[Seventh Sign]

Detroit mainstay Marcellus Pittman is as reliable as he is unpredictable, and it seems that for every deep beatdown tune he releases, there’s an eccentric, wildly experimental workout. The Eastside Story, his first EP for the Scottish label Seventh Sign, exudes this split, as its three tracks effectively offer something for everyone.

“The Mad Underdog” is the centerpiece here, a strained thrill ride led by a deep, gurgling bass line and some bizarre tom-and-cowbell interplay. Its place in the Pittman oeuvre is somewhere near his remix of Hungry Ghost’s “Illuminations” — it’s a programming wormhole practically begging to be played for its duration. A friend recently remarked that the track’s freneticism could soundtrack a horror movie chase scene, which is fairly on-point. However, I would place it more in the realm of the harrowing psychological thriller, as it sounds quite a bit like the steady uncoiling of a fragile mind. It’s insane, and thus perfect for sustaining dance floor tension.

The B-side takes an entirely different approach, consisting of two grooving, meditative slow house tracks. “An Afternoons Delight (Dub)” melds luxuriant chord arrangements and synthetic (or at least heavily treated) vocals with restrained drum programming and subtle bass pulsations. Meanwhile, “You Want Me (Never)” is a smooth twilight disco number, and its boxy bass and key solos trade off in a kind of nonchalant, flirtatious dialogue. Both tracks are expertly executed, and their low-key spaciousness serves as an ideal balance to the crazed A-side.