Pittsburgh, Again: Detour 001 Featuring Pittsburgh Track Authority, Mirko, Gusto, Naeem

As a Chicagoan, it’s scandalous to see a Pittsburgh scene powered by such relatively few resources but grinding away such a feverish pace. With barely 10% of Chicago’s population and nearly always in the shadow of larger, nearby cities, these people are putting aside their shit and getting it done with a DIY ethic that gives us reason to reconsider what the hell we’re doing.

Detour – the label and the record – is the latest Product of Pittsburgh to make the seismic needle twitch, starting off with the group that’s the city’s best known export in the House & Techno scene in the last few years, Pittsburgh Track Authority. All four tracks on the record could be called “driving” but PTA’s contribution sets the tone for that – if I had to compare it to anyone else, I might say Kirk Degiorgio or someone else who can make tracky shit that doesn’t sound like it was assembled by a machine without the guidance of human intelligence. Mirko’s “Arena” is a lowkey techno masterpiece, moving with the rattle of underground machinery and a very live sound – almost like a live PA. Gusto’s “Circulacion” and Naeem’s almost tribal sounding “Repel” round out the release.