Pressing Detroit 2012 was essentially a kind of “listening station” not dissimilar to the set up you might find in an independent record store. All records included as part of the installation were pressed and/or released in 2012 and included the word ‘Detroit’ either in the titles of the records themselves, within featured track titles or as part of the recording artists’ names. These records were shown along with a turntable, amp and headphones. I hoped that through the act of listening to the said records and/or studying the associated artwork on the sleeves/labels, listeners/viewers would consider the significance of Detroit as a place of diverse cultural production and as a specific point of reference to outsiders* for myriad reasons.
The auditory emphasis within the installation, together with a specific focus on the word ‘Detroit’, deliberately steered clear of the tired “ruin porn” images that are currently so often used to depict the city. On this point it is interesting to note how the records are housed in plain sleeves or feature artwork that does not include such visual clichés of urban decay.
* e.g. Detroit Swindle are from Amsterdam
The following records formed part of the work Pressing Detroit 2012:
Luca Ballerini & Rio Padice, Never Mess La Cricca, Waxjam, 2012 includes the track Detroit Bazaar (track B1 – although there is no track listing on the cover, label or run out groove area)
Faruq Z. Bey 4et, Live at the Detroit Art Space, Sagittarius A-Star, 2012
Blodfet & DJ Lonely, From Tuscany to Provence, Börft Records, 2012 – includes the track Detroit is tuff, but so are we, sweets
Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr. We Almost Lost Detroit EP, Warner Bros. Records Inc., 2012
Detroitrocketscience, Detroitrocketscience Vol 1, Detroitrocketscience, 2012
Detroitrocketscience, Detroitrocketscience Vol 2, Detroitrocketscience, 2012
Detroitrocketscience/Kuba Sojka, 300 miles above Neo-Detroit, Minimalsoul Recordings, 2012
Detroit Swindle, B.O.S.T.O.N., Murmur Records, 2012
Dilla Dog, Dillatroit, Ruff Draft Records, 2012 – includes the track Detroit Madness
Dimension, Digital World/Detroit (Ft. Cyantific), Cyantific Music, 2012
The Evergreens, The Green Folder, Terpsiton, 2012 – includes the track Detroit Evening
Kemetrix, Soulwerkz Detroit Presents: Soulbrother #3, Pomelo Records, 2012
Fela Kuti & Egypt 80, Live in Detroit 1986, Knitting Factory Records/Strut Records, 2012
Optic Nerve, Detropolis EP, Puzzlebox, 2012 – includes the track Detropolis (Detroit Vocal Mental Mix)
Professor Inc. Natural Evolution EP, Rue De Plaisance Records, 2012 – includes the track Detroit Baby
Karriem Riggins, Alone, Stones Throw Records, 2012 – includes the track From Detroit/Belle Isle
Society of Silence, Signifying Monkey, Society of Silence, 2012 – includes the track Beat Reading Detroit (A and B sides are mislabelled)
Norm Talley, The Riviere D’etroit, Rue De Plaisance, 2012
Andras Toth, Would U?, Alphahouse, 2012 – includes the track Detroit Echo Tool
Two Armadillos, Golden Age Thinking Part 3, Two Armadillos, 2012 – includes the track Detroit Dancer
Unknown Artist, Long Distance to Detroit 02, Long Distance to Detroit, 2012 (the words Long Distance to Detroit are etched in the run out groove area)
Various Artists, Essential Detroit Blues, Not Now Music Limited, 2012
Various Artists, In The Dark: The Soul Of Detroit, Still Music, 2012
Various Artists, KMS 25th Anniversary Classics Sampler 03, 2012 – includes Phil Agosta Tribute to Detroit (Agent X Motor City Remix)
Various Artists, WPH Summer Sampler 2012, We Play House Recordings, 2012 – includes Alex & The Grizzly Detroit/Berlin – San Soda’s Lazer Remix (tracklisting etched in the run out groove area)
Rick Wade, Detroit Fury EP, Hizou, 2012
DJ W!ld, We Almost Lost Detroit EP, W, 2012
Many thanks to the following: Alex at Stones Throw Records, Andrew at Alphahouse Records, Art at Pomelo Records, Bart at We Play House Recordings, Sander Bekeschus, Dennis at Terpsiton, Detroit Swindle, Glenn at Not Now Music Ltd, T.J. Hicks at Minimalsoul Recordings, James at Mahogani Music, Jamie at Cyantific Music, Jan at Börft Records, Jerome at Still Music, Jerry at Warner Bros. Records Inc., Justin at Mute, Luca at Waxjam, Jonas Ohlsson, Alan Oldham, Sagittarius A-Star, Kuba Sojka, Society of Silence, Varoslav at Rue De Plaisance Records and Rick Wade. Apologies if anyone has inadvertently been left out.
