Skynet

Only the second solo full-length of Atkins' long career (after Model 500's Deep Space), Skynet strengthens the links between the godfather and his many acolytes in England and Germany. While his '80s work influenced Brit acts like the Black Dog and B12, here Atkins sounds influenced by that sound in turn and relies on a production style much more subtle than on his very R&B-ish Model 500 material. It's akin to the divide on his '80s tracks between the evocative mood music of "Night Drive (Time Space Transmat)" and the full-throttle machine techno of "No UFOs." (The American version adds two bonus tracks.) ~ John Bush