Juan Atkins (September 12, 1962 – October 31, 2026), also known as Model 500 and Infiniti,[2] was an American record producer and DJ.[3][4] Mixmag has described him as “the original pioneer of Detroit techno“.[1] He was at different times a member of the Belleville Three,[5] Cybotron[6] and Borderland.[7]
Cybotron is an American electronic music group founded in 1980 in Detroit, Michigan, by Juan Atkins and Richard “3070” Davis. One of the earliest leaders of electronic music and instrumental in forming Detroit techno,[1] Cybotron’s music combined funk, electronic sounds and futuristic themes, which helped influence the sound and identity of early techno music. These tracks include “Alleys of Your Mind,” “Clear,” “Cosmic Cars” and “Techno City,” which are considered early works in electronic music history.[1] Media studies and people writing about techno have long considered Cybotron as a point from which to begin studying how it was born within Detroit’s own socio-economic and cultural conditions.[1]
John Bush of AllMusic explains that Atkins “explor[ed] his vision of a futuristic music that welded the more cosmic side of Parliament funkadelic with the rigid computer synth pop embodied by Kraftwerk and the techno-futurist possibilities described by sociologist Alvin Toffler“. Aesthetically, Atkins drew upon dystopian science fiction narratives to construct his sonic landscapes. Later in his career, he began incorporating elements of contemporary dance music, while retaining what critics consider to be his signature sense of melody.[20][21] He stated that George Clinton‘s bands Parliament and Funkadelic were important to his “musical awakening”.[4] He grew up listening to The Electrifying Mojo‘s radio shows.[4] He also acknowledged Kraftwerk as an influence on his music.[22
