Few names in house and techno carry the weight of Detroit’s Patrice Scott. As a producer, DJ, and the mind behind Sistrum Recordings, Scott has spent two decades quietly shaping the underground with music that doesn’t chase trends but endures across decades.

His release from early 2025, ‘Solitude’, has been moved big numbers at VU and will feature in the top of our year end charts, while his latest remix of Zopelar on the wonderful D3 Elements label just landed in stock, and closes out another vintage year. 

Aidy caught up with him to talk about his creative process, Detroit’s evolving scene, and why timelessness matters more than hype (something VU relates with).

VU also dug though the archive for some favourite Patrice/Sistrum records and put them in the mix on the VU Soundcloud for you to hear why this music matters so much to us. Soak up the knowledge, then soak up the sounds...

Aidy: Sistrum releases always seem to have a long shelf life. How do you approach making music that lasts?

Patrice Scott: For me it’s about music that stands the test of time. I’m not interested in chasing the hit of the moment. Sometimes a track comes out of a studio session instantly — I’ll sit down, and before I know it, I’ve got something that I feel needs to be heard. Other times, I’ll work on an idea, set it aside for years, and then come back with a fresh perspective.

Some of those older tracks end up on other labels. I don’t mean they’re not good enough for Sistrum, but the mainline releases — especially the A-sides — are always the ones that feel immediate and special. That’s why they still move years later.

A: You don’t release a huge amount of records on Sistrum. Is that intentional?

PS: Yeah, I’ve always kept it that way. On average maybe two a year, but there have been gaps — at one point I went two years without putting anything out. It wasn’t because I wanted to stop, but if the inspiration isn’t there, I won’t force it.

I’m not doing this for money. Sure, the label brings in some, but that’s not the motivation. If I feel like I have a quality piece of music, I’ll put it out. If not, I wait. That way the records keep their integrity.

A: Can you give an example of one of those “in the moment” releases?

PS: Take 'Solitude' — I made that in late 2022, and the B-side came around the same time. Or the the 'For My People' EP — those four tracks were all created in two days. The creativity just flowed, and I knew I had to get them out. That’s usually how it happens with Sistrum.

A: Do you test tracks out in DJ sets before deciding to release them?

PS: Honestly, no. It’s always my decision. I might let a couple of friends hear something, but mostly it comes down to how I feel. People tell me I’m sitting on a hard drive full of albums’ worth of music — and they’re right — but if it doesn’t feel like the right moment, I’ll hold it back.

A: Your sound has become more musical and jazzy over the years. Was that a conscious shift?

PS: It was always there, but I didn’t show it at first. Around 2015, when I released Detroit Upright, I started to let people hear that side. I grew up with jazz influences, and they’ve always shaped how I play and produce. For a long time I thought I needed to stick with a more direct house sound, but eventually I just wanted to put out the music that felt true to me.

A: In your early days you mentioned crews like Direct Drive. What influence did they have on you?

PS: Direct Drive were local DJs in Detroit. I was just a kid, maybe eight or nine, when I first heard them at a Sharevari party. Up until then I thought of DJs as radio personalities, but hearing them changed everything. The way they played records, the energy — that’s when I knew the kind of DJ I wanted to be.

A: Detroit is at the heart of everything you do. What do you love most about the city?

PS: The music history. It’s endless. I went to the Motown Museum recently — only my second time — and I still learned new things. I’ve lived in LA, I’ve spent months in Europe, but I always come back to Detroit. It’s home.

A: And what’s the hardest part of living there?

PS: The snow. I can handle the cold, but I don’t like snow.

A: Do you think Detroit’s scene still gets the recognition it deserves globally?

PS: I think Detroit has lost some of its shine with the rest of the world. The pioneers are getting older, and while there are younger DJs making noise, it’s not on the same scale as before. Locally, there’s talent, but we need more to carry that recognition forward.

A: Are there still record shops in Detroit keeping things alive?

PS: Definitely. We’ve got shops like Peoples and Threads. When I was younger I went to Record Time a lot — Mike Huckaby (RIP) was the dance buyer there. That was my spot. Melodies & Memories was another, and they’re still around. I used to spend hours digging there.

A: Do you consider yourself a record collector?

PS: I used to be. At one point I had about 10,000 records. But I moved around a lot, and I got tired of hauling vinyl. I sold a bunch and now I’m down to around 4,000. I still collect, though, because people give me records, and I can’t say no.

A: When you travel, do you still go record shopping?

PS: Not like I used to. In New York I’ll always stop by Cosmic Arts, which is Joe Claussell’s spot. But most of the time, if I’m in a shop, it’s because I’m selling records directly.

A: How connected did you feel to the other “second wave” or “third wave” Detroit artists?

PS: I’ve mostly done my own thing. I wasn’t big on collaborations, except for appearances on various artists’ records. Keith Worthy and I had a connection for a while, but Sistrum has always been about its own lane.

When I first started the label, I actually shopped music around to some of the older heads. They all had opinions — change this, change that — but I liked it the way it was. That’s what pushed me to start Sistrum in the first place.

A: You’ve played around the world. Do you still make it to the UK?

PS: It’s been a while. I think the last time was 2019, just before COVID. There’s been talk with Jazz Café in London, but it hasn’t lined up. These days I play mostly in the US and sometimes in Toronto — which is only a four-hour drive from Detroit. The scene there is really open and always booking good DJs.

A: What’s next for Sistrum?

PS: I never plan it. If inspiration strikes, there’ll be another record. If not, I wait. What I can promise is that there will always be more music. I’ll keep going as long as I’m healthy and it makes sense.

A: Any final words for the record shops and fans who’ve supported you?

PS: Just thank you. Thanks for supporting all these years. Keep supporting, because there’s always more good music coming. One of the beautiful things is that new fans discover Sistrum all the time — even 20-year-olds are finding old records and feeling them. That’s the power of timeless music.

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Thanks to Patrice for his time, music, and then his patience while we got this together. You can check all our stock of Patrice/Sistrum music here at VU. Also check out the mix on our Soundcloud:

Cover photo by Daniel Robert Dinu / Gigxels.com