It was a surprise, if not a shock, back in August 1978 when a prominent Detroit concert promotion firm accused Electric Light Orchestra of using taped enhancements during a pair of stadium concerts.

This week, the veteran producer Rupert Parkes, a.k.a. Photek, releases his DJ-Kicks mix to American audiences. But listeners boning up on his “two swords technique” can put away the Seven Samurai DVD: ...