Detroit artists Jeff Mills, Eddie Fowlkes and Jessica Care Moore have released their debut album as The Beneficiaries. The Crystal City Is Alive arrived by way of the former artist’s label, Axis Records, on July 24th, 2020.
Two years in the making, The Crystal City Is Alive resulted from Mills’ urge to address the lack of collaborations between Detroit artists. His experimental approach to Detroit techno is on full display throughout the six-track effort, as is Fowlkes’ soulful approach and Moore’s thought-provoking spoken-word poetry.
“The Crystal City Is Alive (A phrase extracted from Moore’s words), puts the Detroit, America, and the world on notice,” reads a statement on the release. “The alarm has sounded and it is now time to mobilize all creative units to the frontline.”
Made in Detroit
Both Eddie Fowlkes and Jeff Mills are household names among techno fans. The former is a first-wave Detroit techno DJ and producer who has released music since 1986, and the latter was a founding member of Underground Resistance, a group greatly responsible for techno’s roots in protest music.
Hailing from a different corner of the creative world, Jessica Care Moore has authored such poetry books as The Alphabet Verses The Ghetto, The Words Don’t Fit in My Mouth, and God is Not an American. She also serves as CEO of Moore Black Press and the founder of literacy initiative Jess Care Moore Foundation.
Preview or purchase The Crystal City Is Alive in digital, vinyl and CD formats through the Axis Records website.
