Dreams of Plastique

*Story & interview by JohnG*


Plastique de Rêve ! Again ?!? After rocking da house at Parking, not once but twice... After rocking the house at the I Love Neon Halloween party last year... and after rocking the house in an Old-Montreal basement party - he is back for more ! This time at Academy (Oct. 30th) and Parking (Nov. 2nd for a "hat-trick").

Plastique de Rêve is one of Switzerland's finest electronic music exports, period. With some experience dating back from the late 1980's, he has acquired a taste for only the finest electonic music.



Fast foward ten years later. The name Plastique de Rêve was born with his first releases on Gigolo (the "Magic" EP) and his remix for Ural 13 Dikators on Mental Groove - before they got really big ! Then in 2002, magic re-happens, as he releases the now infamous "Rodéo Mécanique" EP on Gigolo. It quickly became one of the biggest electro / tech / acid tunes of the year, and rocked dancefloors from Hong Kong to Montreal.

In 2005 Mr. Plastique released "The Sounds You Hear" on Montreal's famous label Turbo. The EP proved to be a success with the fucked up acid tune "Do It", and the darker - but yet very cool - tech track, "The Sounds You Hear".

His tour dates for 2006 consist of two stops in Chicago, one in NYC and two in Montreal... Don't miss the Extend Halloween party this Monday, Oct. 30th at Academy Dancehall... With Plastique de Rêve (all the way from fucking Berlin !!), JohnG and the one and only Cliff Brown !

*

PLASTIQUE TALKS


Q. - Who is Plastique de Rêve ? What is the significance of the name ? How do you relate to it ? Is there a specific style associated with the name "Plastique de Rêve, or does the project has a "laissez-faire' kind of style approach to the music ?

A. - Plastique de Rêve is just me, Daze - real name Christophe Dasen- australian born swiss citizen of 36, long time resident of Geneva Sweetzerland, currently living in Berlin Germany. Litteraly, Plastique De Reve means 'dream plastic', or 'plastic of your dreams'. but it's mainly used to describe someone with a good looking body. The term Plastique also applies to an abstract idea of form and beauty - in design, plastic arts etc.  My music is often very synthetic, and there is always a 'design' or idea behind a composition, I try not to do the same track twice. So I guess the project name came up in my mind as a good metaphor for what I try to do - that is try to shape my ideal electronic music, the 'plastic of my dreams'. Vinyl records are also made of plastic, so are all these toys and boxes with which we do this music.



Q. - As a young boy or teenager.... what influenced you to become an electronic musician ? Were there any specific groups, DJ's, producers, bands or genres of music that influenced you ?

A. - Sure. The first influences came from my parents who listened to Kraftwerk, Jean-Michel Jarre, Vangelis and a lot of psychedelic rock like Pink Floyd, Emerson Lake & Palmer, Jefferson Airplane, Led Zep, etc... Then when I grew up in Africa the big thing was Disco, so in the village where I lived in Kenya, or in the discos of safari hotels, my younger brother Patrik and I used to jump up and down to 7inches of Boney M, Donna Summer (the Munich disco sounds of Moroder and Frank Farian !) or The Bee Gees. Later, back in Switzerland, I discovered Punk rock, Ska, New Wave, Electro-pop. I started learning drums and piano, played in 2 or 3 new wave and punk bands. Then in 1984 I discovered what a synth was, and my life changed ! I bought a DX7 and a TR505 and started taking classes in electro-accoustics at the Geneva Conservatoire. Influences back then were D.A.F., Suicide, Cabaret Voltaire, Depeche Mode, Fad Gadget, Mantronix, etc. Later when I heard The Young Gods (swiss sampling pionneers) I went straight to the shop to buy my first sampler (in 1986, an Ensoniq Mirage). Then I also studied all of this in music classes in highschool, and later in professional music schools. I formed an EBM & industrial-techno duo in 1987 with a highschool friend, until 1991 when I started an experimental music collective called MXP, involving other friends and artists (up to 9 at one point), making music for live shows, performances, theater groups, video artists etc. Strong influences then were bands like Front 242, Skinny Puppy, Einsturzende Neubauten, SPK, Test Department, La Fura Dels Baus. Then the Techno Revolution hit Switzerland and I listened to Aphex Twin, Orbital, Future Sound Of London, The Shamen, The Prodigy, LFO and a lot of other Acid House stuff, and also Jeff Mills, Juan Atkins' Model 500, FUSE-Plasticman, and German techno. Only later came the Electro years where I focused on producing music on my own and started being interested in the world of vinyl records, deejaying, producing and so on. Influences then : Dopplereffekt, Drexciya, I-F, Autorepeat and too many others to mention here.


Q. - I see in your Discogs profile that you had many aliases before; one of which is Deo Cadaver... what is the history of your early electronic music career and how did it mature to the "Plastique de Rêve" stage ?

A. - That was the EBM duo I did from 1987 to 1991... We were interested in the 'darker side' of things electronic, canadians Skinny Puppy being the epitomy. It matured (question mark) oh, good.


Q. - How was it like growing up in Geneva ? Or better yet, in Switzerland ? Was there a rich music culture within the area ?

A. - There was a rich culture, but not in music. You had to fight to get interesting music there. I remember having to order import of Art Of Noise records or the like, cos they knew nothing about it. They HATED electronic music, I heard all kinds of comments (too cold, too gay, too german, whatever). Only later they all got into it and started moving their sorry asses.


Q. - In 2000, you began the "Plastique" project with the "Magic EP" on Gigolo, and then in "2002" with Rodéo Mécanique on Gigolo as well. Do you believe that releasing those tracks on that label which, at the time, was growing fast and was "cool" has helped you a lot ?

A. - Yeah, I am really grateful to Gigolo (and at-the-time sister label DiskoB) for their will to take risks and release interesting underground electronic dance music, and it has helped me a lot.


Q. - Why no more Gigolo ? Do you plan on working with them again ?

A. - Well, the first 3 or 4 years were really cool, but now somehow it has changed, a lot of the original artists and crew have gone on to do their own things, and Gigolo has taken on a lot of newcomers instead of developing the work of its initial artists. I moved out about 3 years ago and have no plans on releasing with them again. No harm intended though.



Q. - In 2005, you released the "Sounds you Hear EP" on Turbo records. Which was a super cool Acid / Hip / Tech record... But why Turbo ? Do you plan on making a second release with them ?

A. - Well, Turbo had done a very good series of releases with Mateo Murphy, Chromeo, Robert Calvin, etc... so I sent a demo to Tiga and it was a good release, good sound, nice graphics, good distribution and visibility... A second release was planned last year for a project with Montreal artist Dave K but we had to shelve it because of copyright problems. There were bits of an accapella and we tried to clear the samples but were asked for so much money we had to drop the whole plan. We'll see, I'll keep on sending stuff to them, the new releases are good, especially the D.I.M. one I really like and play everywhere, so I would sure like to do a second release with them.


Q. - People tend to associate the Plastique de Rêve name with Acid house and Hip House... is this really the goal of the Plastique de Rêve Project ?

A. - That's probably because of tracks like 'Do It!' and 'Rodéo Mécanique'. But it's not a 'goal' as such, I also do all kinds of different music, side-projects like my Indonesian shadowplay theater project 'Bioskop' or voodoo-band 'Baron Samedi', collaborations and remixes with and for other artists, ambient music and mixes, etc. I don't mind, these days I'm really full on into acid house, electro-acid, mixed with fresh stuff like Baile Funk or Booty Bass, Cozmic and Italo-disco, some minimal stuff, and am always open to anything cool regardless of genres, so I guess in the end I'll manage to show that I'm capable of many different things in a wide range of musical styles.


Q. - So now, this is going to be your fourth visit to Montreal, and your second North American tour. With two shows in Chicago, one in New york and two in Montreal (at Academy Dancehall on Oct. 30th and Parking Club on Nov.2nd)... is there anything special you're celebrating this time ?

A. - Nope, just going around meeting friends, places, new faces, clubs, etc. I try to work more on the basis of a network of friends with which we exchange stuff and invite each other over to our respective scenes, not really on a 'business' level with agencies and intermediates. Keeps it fresh and friendly, not too 'business'.


Q. - This Monday October 30th at Academy Dancehall, you get to play again with international DJ superstar JohnG... are you a bit nervous ? Do you see this as round two, from last year when he came to Switzerland ?

A. - Definitely round two after John G's outstanding performance last year at the Blue Note club in Neuchatel and his surprise after hours set in Lausanne !!


Q. - Why is t that John G is so great ? How does he influence you ?

A. - Y'know, the guy is just too much !


Q. - Any future plans for the Plastique de Rêve project ?

A. - Well, this is my 'remix' year, with many requests coming in, so I'm not having much time for my own stuff, and all the next releases are going to be remixes : Future Forward's 'Welcome 2 Chicago' on Kompute Music Chicago, Dancepig's 'Beneath Me' on David Carretta's Space Factory label, remixes for New York synth-pop band Goat Explosion, my Argentinian friend Capri, other Geneva freaks Cosmoflazh and GhostTape, etc. I have new stuff ready for releasing my own singles but I haven't sent it out to labels yet, so we'll see. I'm also currently working on a common EP with French artist A Jackin' Phreak from Grenoble, probably for the Karat label in France.

*

Don't miss Plastique de Rêve at Academy Mondays' "Acid Halloween" bash with JohnG & Clifford Brown on Oct. 30th, and at Parking for Mini's Overdose on Nov. 2nd with Kap Bambino.

Night Vision 1.36

Co-written with Bruce Benson

While the world (and Patsy Cline) fall to pieces, we watch. The light is so bright we need sunglasses. Oh, wait, that's our hung over. Drilling in our foreheads like an albertan looking for crude oil.

Pubes, lube & lewd. You'll need some lovin' when the time comes. And it's about to come, believe me : the signs don't lie. It's starting to be way too cold to do anything but dance, motherfucker.

Last Week's Wickedness

Saturday, Fred Everything's gig at Academy was definitely a crowd pleaser: the place was packed, and it seemed really hard to get anyone to leave at 3, since everyone wanted MORE.

Over at Alizé, Bark at the Moon was frankly pumping, with a booty shaking crowd of good lookin' dance music amateurs. Éloi Brunelle's set was solid from A to Z, and Marinelli blew away the roof - and the crowd - for the final hour with a wicked, funky minimal set that seemed, at the time, unstoppable.

Later during the night at Aria, Maus delivered a fantastic build up set for Loco Dice... who didn't show up. What happened? Who knows, but we were lucky to have Creator as a replacement. Not exactly the same kind of music, but nevertheless a very satisfying selection. Good stuff, good crowd, despite the absence of the scheduled headliner.

On Sunday, Balroom hosted No Excuse for one last time before the big move to Stereobar. Both Bender & Sean Kosa gave away good vibes for a great little Sunday night party.

Over at Academy, on Monday, Extend saw two dark and driving sets resonate deep in the walls as Omni & Stitch both gave ace performances. Nobody died on the floor, though, and Death will have to take revenge some other time !

Dizzy & Telephunk are fighting for Tuesday night on the Plateau, and since Academy is just a few blocks away from Daomé... we went to both nights. Let's just say the competition is FIERCE. Rrrawrrr!!


News En Vrac

Well, we didn't have to wait long to hear a final good news concerning the RaveMontréal series of events: Creator has announced that there will be a RM20, a last farewell if you will, sometime in the first quarter of 2007.

We also got word that Justice would probably be coming to town on March 29th as part of their North American tour. Electricity is already in the air...


Thursday 26/10

Get ready for banging beats, a packed house and possibly widespread earbleedin': it's techno Overdose at Parking, and the one and only Adam Beyer will be at the helm. Paco Osuna & Mini also appear.

Jordan Dare & Sean Kosa battle on four decks, along with another fine crew, at Saphir's Mix Thursdays.


Friday 27/10

Trentemoller – Seriously: need we say more? We will anyway, since no one should miss the Montréal début of the Danish producer (the country, not the pastry!) that is largely responsible for keeping the tech-house scene alive for the last two years. Anders Trentemoller will be sharing the stage with his usual partner in crime DJ T.O.M. for what promises to be a great live PA. Opening for Trentemoller is Montréal's own DJ Maus (recently affiliated with Microzoo), who we are happy to finally see play at an event where she will have the occasion to remind a few people of just how great a DJ she is. Also on the bill: Mateo Murphy, Philgood & Jeff Grosse.

DiskHo's Clinik night takes place at Musée Juste Pour Rire. Need more convincing? Check out our review of Trentemoller's latest album, The Last Resort or read the interview we did with the man himself.

Over at S.A.T., it's time for Voyeur's Halloween party, and once again some prestigious locals are driving the beats : Jordan Dare, Why Alex Why, and Thomas Von Party. Kick ass !!

Afrika Bambaataa will be at Les Saints with some members of the Broken Crew, if you prefer your beats syncopated and breakish, and flavor old school. Respect !

You might also want to check out a new night at Tokyo called "The Joyride", hosted by Les Night Riders, a weirdly hip composite of Peer Pressure & Neon dudes. Worth checking out !

It's definitely a big night, and no such occasion should be complete without a proper afterparty. The big one, of course, is Lee Burridge's gig at Stereo, which is bound to be an earthshaking event in the tradition of the venue's best parties. Halloween party + Burridge's attitude + Stereo's vibe: mayhem, madness, chaos. Maher Daniel opens.

Didn't get enough of Maus earlier on at the Trentemoller gig? You can catch her again on the same night at Microzoo's ALL-NIGHT Halloween party at Café Delima (6409 St-Hubert). Soundshaper, Nathan Burns & Le Menuisier also appear, making this party a must for any fan of all brands of smart tech-house variants.

Into All-night loft parties? Then you should check out Red Lite District, featuring DJs Dax, My Favorite Robot, Math Knobbs & Mr. Honeydrop. The party will be going on from 10 to 10 at 997 St-Laurent, in Chinatown, which will be accessible via the back door (no pun intended).


Saturday 28/10

Frankly, it was time we got a proper combo of music and costume party, and Sneaky is just that. The party's theme revolves around spies, gangsters, femmes fatales & pin-ups - so dress up if you can & come boogie down with Montréal's finest party people.

You'll get to hear François Lebaron, Eloi Brunelle, Bender, The Autist & Upbeat for an ALL-NIGHT party WITH ALCOHOL 'til "4."(Yes ! we turn the clock back that night !) VJ Futil will take care of the visuals, unseen before performances will also be on the menu and slick entertainment will occure all night ! We also heard of a mysterious VIP room where only few choosen ones will have the chance to enjoy sinful pleasures.... Sneaky takes place at the fresh & sumptuous Théâtre Sans Fil (411 Létourneux, a 2 minutes walk from the corner of Notre-Dame & Pie-IX), from 10pm to 8am. More info at silkysins.net !

In one of the weirdest turn of events for this Saturday night, there's an outdoors party at Square Jacques-Cartier that features Mini (20h) and fuckin' Assemblage 23 (21h)... for FREE ! The thing is that it's pretty early, so my guess is that they want the kids to dance 'til they shake away the candy fat they might accumulate on Halloween night.


Sunday 29/10

No Excuse at Balroom is a thing of the past... but don't worry: they'll be back next week at Stereobar. So yeah, unfortunately, Jeff Grosse's gig has been cancelled.

No worries about the entertainment, though : Saphir's Beat Me Up night showcases Denyse Juncutt, Mary Hell & MZ Sunday Luv.

And our fuckin' famous friend David Guetta plays Opera.


Monday 30/10

Halloween is never over in Montreal, as Extend proposes an Acid Halloween party : JohnG & Plastique de Rêve, the swiss prodigy, will play alongside Clifford Brown at Academy Dancehall. I would advise you not to miss this one, as it's always fuckin' nice to hear Plastique, even more so in an intimate setting like this.


Tuesday 31/10

Telephunk's celebrating Halloween in style at Salon Daomé… where Nathan Burns & Soundshaper will receive mysterious guests from The Beyond (Word on the street is that there will be a séance to summon the ghost of Lucio Fulci – good times!).

Further down the main, at Academy, it'll be time to get Dizzy once more with MightyKat & Vincent Lemieux.


Next Week

Germans ! Hot Chips !


Until next week: keep givin' love a bad name.

Trentemoller Interview

Denmark's Anders Trentemoller has had an undeniable impact on the global electronic music-scene. First attracting the attention of genre DJs with his subtle-yet-driving productions, it was with his unmatched remix work that he soon earned the respect of pretty much anyone who's got an ear for good music.

We were lucky to exchange a few words with Anders Trentemoller just as he is about to make his Montréal début…

Q.: What was your introduction to music, and what made you decide you wanted to be a musician?

I have always been playing music. I started playing piano when I was 5 or 6 years old. As long as I can remember, I have always been dreaming about being a musician.


Q.: Your production style is very unique. What are your current musical influences ? Is there a particular artist or label you like more than the others ?

I listen to a lot of different music. From classic to folk to rock to electronic. I’m a big musiclover (-: ! But actually I’m not listening that much to dancemusic. I’m influenced by artists like Mazzy Star, Velvet Underground, Murcof, Rhythm & Sound, The Cure, Thom Yorke etc. The list could go on.

While working on The Last Resort I was, and still am, listening a lot to Mazzy Star. I never get tired of Hope Sandoval’s voice. It’s so captivating.


Q.: You were revealed to a wide underground audience, in North America at least, by remixing Royksopp's "What Else is There". Do you feel that your new fans might be misled by how your remixes sound, as opposed to your usually subtler and more minimal approach when producing your own songs? Speaking of remixes, is there an artist you'd like to remix ?

Yeah, I can see that my remixes may have a bit of a different sound. I have never actually thought about it, but I still think that both my remixes and my own stuff has the same "Trentemoller" vibe. In fact, I think it’s good sometimes to "mislead" the listeners, to surprise them. It’s also a bit what I have done with The Last Resort.

I would love to remix any tune by Hope Sandoval!! Heheheh...


Q.: Your new album differs drastically from what we've become ascustomed to hear from you as well. In fact, The Last Resort has at times more of a downtempo feel. What motivated you to head in such a completely different direction?

I don’t see the album as a downtempo album. There are still tracks in the same tempo as my earlier work, and it’s not a chill out thing either. You are right that it’s more a listening album, but it still has tracks that you actually can dance to.

That being said, I wanted to do an album that was 100% me. Artistic freedom was very important for me. I wanted to do an album that would be like a journey into my musical world, but I also saw it as some kind of soundtrack to a movie playing inside my head: different stories, moods, "scenes", etc. Making the album was a very personal thing for me, like some kind of meditation or therapy. It was a very lonely process making the album. The music on the album reflects my life, my thoughts, my needs, my unsecureness, my longings etc.

Making this kind of music is a way, for me, to get all these thoughts and emotions out. I don’t know any other way to do it that works so effectively.

When I make music I don't think about which genre it is or any target group. I just make music I feel like making. It's actually quite simple.


Q.: To produce an album that is the polar opposite of what people are expecting of you can only be stressful. Yet, so far, the album was very well received by the music press and fans alike. How do you deal with expectations, and criticism both positive and negative?

To be honest, I’m making music for my own pleasure first, so I have not felt any pressure at all while making this album. I think it was fun to give people something they did not expect, because I felt that The Last Resort is the best I have done so far. It’s much more me, much more personal. So when techno-heads thinks the album is boring it’s ok with me. You can’t please everyone anyway (-:


Q.: Listening to your music, one could always feel that your creative process was backed by a wide musical culture. With your album, this becomes apparent to a new extent: was there any particular direction you were trying to give to The Last Resort, a blueprint if you will, or did you simply go with the flow?

The album became melancholic because I just tried to let the music flow. I tried to make it multi-layered, having something beautiful but then again underneath that a more darker vibe going on. I love when you hear an album and you can go back and discover new small details in the music.


Q.: You recently remixed a song for the Pet Shop Boys, "The Sodom & Gomorrah Show". How exactly did you end up remixing a pop band from the '80s new single?

It was very simple actually! Their manager just emailed me and said that the band asked if I would like to remix their next single. Of course I was very grateful that they wanted me to do that, so I said yes and 2 weeks later they had the remix.


Q.: Any idea how we can add the bar in the 'O' on a western keyboard? It seems like it would be a good way to show off.

Hehehehehe…I actually don’t know!


Q.: Where do you see yourself five years from now?

Oh, it’s hard to say. Hopefully still making music!


Q.: What can montrealers expect from one of your sets ? Do you go "Dahlbäck-style" and mostly play your own tracks?

Yeah, I think 80 % is my own stuff. Some unreleased tracks and the rest is bootlegs and edit I have done…


Q.: Anything you would like to add?

I am just looking forward to play in Canada!!!!

Trentemoller will make his Montréal debut this Friday at Musée Juste Pour Rire for DiskHo's Clinik night.

Lee Burridge

Lee Burridge will be visiting Montréal this Friday but, to tell you the truth, I've been waiting a while to write a few words about him.


Late last year, Mr. Burridge joined forces with Sander Kleinenberg to release a double-CD mix venture called "This Is Everybody! On Tour". Both discs are good, but it was Mr. Burridge's contribution that piqued my interest first. Why? Because Lee's mix was one of the first truly successful attempts at bridging the gap between the marginalized electro scene and the mainstream.

Benny Benassi's "Cooking for Pump Kin" & David Guetta's "Fuck Me I'm Famous 2" would tread similar grounds, although never quite as successfully retaining the palpable musical integrity of "This is Everybody! On Tour".

This is where Lee Burridge shines thru: like Kenny Hawkes', Burridge selection is never obviously commercial or easy. Rather, Burridge had a certain talent for digging out underground tracks that would appeal to anyone and everyone when properly used in a mix. This is perhaps not as evident on his Global Underground CDs, but nevertheless it's still there… you just know there's something inherently vicious in the way the songs are assembled… something wicked… a profound desire to get everyone infected with the same rhythm, negating the existence of genres, not letting anyone feel excluded by the music, not giving any one the chance to opt out and stand still.

This is why we dance, and this is why we cannot stop.

Lee Burridge will be at Stereo Afterhours this Friday. The event also doubles as the official Trentemoller after party. Maher Daniel opens - doors at 2am.

Trentemoller's The Last Resort

Hailing from Denmark, Anders Trentemoller has since 2003 forged a solid reputation within the elite circles of dance music aficionados worldwide. His moody minimalist tech-house tracks and his upbeat remixing work have gathered the attention of, well, pretty much everyone involved with electronic music.


The fact that Trentemoller should use the momentum gathered during the last two years to release a full-length album is no surprise. What's shocking is how deftly the man has managed to steer clear of the beaten path, evading any attempt one could make at pigeonholing his work. Moving away from the anticipated thumping tech-house, Anders Trentemoller produced a versatile collection of moody groovers - and it all works just so wonderfully it hurts.

Emotionally charged, multilayered compositions that merge live instruments and electronic wizardry to perfection abound on The Last Resort, but perhaps Trentemoller's greatest achievement is how successfully he's managed to merge his varied musical influences into a river of songs that flows seamlessly from start to finish. Dub, folk, blues, scratching and even the occasional country-western guitar twang make an appearance, providing for a unique musical experience that's as diverse as it possibly could be. Don't worry - the tech-house inevitably shows up as the record progresses, sometimes at full speed, and at other times as subtle sonic interventions.

Highlights include "Vamp", which plays out as a sort of creepy-sexy alternate theme to Twin Peaks, complete with a distorted bass that would make Angello Badalamenti pale with envy; "Always Something Better", the album's first single and undoubtedly the it's strongest track remains indescribable in it's beauty; and "Moan", a melancholic piece propelled by a deep tech-house beat and an involving chord progression.

However, The Last Resort makes for an extremely demanding listen - the album is so dense, getting fully involved in its profound splendor can almost become physically tiring, as the listener's full focus is required to decode the album's complex musical assemblages. In the end, this is far from being a challenge or a flaw, as The Last Resort remains a wonderful and necessary addition to any electronic music lover's collection.

Last but not least, The Last Resort is also available as a 2-disc special edition. Collected on this second CD are most of Trentemoller's previous 12'' release for the Audiomatique & Poker Flat Recordings imprints, as well as the vocal versions of "Always Something Better" (featuring signer Richard Davis, who does a remarkable Bowie impression) and Moan (beautifully sung by Copenhagen's Ane Trolle). Needless to say that this edition is definitely worth seeking out.

Trentemoller & his usual partner-in-crime DJ T.O.M. hit Montréal this Friday for DiskHo's Clinik night at Musée Juste Pour Rire. Also on the bill: Maus, Philgood, Mateo Murphy & Jeff Grosse.

Night Vision 1.35

Co-written with Bruce Benson

The week ahead looks pretty quiet in comparison to what we've gotten used to. Nevertheless, things never really die down in Montréal, and we still have a lot of recommendations for y'all.

So grab that rain coat, put them rubber boots on and get ready to head out into the cold to find the next party, the next dancefloor, the next hottie and the next whisky bar.

Last Week's Wickedness

Mateo Murphy once again blew our eardrums to Kingdom Come at Parking last week, as he burned the early evening dancefloor to prepare people for Mini's assault. She was launching her debut album, "Audio Hygiene", and let me tell you that the party was in the place !

Urbania's new number about madness launched at Centre Fractal on Friday in... pure madness ! There was well over 300 souls all drinking Boris together and being subject to Clifford Brown and Sean Kosa's sonic assaults, which ended up dying shortly after 3 in a sea of rhum.

The same night's MicroTek all-night event at Théâtre Sans-fil turned out to be the week's big-hitter. The place was full of nice folks, the music was awesome, and the party went on strong 'til the end. Extrawelt's live set was solid, and every DJ set was good as well. A special mention for Nathan Burns & Soundshaper who stole the show with their early morn' driving-yet-melodic tech-house set! What more could you ask for ?

Despite an inspiring tag team from Maus & Scoy, Aria's Saturday night turned out to be a downer as the place emptied right after Marco G's opening set. Let's blame the mid-terms for this debacle.

Bliss didn't quite have the birthday bash we expected for him, as almost no-fuckin'-body showed up at Academy Dancehall for Extend. Those who were there had fun, and a rematch is due for sometime in the future !


News En Vrac

Techno legend Marco Carola will be at Parking for the November 9 edition of Overdose.

I shit you not: Tribe Hyperclub has booked Get Physical Music founders M.A.N.D.Y. on Thursday November 23rd, and Tom Stephan, AKA Superchumbo on Thursday December 21st. Let's try getting past the door for kicks !

Neon Loves Halloween? Forget it - it's not happening. Instead, SAT-lovers will be treated to another edition of Voyeur, featuring locals Jordan Dare, Thomas Von Party & Why Alex Why. Blood Red Halloween !

Speaking of Dare, he just launched a new electro weekly called Joyride. It's going down at Tokyo on Fridays and you can expect the usual : his trademark block-rockin' beats and dark sounds, and lots of fun !

We also just got word that the No Excuse crew will soon move to Stereobar, starting Nov. 5th. Closer to our heart probably means you'll see us there more often !

And at least, it looks like Tommie Sunshine will be the year-ender at La SAT – he's schedule to appear on December 31st for what promises to be a massive Neon New Year party.

Now... what's going down this week ?


Thursday 19/10

New York's mythical Frankie Bones drops by… Saphir? Yes, it's true – NCV teamed with Mix Thursdays to make it happen, so don't waste any time and get your ass down there early - hearing a legend in such an intimate setting doesn't just happen every night. Dave O'Brien & Deliz also appear, as well as a bunch of other turntable jockeys.


Mini flies solo for another edition of Overdose at Parking.

Over at Musée Juste Pour Rire, the "Saboteur Sound System" takes place in conjunction with the Festival du Nouveau Cinéma and proposes a free - yeah ! - party with Numéro, Leo Cruz, IAmDJSylvie & Denyse Juncutt.


Friday 20/10

David Laguer deejays alongside MightyKat for Circus Afterhours' Reactor night.


Saturday 21/10

Loco Dice's February appearance at Aria was simply amazing, ranking very near the top of our very short list of the best DJ sets we've heard this year. Don't miss your chance to catch him this week-end as he returns to the Rue St-Denis afterhour venue for another night of wickedness.


Maus will be there as well, and if we're lucky we might just get another tag out of the both of 'em. Marco G also appears.

Bark at the Moon happens at Alizé and offers you a headbanger's setting with some music by Éloi Brunelle, Clifford Brown & Marinelli. Expect a decent soundsystem, beats in space, and more alcohol than you can shake a stick at !



At Academy Dancehall, Fred Everything offers up another Lazyday session, and those who like it soulful and deep (and delicious) know where to head !




Sunday 22/10

Extravagant red-haired deck-jockey Sean Kosa shares the bill with mechanical turntable interventionist Bender at Balroom for No Excuse night.

Mary Hell & MZ Sunday Luv welcome Cherry Cola at Saphir for another edition of Beat Me Up.

Can't ever stop partyin'? Time for another edition of Rise Sundays at Circus, with David Laguer & Kal.


Monday 23/10

It's Extend's "Death Party" and host & resident Clifford Brown III welcomes red-haired Omni and Stitch, formerly Mr. Stitch, a guy who's done so many bad things during his summer in Berlin that we had to drop the "Mr."


Expect dark sounds, as these two guys are rather tortured - but the light will shine inside your souls and the party will make your pants catch on fire.


Tuesday 24/10

Pheek will performing live at Academy's Dizzy Tuesdays. MightyKat will work her magic behind the decks for the remainder of the evening.

Another edition of Telephunk at Salon Daome? Of course! Nathan Burns & Soundshaper provide the beats, you provide your drunken self !


Next Week

Adam Beyer, Lee Burridge, Plastique de Rêve & Trentemoller compete in a no holds barred fight to the finish: it's the ultimate Halloween deathmatch !


Until then, keep those umbrellas nearby !

Night Vision 1.34

(Co-written with Bruce Benson)

It's mid-semester. Time to get high. Be buried by homework & get drunk instead.

Try it, you might like it.

Last week's wickedness

Where was Montréal for Pop Montréal's Thursday event at Les Saints? The 20-30 who did show up had some fun, at least, since Mr. Kosa & Mr. Leclair still dropped some mad beats and/or cool grooves for the party hunters.

Ravemontréal 19 was as good as could've been hoped for: good crowd, good vibe and good music. Moshic & Mr. Villeneuve sure got everyone moving - props to Creator for putting together another good all-nighter.

DJ Dan's visit to Aria are always a safe bet, but last Saturday was especially wicked: crazy analog basses for three hours straight set the house on fire. Long live electro-tech!

Extend was fun, as usual, but the placed filled up later than ever, with people starting to dance only around 1:30. The DJ's got drunk and they grooved to the funk, and that's what counts !

Telephunk went funky/soulful last Tuesday, and you won't hear us complaining! The boys of Microzoo may just have gained a few more loyal followers.


News en vrac

Sadly, RM19 was the last in the series of event organized by Creator. You can find out more on ravemontreal.com, but suffice it to say that even a heartfelt "thank you for everything" seems oddly inadequate. Nevertheless, merci!

Paul Kalkbrenner will be at Parking some time in November. It's about time the B*Pitch artist paid us a visit !

But since the news are slim, let's cut to the chase, shall we ?


Thursday 12/10

Montréalites have known this for years: Mini owns Thursday. Now, THE Queen of Dark Electro is launching her album, Audio Hygiene, tonight at Parking. She's thrown so many wonderful parties, let's all show up and block Amherst street with the line-up and turn this one into a classic. Mateo Murphy will also DJ.

The NuJazz fest welcomes The Herbaliser… who plays Olympia alongside Plaster & Deweare.

Steve Lawler! What? No it's not some big wrestling joke, but he'll be at Myst Lounge, or whatever the place is called now. Get out your checkbook, or wait 'til he plays a regular venue.

On Air takes place at Kafein with Deliz & Dave O'Brien.

On the wild side of party town, at Saphir, Mix Thursdays continue to grow strong. This week's guests are Miss Airie, from France, as well as locals Pinky38 and our venerable friend Philgood.


Friday 13/10

Microtek v.3 finally takes place, after much daydreaming about Extrawelt's performance.



The rest of the bill is stellar too : with guys like Jesse Voltaire, Euterke, L'Akratique, Arne Schaffhausen (half of Extrawelt, who'll also DJ), Philgood, a Nathan Burns & Soundshaper tag-team, and Redden closing the night, this evening-to-morning extravaganza promises to propose a little something for everybody. At Théâtre Sans Fil.

Urbania's next issue is about madness, and mad it should be when they launch it at Centre Fractal with Alain Zouvi (whoever he is) as the animator, and Static, Clifford Brown & Sean Kosa as the spinsters. Expect boozed out people and lots more fun !

DJ Shadow, Mr Fab and Lateef the Truth Speaker invade Metropolis for what looks like THE disturbed hip hop extravaganza of the evening.

Over at Olympia, the NuJazz Fest rages on, with Afrodizz, Kobayashi, Subterfuse & Pheek.

TV on the Radio play Le National, and if you know what's good for you, check these guys out.

At Stereo, Just Jonathan receives pals François Lebaron & Véga for an electrifying all-nighter.

And finally - as if this wasn't enough already - it looks like all hell will be breaking loose at Tokyo on Fridays from now on. "What the Fuck is he talking about", right? Well, let me reassure you that the expression "What the fuck" was invented fur just such cases as THE JOYRIDE - a new night presented by Les Nightriders (Senor Dare, Mister Hatz & Monsieur Jones), hosted by DL and Deejayed by Jordan Dare. Montréal shall spare no one.


Saturday 14/10

Headman returns alongside Thomas Von Party at Societe des Arts Technologiques, more commonly known as La SAT. Last time they were around together the party really caught on fire, and let's hope it happens again !

The NuJazz Festival proposes the impossible to refuse combination of Motus 3F, Gloomy, aOTY & Diplo, always at Olympia, and this one sounds like it's gonna explode with baîle rythms !!

All-night Ninjas will find Marco G & Maus at the helm at Aria.


Sunday 15/10

Beat Me Up at Saphir features Jordan Dare, Mary Hell and MZ Sunday Luv, although we've been told that Sunday was presently in Calgary, gettin' her groove on with a cowboy hat.

Over at No Excuse, Bender & Sean Kosa still rock Balroom like it's never been rocked... except when they were playing there together previously, of course !


Monday 16/10

It's Bliss' birthday and we're celebrating it in style at Extend, the most extreme weekday place to party.


If you think you're tired, come on over and test yourself : have a drink, sit down, and see if your feet won't move by themselves. Honestly. Bliss will play a two hours set for the occasion, and it's all going down at Academy, of course !


Tuesday 17/10

Teleport your soul to Salon Daomé and Telephunk it… What does that mean? I don't know, but experts will be discussing the subject while you get wasted and dance.

At Academy, Vincent Lemieux & Matt Rose get Dizzy.


Next week

You'd better be ready to Bark at the Moon ! Because you sure will hurl when it rains all week... But of course, the sun always shine for the 3AM Eternals when Loco Dice hits town, and let me assure you that you don't want to miss this party!


Until then, keep your liver among the list of endangered species !

Night Vision 1.33

(Co-written with Bruce Benson)

Startin' to get cold out there. Things get as busy as people do. School boys & girls start receiving more loads... and a much more important load of homeworks. The nightlife is not just about partyin'. We also observe social change. We scientifically analyse line-ups and what's in your glass. Statistics don't lie.

There ain't no hollaback, girl. Watch these sleazoïds males prowling the streets & clubs for a winter booty. And boys, watch these chicks who want to mate with you over the winter so you keep their bed hot - and who'll dump you at the first sign of visible biceps when springtime comes.

Clichés, folks, is what it's all about. So forget any intellectual mission statement, forget meaning, throw your hands in the air, let that "friend" empty his vodka bottle in your mouth, and PARTY HARD !

Last week's wickedness

Last Thursday's Carl Cox event proved to be the perfect occasion to rekindle with Stereo. The Temple of Sound proved to be the perfect setting to host this wonderful soirée, and yes Mr. Cox did do good… Very, very good, as a matter of fact. And so did XL. Let's do this again soon, guys.

Friday, Infected Mushroom invaded Club Opera, delivering a massive live set like only they seem to be able to do it. Energy, energy, energy, in a luscious setting… But be warned – the bass is choking-loud over there !

The "after-party" at Aria turned out to be… just okay, but folks like us who aren't that much into trance would've been better off staying home.

On Saturday, Maus & Marco G played Aria. Pretty calm night, so nothing much to report, except that we wish a happy one to the birthday boy.

On Sunday, the DFA Label Party at La SAT bored us to death. The selection of tracks was OK, but James Murphy ended up mixing more drinks than records and when he did touch the turntables, it was trainwreck heaven. Blame exhaustion, perhaps, but we were home early !

Monday, the Redhead edition of Clifford Brown's Extend weekly turned out to be a sucré evening. Lots more folks turned out this week, and it made for an evening that was more than just an intimate party amongst friends. Mad props to Sean Kosa & The Owl, who set the place on fire… Fire crotch!

Tuesday's Telephunk night at Le Salon is turning out to be the perfect hang-out for minimal-minded tech-house beatniks. Dance, then have a chat and discuss, you know, how cool those Luciano & Melchior tracks are, or what brand of hair gel Richie Hawtin uses.


News en vrac

Of course, the big fuckin' news this week is that Loco Dice is coming to town… not once but twice ! Loco will be at Aria on October 21st, and he's coming back for the next Microzoo event on November 19th… also at Aria !


Thursday 05/10

The big party goes down at Les Saints, of course. Pop Montreal invited Vitalic but he cancelled his whole tour, which leaves us with Genders, Windom Earle, Sean Kosa & Akufen to provide the goods. Not bad at all !

At Parking, it's the "Pré-Jock Party", with DJ Unknown. Always a pleasure to have Mr. Unknown in town, but "pre-jock" sounds like something frightening, at least to us who've been bullied by jock throughout high school.

And then, TTC, Rod Lee & Spank Rock will be at Club Soda for what sounds like a huge electro-rap party. Courtesy of Pop Montreal, folks !


Friday 06/10

Éloi Brunelle & The Autist will share the decks at Stereobar.

A Noctambules.tv party at Mile End Bar offers you Clifford Brown on a plate - litterally, as he'll play during "cocktail time" between 8 and 11 in the downstairs bar - and Bender as the dessert, upstairs, for scorching tech electro sounds that will weaken your chances of hearing well once you turn elderly.



Nic Fanciulli, aka Buick Project, will play at Stereo alongside Jeff Fontaine. We love his remixes very much, thank you, but never heard him play under his birth name.



At S.A.T., Electro-Chic 9 goes down and it's a Pop Montreal special edition. It features Anton X, from France, as well as the usual akarian suspects : Axel Klein, Omni & X-Cube !


Saturday 07/10

A-Track & Chromeo will invade Centre Fractal for a MAD Peer Pressure / Pop Montreal party. Represent !

Robeat & Clifford Brown will be at Café So for the "So... electro" weekly. Come early !

Miguel Graça & Marco G play with DJ Dan, who really should become a montrealer, at Aria.


Sunday 08/10

Feelin' black ? Feelin' blue ? Black & Blue. Go on, blow 100$ along thousands of ecstasy heads on an inhuman party happening in a GIGANTIC TOILET BOWL with the SHITTIEST SOUND EVER.



Jacob Asher, of Moog Audio & Lipstick fame, is the Beat Me Up guest at Saphir.

Mightykat & Sean Kosa play at No Excuse, and you'd better find a good one to miss it !


Monday 09/10

Various after afterhour clubs around Montreal will offer you a chance to catch up on some serious partyin' if you missed anything : Bender will be at Stereobar's After8, and Victor Calderone and Eddy Jasmin will rock Stereo.



At Academy Dancehall, it's Extend time ! This week, the Porn Edition takes place, so bring your favorite sluts & dirty attitude along. The guests are Yugo & Philgood, and the resident & host is Clifford Brown.


Tuesday 10/10

Pick up the telephone, call your friends and get down to Telephunk at Salon Daomé, starring the usual suspects: Nathan Burns & Soundshaper.

Get Dizzy ? Academy's weekly brings you Mightykat. Or rather, she brings / makes you Dizzy !

Iron Maiden do a second round at Centre Bell. Bang your head !

The Pet Shop Boys' Fundamentalism tour stops by Salle Wilfrid-Pelletier, at the PDA, to rob you of any hope they might rock a dancefloor again.


Wednesday 11/10

The NuJazz fest starts ! With Sayag Jazz Machine, Teknik Old School & Power Supply !


Next week

Extra sugar, extra salt, Extrawelt & MSG – Shut up and eat! You know my love is very sweet…


Until then, keep these cojones empty !

Support Your Local Superstar DJ's

Marc Leclair, also know as Akufen, godfather of Montreal's bleep & glitch community, is especially secretive these days. After releasing his MUSIQUE POUR TROIS FEMMES ENCEINTES under his real name a few years ago, and a wicked mixed CD for the Fabric imprint, he has seldom appeared as a DJ around town, and released a remix here and there.



Those of you who are still waiting for 2002's MY WAY follow-up can start rejoicing : it's going to be released very soon.



In the meantime, you can hear him at Les Saints on Thursday for a Pop Montreal showcase.

*

Playing with him is a guy who needs no further introduction, Sean fuckin' Kosa. Hard working electro-house red-headed poster boy, Kosa's been at it since the early days, released a genre-bending 12" on Turbo sublabel White Leather in 2002 (the "Dog City EP") and remixed a selection of artists ranging from Jasmin & Jul to Plastic Bertrand and Lesbiand on Ecstasy.



He's been part of bands like Evening (RIP), The Marlon Jacksons and Cutthroats Republic, and though lots of his tracks were not yet released, you can't help but feel it's only a matter of time.



Those of you who have not yet been exposed to his rapid-fire mixing skills and entertainer's personality behind the decks should take note that he's playing at Balroom's NO EXCUSE night almost every week, and that he'll open for Akufen.

*

Who are GENDERS and Windom Earle ? They're yours to discover ! This Thursday, at Les Saints, alongside Akufen & Kosa. Word !