Juan Atkins, one of the founders of Detroit techno, has died at 64. His agency, Green Smith Artists, confirmed to specialist press that he was found unresponsive in a Mexico City hotel before a scheduled show and was pronounced dead after being taken to hospital. No official cause of death has been announced.

Born in Detroit in 1962 and raised in Belleville, Atkins met Derrick May and Kevin Saunderson — together the Belleville Three, the core of early-1980s techno. Their music fused synthesizers and electronic rhythms with funk, disco and hip-hop; Atkins also cited Kraftwerk, DJ The Electrifying Mojo and Alvin Toffler’s futurism.

In the early 1980s he formed Cybotron with Richard Davis. “Clear” (1983) became an underground landmark, shaped generations of producers and was sampled by Missy Elliott on “Lose Control” (2005). As Model 500 and through his Metroplex label, Atkins released “No UFO’s” (1985), helping carry the sound beyond the United States.

Kevin Saunderson called him “the originator of Techno, a true visionary who opened the door for so many of us.” Carl Cox spoke of the lasting imprint of “Clear”; Sven Väth recalled the bridge Atkins built between Detroit and Berlin, later a techno hub.

In recent years he kept touring festivals and clubs; in 2023 he revived Cybotron after a long break. His last scheduled date was in Mexico City on 31 October — a day before the death was announced publicly.

Source: Juan Atkins, a founder of techno music, has died (Mediafax); confirmation: Juan Atkins, pioneer of Detroit techno sound, dies aged 64 (The Guardian)