Forgotten Treasure: Octave One “Blackwater” Strings Mix (2000)

I can’t remember the exact moment when I heard this track, but I know it was the soundtrack to my trip to Leeds back in 2013.

I could have been walking to the city, taking a bath, having a tea, or even absentmindedly conversing with people – Black Water played relentlessly in the back of my head. In a delightful twist of fate, I came across a repress on one of my digging excursions a couple of days later in this hole-in-the-wall record shop we managed to track down (do make it a point to visit Therapy “The Hub” if you’re ever in West Yorkshire). It was a sign from the stars.

Debuting their first single “I Believe” on Derrick May’s Transmat label (Rhythim is Rhythim, DVS1, Joey Beltram), Octave One became a mainstay in the second wave of the Detroit techno movement. The group is made up of Lenny and Lawrence Burden, often with their three other brothers making regular appearances on their recordings – on this particular piece, Lynell Burden contributed to the composition. You may also notice another familiar name on the release: Ann Saunderson… wife of Kevin Saunderson!

Sandy Tea

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