One listen to the opening of The Duluth Local Show on the Current and a person gets a sense of the folksy, wholesome veneer the city imparts to its people and out of towners alike when it comes to its cultural musical identity. It’s the birth place of Bob Dylan, in case you didn’t know. But, just beneath the woodsy surface and what hides in so many of the homes in the Hillside above Bob Dylan Way, gulp, are an impressive number of artists plugging in synthesizers, drum machines, samplers … oh my!

Say it isn’t so Duluth?

It is so.

And many of them are making fantastic music. Some of them have been at it for quite some time. Duluth’s Dirty Secret dares to share this music by way of an evolving, bi-monthly playlist including Duluth/Superior area artists who employ such blasphemous tools with their craft.

Below are three different links to Volume 1.

SoundCloud | Mixcloud | Spotify

Due to some artists not on Spotify, as of yet, that playlist is appropriately abbreviated.

This very first month kicks off with an artist who’s been at it in Duluth longer than most, Deen Dodge. Check out his Soundcloud page to hear his brand of smooth Jazztronic — my term, not his. Also featuring Prone, Glassine, the June Crush, Shaunna Heckman, Sweat Equity and Sadkin. Check them out, go to their online haunts, give them a shout out if you are so inspired.

Are you such an artist and want to be featured on an upcoming playlist? If so, email Duluth’s Dirty Secret and share — duluthsdirtysecret @ gmail.com.