Juan Atkins, pioneer of Detroit techno sound, dies aged 64

US artist known as Model 500 and as one half of the duo Cybotron had huge influence on dance music worldwide

Juan Atkins, one of the pioneers of Detroit techno and a huge influence on dance music more widely, has died aged 64.

His agency, Greensmith Artists, confirmed the news to the dance music website Resident Advisor, saying that Atkins was found unresponsive in a hotel room in Mexico City prior to a performance there, and was pronounced dead after being taken to hospital.

Atkins created a gleaming, mechanistic form of electronic music, first as part of the duo Cybotron and then under the alias Model 500, that could command a dancefloor while also evoking sci-fi fantasias.