Pittsburgh local music spotlight: Dereos Roads & Jumbled

Mike Palm TribLive Mon, Apr 14, 2025 • 08:01 AM

Dereos Roads (left) and Jumbled will play a record release party on April 19 at Poetry Lounge in Millvale.

The first album collaboration between Pittsburgh’s Dereos Roads and Baltimore’s Jumbled is chock full of samples — all from dollar bin records — from Jackie Cain and Herb Alpert to The Band and Donovan.

“I like how this is a true collaboration. For most of the previous projects, when I send beats to artists, they just record over top of them and send them back,” Jumbled said. “Dereos took the songs and added his own layers and vision, which can open up the live show a little more (especially playing with a live bass player). Also some of these songs grew out of another project I was working on called Orsulak, where I chop up guitar riffs from my friend Eben Dennis and make original beats. Using two to three of these songs fit in perfectly with the vibe and blended in with ‘If Life has Wings…’ and ‘You Can’t Blame this Man for Trying.’”

Dereos seconded the collaborative nature of the album, going further with local musicians.

“Another dope aspect is that I continued reaching out to my favorite bass players like Sean Zuza and Kevin Nolan for bass lines, so ultimately, this is a combination of samples, keys and synthesizers, bass guitar and raw rhymes,” Dereos said. “It’s damn near a concept album, with my original idea being to tell stories above all else. I portray a lot of different perspectives and try to give voice to the voiceless, a highlight being ‘If Life Has Wings Time Has Really Flown,’ which tells the stories of two undocumented immigrants working labor-intensive jobs in the midst of America’s harsh political climate. When I write, I often see myself as a conduit, and when you open yourself up to the universe or a creative realm, you’re allowing yourself to tell someone else’s story.”

The duo will celebrate their album, “Saw The Landmark Missed the Turn” with a performance/record release party on April 19 at Poetry Lounge in Millvale.

“You never know what’s going to happen,” Jumbled said. “The most perfect planned set can have technical issues. Your set can be cut short or extended at the drop of a hat. Read the room and leave them wanting more.

“I love the experience of stepping on stage with a crowd that’s not sure what to expect,” Dereos added. “It’s also an opportunity to show younger acts what’s possible in our genre: live instruments, no overdubs in your instrumental, clarity on the mic, breath control. Your show should feel different and contain surprises, not just be a run through of your studio album or collection of singles.”

Group: Dereos Roads & Jumbled

Group members: Dereos Roads (rap, sing, keyboard, guitar); Jumbled (beatmaker)

Founding story: Jumbled: I think we met many years ago — I had traveled to Pittsburgh to play a small show and Dereos (fka Proseed) was on the lineup. I liked his set, bought a 12” he put out (“I Wreck”) and we kept in touch. We reconnected back in 2021, and I started sending beats and we went from there.

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Dereos: We either met at the Intermission Lounge (formerly in the South Side) or Belvedere’s, circa 2012, around the same time I co-founded Surface Level Records.

For fans of: Boom bap, alternative hip-hop, Fake Four Inc.

Dereos: I’m the exception on both ends of the spectrum. For those who love the heavy hitters in hip-hop today or those who don’t typically listen to hip-hop, I’m their rare exception to the rule; probably too wordy for the average listener, but not eccentric enough for art rap fans.

Influences: Jumbled: Edan, MF DOOM, Madlib.

Dereos: KRS-One, Rage Against the Machine, De La Soul, Das EFX, George Winston, Sigur Ros, Citizen Cope, Nick Cave

Releases: Jumbled: This is the first one! I did a Proseed remix on a promo tape which I gave out about 10 summers ago (but he didn’t like it, haha).

Dereos: “Saw the Landmark Missed the Turn” releases April 16. When not working together, we both have an extensive back catalog and more music on the way. Jumbled has a lot of great beat tapes, and my first album under my new moniker dropped in 2023, “Worlds Apart.” Under Proseed, I recommend “Depth in Shallows” (2013) and “There Goes the Sun” (2016).

Next shows: Release party for “Saw the Landmark Missed the Turn,” April 19 at Poetry Lounge. The show will feature Sean Zuza joining the duo on bass guitar, with other performances by AARIE and Bloodmoney Perez.

Dereos will continue performing with Zuza on bass guitar in late spring and summer: April 27 at Steamworks Creative in Gibsonia; May 22 at Trace Brewing in Pittsburgh; Aug. 1 at Poetry Lounge.

How to find them: Jumbled can be found on Bandcamp, Instagram and TikTok. Dereos can be found at his website, Instagram, Bluesky and TikTok.

Three other Pittsburgh area bands to check out: Jumbled: I’m not familiar with current Pittsburgh bands — I used to play in a grind band and two of my fav Pittsburgh bands were Crucial Unit and Warzone Womyn (both defunct); rap: DFRNTFRM.

Dereos: Some of my favorite acts in this city are Psych Ward Grips (punk), Nardo Says (soul hop) and Moonshine Jasmine (blues rock).

Favorite pizza shop: Jumbled: I live in Baltimore and can’t answer that haha.

Dereos: You either know or you learn at a show that I live outside of Pittsburgh, but the city is my nucleus for music. My favorite pizza is actually Grande’s in McMurray, but when I’m in the ‘Burgh, I love Spak Brothers.

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Pittsburgh local music spotlight: Dereos Roads & Jumbled