Since the first wave of techno, Detroit has remained a stronghold for its latter day musical export. Meanwhile, alongside people like Kevin Saunderson and Derrick May, the DJ Stacey Pullen has been a global ambassador for the Motor City sound—spreading the good word of Detroit techno on dancefloors from Miami to Montreal. On his new mix album, Balance 28, Pullen offers an exercise in turntablism that translates his sound to a CD format, finally allowing dance fans the chance to enjoy Pullen’s more recent music outside the context of a sweaty techno club.
Sonically, the music Stacey Pullen spins and produces is a very Detroit style of house music. In his own song “I’m Coming,” Pullen dials up the funk with a track that is all percussive rhythms and festive electronic sounds. Meanwhile, on Kevin Saunderson’s “Foundation,” an aggressive kick drum gives form to a shadowy wash of synth and bubbling 909 to create a track that is at once dark, futuristic and a total banger. Essentially, the music fulfills house’s vision of being a more minimal and electronic update on disco music, with an edginess and futurism that is reminiscent of Motor City.
Though the rise of big festival EDM has given dance music a more mainstream exposure in America, the Detroit scene remains the real deal—with tracks that forgo cheap bombast in favor of something more soulful and raw. With this new mix CD, Stacey Pullen should keep established fans of the scene happy with another dose of quality music. If nothing else, Pullen keeps the standards high and preserves the Detroit techno aesthetic in all its integrity. 4/5.