Initially inspired by England's take on the sound of Detroit, Morgan Geist eventually tracked techno back to its Motor City innovators. Geist released his first 12" (via
Dan Curtin's innovative
Metamorphic label) while studying at Oberlin College in 1994. He formed
Environ soon after, releasing powerful statements of purpose which showed his affinity for the more emotive strains of disco, techno, soul and all flavours in between. In 1999 he started the highly successful
Metro Area project together with Darshan Jesrani.