Jeff Mills has paid tribute to the late techno originator Juan Atkins, describing him as one of a “rare and select group of visionary musicians who helped construct a bridge into the 21st century.”
In a statement shared on social media earlier this week, Mills spoke on the legacy of his friend and fellow artist, who passed away on Saturday, October 31, aged 64.
“We have known each other for decades,” Mills wrote. “Perhaps 45 years or more. And throughout that time, it has been my observation that he never fully received the recognition or credit he deserved for such an extraordinary achievement.”
He went on to speak about Atkins’ influence on him and the music coming out of Detroit, writing: “[His music] was perhaps the most powerful symbol of possibility that our city could have offered us. It was, in every sense, a gift.”
“Among the founding figures of electronic music, Juan’s contribution stands apart for another important reason: he never stopped creating. He never became comfortable with merely repeating what he had already accomplished.”
“He continued to evolve, to experiment, and, perhaps most importantly,
