Patrice Scott in Tallinn

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  • Detroit house has long had a foothold in Estonia. Its main protagonists don't make it over here very often, but you'd be hard pressed to find a DJ in the country that didn't have a few bits of wax from Sound Signature or Mahogani Music in their bag. The latest Michigan alumnus to come through was Patrice Scott, the Sistrum Records label head well-known for pushing sounds at the deeper end of the spectrum. He spun a Friday night slot for local promoters Horisont at ULME, a new club just outside Tallinn's city centre. Horisont, an outfit that have hosted Mike Huckaby and DJ Spider in the past, also sent along residents Renca and klmn, plus local jocks Robert Niko and Marcel Düšess. ULME's do-it-yourself interior is simple but interesting. The space houses a single dance floor with two bars in adjacent rooms on either side. As with most multi-purpose venues (bands play here, too), the DJ booth is on a a raised stage. The seating—a few couches and some tables and chairs—is limited and kept very separate from the main action, perhaps as a way to send people back to the dance floor. Those who showed up around midnight were greeted with syncopated bleeps and bloops. Renca and klmn were at the controls, apparently doing their best to avoid anything with a 4/4 time signature. After an hour or so, the Raster-Noton-styled minimalism gave way to house, bringing a new wave of dancers to the main room. By the time Patrice Scott took over at 1:30 AM, anything with hi-hats and an intact bassline was met with shrieks and whistles. For the first portion of his set, Scott played what most would probably have expected—pad-heavy deep house with big breakdowns and plenty of emotion. Before long, though, things became heavier and loopier, as snappy drums replaced the smooth atmospherics. The change clearly lifted the energy, and kept it high until the flat-capped American left the decks sometime after 4 AM.
RA