Juan Atkins built a cybernetic future for music – but invested it with humanity

The Detroit techno pioneer, who has died aged 64, blended funk and electronics with information-age philosophy to create music of huge power and influence

Juan Atkins, the originator of techno who died on 31 October, spent his lifetime translating a fascination with the future into sound.

He was the oldest of the founding fathers of techno known as the “Belleville Three”, along with his junior high school friends Kevin Saunderson and Derrick May. He was the first of the trio to buy a Korg MS-10 synthesiser, and also taught the others how to DJ on turntables. His work in the duo Cybotron alongside Rik Davis was the sonic blueprint that sketched out what later became known as techno – indeed, he is the one who gave the genre its name.