VA - Have Faith (Compiled by Ryan Elliott) (2024)

Celebrating not just Ryan Elliott’s faith in a vital new generation of producers and DJs, but five years of his own meticulously curated Faith Beat imprint, ‘Have Faith’ is a bold new chapter for the Panorama Bar veteran. Before relocating to Berlin, Elliott cut his teeth spinning Detroit, so he pays it forward on this 34-track compilation, shining a dazzling spotlight on the local scenes and breaking new artists that promise to keep American dance music moving as it lurches towards a new era. When he was based in the US, Elliott realized how distant Europe felt for homegrown artists – not just philosophically, but physically. Two years ago, he set about excavating the US’s underground architecture, pooling contacts and tracks, and urging his wide network of friends to send over their best recommendations. The compilation coalesced organically, and pulls together a diverse canon of producers, offering them the global exposure they urgently need. Eighty percent of the tracks are from up-and-coming US-based artists from the Midwest and beyond, so with the 10th release on his label, Elliott lays down a glimpse of a possible future of underground house and techno that counters the scene’s contemporary Eurocentricity. This music was born in the US, and its evolution might still be in American hands.