In our new book on techno production, we break down iconic techno arrangements to uncover what makes them timeless. Juan Atkins’ No UFO’s is often hailed as a blueprint for techno. But does its influence extend to the arrangement itself? Absolutely.
Everything has a beginning. For techno, that beginning is often attributed to ‘No UFO’s’. Recorded by Juan Akins under the name Model 500 and released on his own Metroplex label in 1985, it helped usher electronic dance music on from electro and European Italo disco into something starkly new.
Combining elements of Kraftwerk and electronic funk with the kind of sci-fi musings Atkins had been exploring in his previous group, Cybotron, ‘No UFO’s’ was an instant underground hit. Although it got airplay in Detroit – notably on a young Jeff Mills’ radio show – it was Chicago where it really took off and where it attracted the attention of UK record labels looking for material to license.
Although the song is not a perfect representation of where techno was heading – it’s much more song-focussed than that, with a clear verse/chorus structure – many of the classic elements are already set, from the use of drum machines like the TR-808 and TR-909 to the eerie vibe.
Let’s grab some binoculars and observe this UFO in full flight.
The Arrangement
What’s Happening
1
The 125 bpm song starts with a full complement of drum sounds. This is the Vocal version of the song and as such is only four minutes long. It’s not an extended dance floor track; it’s meant for radio play. The arrangement reflects this, never taking very long to change from one section to another.
When we start, we get the basic percussion sounds of TR-909 kick playing a standard 4/4 pattern, a TR-808 cowbell, 808 closed and open hats, and a snare/clap combo that’s a staple of this era of Atkins’ songs. You can also hear it on ‘Future’, the flip side of ‘No UFO’s’, and on ‘Techno City’, a 1984 single from Cybotron. Along with these, there’s a second kick, likely from the 808, playing a 16th note-pattern. This doesn’t return, at least not in the vocal version, and serves as a kind of intro to the song.
Atkins also gives us two transition sounds: a white noise-like synth crash, which will repeat throughout the song and help identify changes and keep momentum up, as well as a single bass note with a falling pitch, sliding us into the song.
2
After the eight-bar intro, the song starts properly, with a run-through of the eight-bar instrumental section that will reoccur after each chorus. Here, the 909 kick continues, as do the snare, cowbell, and 808 hats. The 808 kicks have stopped, as previously mentioned. Replacing them are a new 909 sound, a clap pattern panned to the left. Many of the 909 sounds are panned to the left in ‘No UFO’s’, suggesting they were sub-mixed to a single channel on Atkins’ eight-track recorder.
Here he introduces arguably the song’s main element, the bassline. Funky and insistent, the analogue synth bassline forms the backbone of much of the song. These kinds of basslines are common on many of Atkins’ songs from this time, like ‘Night Drive (Time, Space, Transmat)’ and ‘Electric Entourage’, and had a huge influence on Detroit techno as well as electro groups like Aux 88. Supporting the bassline is a single-note synthesizer sequence playing a short, high-register sound. It was likely triggered by one of his drum machines. This adds to both the music and the rhythm. As for the synths he’s using, he’s gone on record as having a Korg MS-10, Sequential Circuits Pro-One, and ARP Odyssey and Axxe at the time. Any of these could fit the bill.
Finally, Atkins uses the synth crash to punctuate the beginning of the eight-bar section, dropping it in again after four bars to add energy.
3
At bar position 17, Atkins gives us the first verse of the A-minor song. He’s doubled the lyrics himself and panned each to either side of the stereo spectrum. By leaving the centre channel open, it allows the ear to focus on the bassline, placed front and centre, further cementing it as the heart of the song.
Musically, there’s a new synth playing a melody, appearing at the end and in-between verse lines. It’s minimal but effective, adding a dash of musicality without overwhelming the rhythm.
Speaking of rhythm, the song now has another set of hi-hats, this time a pattern of closed hats from the 909 (panned to the left as expected). Where most songs from this era would use just one drum machine at a time, ‘No UFO’s’ doubles up the hats, creating a dense feeling of rhythm. This would, of course, become a popular technique in techno later on. Also note how Atkins changes the 909 clap pattern half-way through the verse’s 16-bar section to add energy. The closed hat pattern changes at the halfway point as well, adding to the energy.
4
Next, the eight-bar chorus. Here is the famous line, “They say there is no hope, they say no UFO’s’, with Atkins criticizing the government for destroying people’s dreams and keeping them under heel. The vocal is here centre-panned, emphasizing the point he’s making. This is bolstered by a new synth playing a minimal yet funky progression.
Where most pop songs will build to the chorus, ‘No UFO’s’ instead eases off on the energy. We’ve lost the 909 hats and gone to a new 909 clap pattern for variety. While the kick pattern is straight-ahead like modern techno, the variations in claps reflects the music of the time, with both electro and hi-RNG employing this technique.
5
Midway through the chorus, Atkins hits us with the synth crash and unmutes the bassline, returning us to the power of the song as the chorus vocals continue.
6
Another instrumental break before the verse. This is a duplicate of the section in 2 (above) although with a few minor changes. Rather than the 909 clap pattern of before, he allows the pattern from the chorus to continue. This keeps up the energy. He also uses the synth crash once, at the beginning of the eight-bar section.
7
Another verse. This sixteen-bar section reprises the musical elements of part 3. However, he’s now added a pattern of 909 open hats. Oddly, he stops these after the first two bars. Rather than adding tension, he’s using variation to maintain listener interest. He also does this by using a more active clap pattern and dropping the 909 hats altogether in the final two bars of the verse.
To punctuate the beginning of each eight-bar section he again employs the synth crash.
8
The second chorus. It’s largely a repeat of the first but rather than drop out the bassline he lets it roll through the entire eight bars. Our old friend the synth crash gets to do its thing twice, once every four bars.
9
Another post-chorus break. The big difference between this one and 6 (above) is the looped vocal, which continues from the chorus. While this could be a sample, it’s more likely a digital delay or even a tape loop. Some of the transitions between sections, particularly towards the end, sound more like tape splices than hardware sequencer changes. Whoever did the edit (either Atkins or someone else) may have contributed this vocal loop as well. However it was done, it serves the purpose of carrying the energy (as do the two synth crashes) from the chorus through into the breakdown, which is next.
10
The first half of the 16-bar breakdown for ‘No UFO’s’ is simple, with just the kick, snare and bassline playing their normal sequences. If you listen carefully, you can hear the other percussion channels muted on the mixer.
11
The breakdown continues, with the 808 cowbell and hats now unmuted. Notice there are no fills in ‘No UFO’s’ nor dropouts. The energy is carried by the periodic changeovers from verse to chorus plus the density of the percussion.
12
Is it still the breakdown, or is it now a pre-chorus section? Atkins stops the bassline and replaces it with the percussive synth. If the kicks were broken rather than playing a basic disco pattern, this could be from an early ‘80s electro track.
13
Instead of bringing back the chorus and repeating to the fade out, like a pop song, Atkins instead opts to get weird. While he scats through a delay, he introduces a 909 tom pattern, a prominent feature of the back half of the song. If you were having trouble hearing the techno influences in ‘No UFO’s’, you should definitely recognize them now. On top of the toms Atkins brings back the 909 claps and closed and open hats.
Listen closely to the snare. Atkins is doubling it with the percussive synth, giving it a sharp and metallic edge. This will continue through this section.
14
After just two bars, he changes it up, announcing the change with the synth crash. We lose the 909 claps and open hats, and the tom pattern transforms into something a little more groovy.
15
Now at position 113, he stops scatting (which isn’t very techno, anyway), changes up the tom pattern, and brings back the claps and 909 open hats. The synth crash keeps the energy high.
16
A short, four-bar section with kick, snare (still doubled with the synth), 909 toms, 909 closed hats, and 909 claps.
17
Another four-bar section but this time it feels like we’re moving back to the main feel of the song, thanks in large part to the return of the bassline. Atkins has killed the percussive synth snare and gone back to just the regular one. The kick, as ever, keeps time.
18
The song is now fully back. The kick and snare are joined by the 808 cowbell, closed and open hats, and the 909 claps and toms playing busy patterns. Atkins also gives us a “Hey!” for good measure.
19
After eight bars it begins to fade out. Rather than let things repeat through the fade though, Atkins suddenly introduces a 909 crash. A final synth crash reinforces the change. We can hear Atkins saying “Hey” again just before things fade to silence.
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If you like this article, you may enjoy:
- An interview with Juan Atkins: “It’s All Connected”. Read here.
- How To Make Beats Like Cybotron. Read here.
- Our new book ‘The Secrets of Techno Production’. Find out more.
