This 2011 reissue in purple gatefold sleeve with embossed R&S logo in silver on front is a repackaged edition of the 2008 R&S Records remaster. Original cover design on inner sleeve booklet. With new liner notes.

“It is a valid argument that most popular electronic music – in clubs and on the radio – can be traced back to techno, the creation of which can be credited to three high school friends. With an equal appreciation for the club music of the time and artists like Kraftwerk, these kids became immortalized as powerful innovators: The Belleville Three. This is a famous story, and one that you might already know.

What many do not know is where to find an entry point when checking out Detroit techno. Enter Model 500, a moniker for Juan Atkins, that features some of the earliest techno releases going back to ’85. His compilation Classics is exactly what the title implies. A compilation is perhaps the best way to appreciate techno as it’s not typically a genre with strength in the album form. Furthermore, the great tradition of remixing and reinterpreting is present on this compilation from the start, and the record is improved from having these alternate and at times superior mixes." – Miles Bowe