In techno circles Kirk Degiorgio remains a somewhat controversial figure. Apparently it is hard for music genres to live without ideological disputes, and techno is no exception. Degiorgio was one of the driving forces in the European discovery of Detroit techno back in the 1980s, and since then has always maintained close relationships with local luminaries like Carl Craig. Indeed, Degiorgio's own music over the years has mirrored Craig's growing incorporation of jazz influences and, as a consequence, a move away from the dance floor. This musical move carries a lot of ideological baggage. Degiorgio has often stated that his vision of techno is one of a continuation of jazz music, a somewhat over-romanticized interpretation of black music that, by implication, plays down the substantial (some would say main) influences Europe has had on techno, pre-Detroit and post-Acid House. The implication of this interpretation is that techno should be more of a cerebral music rather than a physical form of dance music. It's a vision that especially irritates populists who demand techno to be, above all, a music that reveals its true meaning on the dance floor. Personally, I tend towards the techno-as-physical-music camp, but unlike some, I don't let ideology be the sole yardstick for musical appreciation. Which means that although '21st Century Soul' is, in a sense, a conservative take on techno (just check the strictly analog equipment he uses) that should never become the norm, there is a lot to be enjoyed in its singularity.