it comes to my music collection is a completist. I don’t think there is any label that I’ve made a concerted effort to collect all their work, just for the sake of it. Red Planet, an off shoot from Underground Resistance is the closest I’ve got to a label that I wanted to own all the records from. Not for the sake of it but just because they contain some of my all time favourite techno. But if I don’t like a record I’m not gonna buy it simply to complete a collection so I’m missing No.11 – Revenge of the Wolf from the series ’cause I don’t think it’s that good a record. Also, the latest 12″ never got a proper release bar directly from Submerge, so it’s missing too.
Anyways, for those who don’t know; Red Planet is a sporadic series of 12″s, most of which came out between 1992 and 1999. Credited to The Martian it is widely believed that this character is Mad Mike (though he has never confirmed, instead denying it, if anything) but along the way Detroit luminaries such as Drexciya, Suburban Knight, Eddie Fowlkes and a few others have leant their hand to productions. The music touches on bruising acid trance/techno, tribal work outs (It is thought “Red Planet” is more a reference to Native Americans more than anything), sparse electro and deep techno all of which are tied together by a layer of funk that has UR written all over it. While one can argue about omissions (my favourite cut, Voice of Grandmother, isn’t on here) the mix gives a general overview of the label, covering all bases. Meet the Red Planet…
RP-4 – Red Atmospheres
RP-8 – Partical Shower
RP-9 – Prayer Stick (Trans-Electric)
RP-6 – Starchild
RP-6 -Ghostdancer
RP-5 – Spontaneous Lifeform
RP-2 – Stardancer
RP-5 – Skypainter
RP-2 – Cosmic Movement
RP-7 – Vortextual Conceptions
RP-3 – Ultraviolet Images
RP-1 – The Intruder
RP-3 – 808° (Surface Temperature Mix)
RP-13 – The Last Stand
RP-12 – Tobacco Ties
RP-3 – Sex In Zero Gravity
RP-6 – Medicine Man
RP-9 – Dream Dancing
RP-7 – Firekeeper
RP-6 – Windwalker
Mix be here
Enjoy
12 Comments
Looking forward to giving this a listen!…red planet is probably my favourite label of all time..and I have them all bar the last one too…plus I agree with you about the wolf one is probably the weakest…my favourite…so many to choose from…grandmother, windwalker are all super special…but I guess it has to be sex in zero gravity!
Amazing looking mix kenny. Absolute fan of Red Planet. Right on!
Really Looking forward to this, i was in 23rd precinct in Glasgow the day Stardancer got delivered into the shop and i snapped it up….Always been into this label and there stuff really does seem to be getting a lot of airtime again….
Nice one, UP DIGITAL…
I first heard Red Planet stuff properly in a meschi dreammachine mix 😉 and immediately bought two of the records. going to get more after this – cheers Kenny.
I have 2 interesting insights on Red Planet:
1) that Mad Mike created Red Planet to support his mother financially
2) that this is a Red Planet reject: http://www.discogs.com/UR-Dark-Energy/release/9103
Thanks for posting the mix, Downloading now.
“Base Station 303” has always been my jam. Let me count the ways:
1. 808+303 jam, and it sounds like they recorded it live.
2. Arguably some of the most mental 303 tweaking on any acid track.
3. Electro beat!
4. Mad Mike jamming it out on the keys.
I mean, listening to this track on headphones, and you think “heh, nice track.” But when you drop it on a good sound system, people lose their shit.
Long live Detroit beeeatchez 🙂
listening now and being motivated by the funk. superb mix
RP 1-9, best series in techno, although perhaps the Drexciya records on UR and Submerge can stand beside them. I don’t normally get too nerdy about these things but I think this project should’ve just ended with the mix CD. It was as perfect a collection of Techno music you could hope for, consistently inspiring, strong concept, etc… I just feel the more recent ones don’t add a huge amount to the series, not that I think they’re bad records!
Anyway, look forward to listening to this 🙂
also, I’ll be posting a Sun Ra mix soon, Sun Ra of course being a major influence on this kind of stuff
amazing music presented with style and grace. thanks for this.
fair play man i always wanted to do a mix like this but i am a lazy bastard. also i was talking to heads recently and the werent familiar with the planet so now i can show them this and wash my hands of them!