Fanon Flowers (pronounced Fuh-nahn) is a Techno music producer and DJ based in Los Angeles, California. Fanon was born and raised in Kalamazoo, Michigan, exactly halfway between Detroit and Chicago, the birthplaces of Techno and House music. A product of his environment, Fanon grew up listening to Detroit Techno and Chicago House music via cassette tapes recorded off the radio from The Wizard aka Jeff Mills (WJLB) in Detroit and DJ Farley Jackmaster Funk (WBMX) in Chicago. Soon after, Fanon purchased a Roland SH-101, TB-303, TR-505 and TR-606 and started buying Techno 12″ records. Fanon naturally gravitated to the more dominate post-industrial machine sounds of Detroit Techno and quickly developed a style which combined the funky, dark, syncopated rhythms of Detroit Techno with the raw soul of Acid House music.
After meeting Carl Craig through a mutual friend, Flowers began to garner attention in 1994 when he appeared as Mode Selector on the “Elements of and Experiments with Sound” compilation on Detroit’s seminal Planet E label. In 1996, Fanon Flowers appeared under his Mode Selector alias on the “Detroit: Beyond the Third Wave” Compilation.” Released on Astralwerks Records, Flowers appeared alongside Detroit Techno stalwarts such as Terrance Dixon, Claude Young, DJ T-1000 aka Alan Oldham, Ectomorph, and Anthony “Shake” Shakir.
Also in 1996, Flowers started his own Techno imprint, Mechanisms Industries (distributed by Triple Vision Holland), to showcase his unique and mechanical approach to Techno. With over 60 records produced and released on various labels, including Planet Rhythm, Pole Group, TH Tar Hallow and Modularz. Currently, Fanon continues to produce music for his own label, and perform DJ’s sets at European venues.
Various Artists