Carl Craig Curates 30 Tunes to Celebrate 30 Years of Planet E Communications

Planet E Communications reaches its massive, three-decade milestone and Carl Craig crafted a compilation to showcase its catalog.

The deep dance music history found in Detroit is one that is only rivaled by that of Chicago and New York. While house and disco reigned supreme in those two cities, something special was brewing in Michigan as it fostered a home for what would inevitably come to be called techno. One artist who helped pioneer this movement in the late ’80s and early ’90s was Carl Craig, and with his imprint Planet E Communications, he’s only further shown off the immense musical talent coming out of Detroit.

This year, Carl Craig isn’t just celebrating the return of festivals like Movement Detroit after its pandemic slumber, but a major 30-year milestone for Planet E Communications as well. To honor the legacy of this imprint and showcase how it constantly reimagines the future of dance music with its catalog, the label boss curated a special compilation dubbed Planet E 30 which features 30 tracks that have helped define the imprint.

Planet E 30 kicks off with a flurry of iconic tunes including Paperclip People’s “Throw,” Psyche’s “From Beyond,” and two tracks from Innerzone Orchestra – “Bug In The Bass Bin” and “People Make The World Go Round.” This orchestra was led by Carl Craig himself as he explored the realm of experimental jazz, so definitely give these two a listen if you’re unfamiliar with the project. Other unique offerings on this compilation include The Detroit Experiment’s “Space Odyssey,” which saw Carl Craig work with Marcus Belgrave, saxophonist Bennie Maupin, violinist Regina Carter, and pianist Geri Allen.

There are a plethora of amazing tunes on the second half of the compilation as well. This includes Jon Dixon’s “When Belgrave Met Banks” and Waajeed’s “Mother” along with DJ Minx’s “Do It All Night” and Ataxia’s “Oblivion.” Carl Craig’s version of “Attenuator” also finds a home on this compilation and is yet another iconic tune that needs to be added to your collection if you haven’t yet given it a listen.

Planet E 30 is currently available on Bandcamp and Amazon Music, with streaming platforms to come. Grab your copy and explore the sounds that have permeated this legendary label in the dance music scene!