Detroit's Todd Osborn -- aka Osborne -- has been called house music's MacGyver, creating innovative tunes on just about anything he can string together, including homemade computers and custom software. His sounds range from smooth ambient techno to bangin' tech-house, and Euro-disco influenced four on the floor bangers. Osborne recently rounded-up a collection of floor-filling 12"s and launched them on one shiny disc, marking his debut self-titled LP.

Needless to say, Osborne plays by his own rules and holds no regard for reviews. "The worst review I had was a paper here in Detroit by some dude who thinks Benny Benassi and Feddi le Pew are the second coming," he tells Spinner. "But most people seem to enjoy [my music]."
Cranking out tracks on a regular basis, Osborne is also inspired by his contemporaries. "DMX Krew's 'Ionospheric Exploration EP' has a track I've been waiting at least two years for -- 'Alpha Centauri,'" he says. "The analog sounds he gets are perfect, as is the melodies and arrangement." Osborne has also channelled inspiration from a more unlikely source. "R.Kelly, no question about it," the Motor City DJ says. "I think he has an amazing sense of pop and melody, and his music really comes from an authentic place. I know that may sound weird to some people because they think his lyrics are over the top but I think he's talking about what's happening and what he relates to, being as well known as he is."

Meanwhile,p Osborne made some noise among fellow DJs back in 2004 with his Afro-beat laced party-rocker 'Afrika.' "I originally just made it to mess around and maybe play at a party once in a while," he says. "I had this C.K. Mann LP come through my record store about 10 years ago, and I made it into kind of a remix first and then started changing the bass and speeding it up and cutting bits. It's still very close to a red-edit."

Invading dance floors around the globe, Osborne is fond of the foundation laid by Carl Craig and Jeff Mills and builds on it with infrequent but well regarded parties. "Berghain in Berlin is amazing," he says. " It's packed to the rafters with people that are there for the music and have a great time. It was really nice to play 6 hours, too. Usually sets are somewhere from 45 min to 1 hour."

Osborne's self-titled album is out now, along with a slew of well designed 12"s on Spectral Sound. He also put together an exclusive mix for Spinner with tracks ranging from electronic pioneers Kraftwerk to House icon Lil Louis.

Download: 'Outta Sight' (MP3)

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Osborne, 'Spinner RPM Mix'

Joe Magic, 'Take It to The Top'
Armando, 'World Unknown' (Mike Dunn mix)
Fumes, 'Jack2000'
Holden, 'Idiot Solo'
Ridis, 'Triangle'
Matrix, 'Blue Film #5'
Mr. Oizo, 'Inside the Kidney Machine'
Kraftwerk, 'It's More Fun To Compute'
Lab Rat XL, 'Lab Rat 2'
Rude 66, 'Die Staerke der Vernichtende Schltaege'
Holden, 'Lump'
DBX , 'unreleased'
Continuous Mode, 'Direct Drive Mode 1'
Round Two featuring Andy Caine, 'New Day' (Dub)
Mint, 'Hochlicht' (remix)
Pepe Bradock, 'Burning'
Sun God, 'Analog Codes'
Aril Brikha, 'Setting Sun'
Quadrant, 'Dub II'
Lil Louis, 'Music Takes U Away'
Chris Korda & The Church Of Euthanasia, 'Sex Is Good'
M-Core, 'Be Gene'


More Osborne:

• MySpace
• Ghostly International
  
• iTunes