Delano Smith

Delano Smith continues to represent Detroit on the worldwide stage to the highest level. As a House and Techno Artist he has been responsible for some of the most influential records of a generation. His DJ sets remain at the forefront of current musical trends whilst paying homage to the underground and the roots of electronic music culture.

Chicago born but Detroit raised, Delano Smith has consistently been one

of the earliest and earnest contributors to Detroit DJ culture and music since 1978. Reflecting on what is now labeled house and techno without his influence would mean viewing a very different musical landscape. Coming up at a time of Soul, funk, disco and progressive when the world was just discovering the influence a DJ could have, Smith battled his way to the top in a tough scene full of talent.

Becoming one of the first waves of youngsters to play for the cities top promoters and hold residencies at Detroit’s premier clubs, Delano often played alongside the legendary Ken Collier. Before house and Techno were officially coined, those dancing to his sets and getting their DJ education in the late 70s and early 80s would go on to become dominant influences and first wave of the emerging global electronic music culture. Techno pioneer Derrick May once said, “Without Delano there would be no

Derrick.” “Delano Smith influenced either all or most of the Techno generation” – Jeff Mills. Equally as impressive, he’s also a part of the legendary ‘Detroit Beatdown’ crew with Norm Talley and Mike “Agent X” Clark and has played with every groundbreaking DJ to ever spawn from Detroit.

Delano Smith is a dance floor DJ. His goal has never been ego or relevance. It is the music and a skillfully focused sound presentation that puts bodies on the dance floor. His prowess as a genre boundary defying selector is well known and his kinetic, emotional and educational sets on both turntables and CDJs is internationally recognized and sought after worldwide. He has played the globe • Panorama in Berlin, Contact in Tokyo, Rex Club in Paris, Fabric in London, TV Lounge and Marble Bar in Detroit, SunceBeat Festival in London and Croatia, Detroit’s Movement and Charivari. Four decades in the game he’s just done what he always

has done, piece together perfectly programmed and off the cuff sets of timelessly grooving floor killers.

When it comes to Delano’s recorded output, his main body of work is housed on his own label, Mixmode Recordings but has also released under Sushitech, Third Ear, and Open Bar. Smith’ production and track output offers a musical journey as he holds the listener in his grasp with a rambunctious take on the deeper, housier side of Detroit. Smith tracks have exploded onto the collective consciousness of the house and techno world. He has spawned singles played across the board and gave birth to a clutch of killer remixes from the likes of electronic savants Carl Craig and Marcell Dettmann. It’s the true essence of a sound that we know him best for, deep and groovy, alluring, forward thinking and highly danceable tunes yet he keeps his output versatile at times dark and dubby or with some truly rocking techno moments.

Whether Artist, DJ, producer, promoter or influencer, Delano Smith continues to carve his legacy as a statement of his intent that the journey will always be on his own terms. Smith remains locally loved and internationally recognized while actively writing brand new chapters in dance music and party culture.