MUTEK 2011 in Montreal is Coming.

This year's edition of Mutek festival taking place in the beautiful city of Montreal is fast approaching.  The festival has been host to many bright young talents over the last few years, and the 2011 festival will be no exception.  Mutek labels itself as a festival of 'digital creativity and electronic music,' which after examining this year's program one can surely assert it does indeed fit this description.  Laid out over five days, Mutek is host to a variety of audio/visual presentations as well as electronic music.  Mutek also separates itself from other electronic music festivals with very few performers DJ'ing; the majority of the artists will be performing live (whether that be with live instruments, or electronics).  In an age where many Canadians are weary of electronic shows, dismissing them as computer nerds sync'ing mp3 files on a laptop, Mutek attempts to redefine that misconception.

Friday night will be host to Canadian legend PLASTIKMAN, who will be debuting an audio/visual show on home ground that was conceived at a past Mutek festival.  Plastikman alone makes the pass worth purchasing, at only $85 after tax for a Friday-Saturday pass.

If you are at all familiar with electronic music of the last five to ten years; after reading the line up for Saturdays events your mind will be sufficiently blown.  Starting the day of with the Piknik series unique to Mutek will be the analog stylings of the extremely talented LUKE ABBOTT accompanied by Floating Points and other artists.  Between that and the free visual arts performances during the day you will be pumped up for the evenings show- headlined by no other than Border Community boss and legend JAMES HOLDEN, with FOUR TET opening. 

While the festival runs from Wednesday to Sunday, its possible that the high level of creativity and performance may send full-pass holders into another reality from which they will never return.  But never fear, single event passes, and weekend passes are available.  All Canadian music lovers should be proud Canada is hosting an event as well organized and of such high quality art as Mutek Festival.   


Check out the program and lineup for Mutek here:

http://www.mutek.org/en/festivals/montreal/2011/program/overview

Buy passes for Mutek here:

http://www.mutek.org/en/festivals/montreal/2011/tickets/purchase

Hillside 2011 Performers Announced

The twenty-eighth annual Hillside festival has announced the line-up for the 2011 year.  The Guelph festival has been host to big names in Canadian music including Shad, Braids, and Holy Fuck to name a few.  While the festival typically features mostly singer-songwriter and folk musicians, in past years they have been billing more and more performers who do not necessarily fit into that genre.

The 2011 bill for Hillside, taking place at Guelph Lake July 22-24, is as follows:

Adverteyes
Braids
Callers
Chali 2na
Charlotte Cornfield
Common Grackle
Dala
Kevin Drew & the Beauties
Etrin Finatawa
Hannah Georgas
Ganga Girl
Gobble Gobble
Graveyard Train
Grimes
Hollerado
Hooded Fang
Emmanuel Jal
Pat Jordache
Karkwa
Karl Denson's Tiny Universe
Kidstreet
KO
Seun Kuti
Lights
Little Miss Higgins
Little Scream
Lost in the Trees
Dan Mangan
Memphis
The Midway State
Modern Field Recordings
Mother Mother
North Mississippi All-Stars Duo
Old Man Luedecke
One Hundred Dollars
Doug Paisley
Paper Lions
Rundown Royalty
The Rural Alberta Advantage
Serena Ryder and the Beauties
Shad
Shannon Kingsbury Band
Snailhouse
The Stanfields
Sweet Thing
Tacoma Hellfarm Tragedy
These United States
Les Tireux d'Roches
Jude Vadala
Chris Velan
The Woodshed Orchestra & Shlomo

Ticket Prices are as follows:

Weekend Pass - $110
Friday - $40
Saturday - $70
Sunday - $70
Seniors Pass - $50

Album Review: Jesse Somfay - Bright Black Borealis

Canadian producer/musician Jesse Somfay makes his first major release since 2009's A Catch in the Voice with Bright Black Borealis on American label Detroit Underground.  Like much of the ethereal textures and ambiance heard on A Catch in the Voice, Bright Black Borealis boasts its own introspective contemplation.  The title of the record, inspired by a dream Somfay once had, invokes the contradictory 'dark light' that the young producer seems to attempt to replicate through the sounds he produces.  Somfay has mentioned through his own website that this record might be the last release boasting his real name; releases to follow will come under different aliases.  Released March 14th, 2011, Bright Black Borealis is available in both digital and vinyl 12" formats through a number of online music distributors.

"Virga Widow," the first track on the record, evokes a scene as if one were standing outside the door of a Berlin nightclub.  A thumping rhythm slowly pulls the listener into reverb-drenched pads echoing an uplifting chord progression, drawing him or her into quite the contrary scene altogether-- a scene free of material hedonism and rife with the infinite.  A large break about half-way through the track makes way for shoe-gazing guitars, boasting a similar progression with a new rougher texture.  The theme returns in a more rhythmic and driving force-- sending the listener into an emotional bliss torn between body and mind.  It is a journey to say the least, as well as the highlight track of the four included.

But that isn't to say other tracks do not shine as well. "All Above All" combines Somfay's unique percussive style with the sound of a bouncy 303 synth line, eventually breaking into a more psychedelic theme just as the resonance of the acidic 303 almost becomes tiresome on the ears.  It is almost as if Somfay is revisiting his own take on techno found in his early releases and combining with new perspectives similar to those on A Catch in the Voice.  

The slowest track on the release, "Soak Scalene," evokes sampling styles similar to The Field but synthesized with more heart and soul.  Somfay however does not use samples here-- the trance effect comes strictly from heavy synthesizer delays and reverbs.  With the sounds filtering in and out of consciousness, it almost sounds as if the world around the listener is moving slowly in reverse.

"Drumcell Rmx" was co-produced with Moe Espinosa, AKA Drumcell.  The remix is Drumcell's version of all of Somfay's percussive elements on the other three tracks.  While it is an interesting listen, it lacks the coherence and fluidity of the Somfay originals-- but those are large shoes to fill.  While the percussion has been reorganized in an uniquely Somfay/Drumcell way, they build nicely and eventually cave into a groove that finds a Somfay-based sound more suited for club play and less towards inward actualization.

For the last release under his name, Bright Black Borealis is a coherent and exploratory listen, likely to satisfy ears hungry for enlightenment through sound, while retaining enough under-the-sea rhythm to carry through the tonal and spiritual landscape that is Jesse Somfay.

You can buy Bright Black Borealis here:

http://www.juno.co.uk/products/417606-01.htm

Event Review: Stephan Bodzin & Marc Romboy @ Footwork Bar, March 12, 2011

The March 12th Stephan Bodzin and Marc Romboy performance at Footwork Bar in Toronto marks the second visit in just over six months that the Herzblut founder has made to the Canadian city.  The first performance which also took place at Footwork in late August, 2010, only drew about half as many club-goers as the event this past weekend.  While Marc Romboy recently released The Overture on Brazilian-based label Tronic, Bodzin has not produced much new material since 2008's Bremen Ost 12"; his Liebe Ist... long-player being his last notable major release to precede that.  The most recent release the duo have embarked upon came in December of last year, but Drei Monde, consists only of remixes of previously released material. 

The two have recently released Luna - a compilation vinyl consisting of mainly previously released material that the duo have released over the years.  The recent Toronto performance was one of many tour dates in support of the release.

Although a doubling crowd size in this period of time often comes as the result of a breakthrough release, it does not seem to be so in their case.  The Toronto dance culture has been largely focused on 'grime' focused, bass-heavy music.  While the popularity of this type of music is at its peak in Canada, many listeners have out grown the relentless aggression that has become popular with so many DJs.  In Toronto the doors are wide open for new acts, a slot that Bodzin and Romboy have slipped into perfectly.  While retaining enough aggression to draw out some of the 'grime' fans and trendy Queen-West 20-somethings, Bodzin and Romboy were also able to draw the underground and bedroom-electronic listeners, making for a diverse and excitable crowd fairly atypical of the Toronto club scene.

In using three lap-tops and various MIDI controllers, their set was characterized by a driving German sound separated by large, progressive builds that sounded more like improvised sonic experimentation than mixes between tracks. While Bodzin often plays only his own material solo, he and Romboy played the music of many other artists as well as their own; a true DJ set as opposed to the performance-style sets Bodzin has become known for.  The higlight of the night was "Callisto," a Bodzin/Romboy track that was mixed into a dreamy interpretation of the original, eventually returning to its melodic roots and settling nicely into a groove that had everyone moving closer to the stage.  Concurrent with the Luna connotations and album art, their set was played alongside projections of space-themed visuals on a large overhead screen. 

Footwork has definitely become the go-to Toronto venue for European electronic acts; while still booking predominantly bass-heavy club music it is bringing many new sounds to Toronto, a city that in the last few years has become stagnant with regards to much of the electronic world.  The only major downfall of the club would be its peculiar triangular shape; a shape that tends to trap the low-end of kick drums and muddy up much of the mid-range.  That said, the vibe there is generally friendly and for people who simply love music and attend to be entertained.  

After watching Bodzin and Romboy work off each other for over four hours from a box-side standpoint, it was clear that they perform simply for the love of music themselves.  They are two very approachable, friendly individuals who put their heart and soul into what they do.  Although much of their performance seemed on-the-fly in terms of mixing and song selection at no point was there any poor decisions made on either of their parts; both the bedroom fans and regular club attendees were more than pleased.  It would not be surprising if their popularity in Toronto continues to grow and one, or both, return to the city for another performance in the near future.

Photo Credit: Jill Dennis

Event Review: The Field & The Juan MacLean @ Tattoo Rock Parlour, June 18, 2009

    The Field (aka Axel Willner) recently made his first public appearance in the city of Toronto in support of his sophomore album Yesterday and Today, at Tattoo Rock Parlour on Queen West.  Tattoo isn't the sort of venue you'd first associate with the surreal sampling patterns and entrancing melodic rhythms that can be heard on Willner's two full-lengths.  It's an upscale rock club-- a two floored bar that entertains simultaneous shows, complete with booths, tables and overpriced drinks.  The stage on which the show took place immediately directed the attention to the 'rockstar' image, raised high above the audience and accompanied by a sound system more suited for guitars and live vocals than sequencers and synthesizers.

But before hearing any sounds from the show, someone who has never heard The Field before might expect a rock band to take stage.  Littered with drums, sequencers, computers, guitar pedals, and a bass guitar setup, it seemed as though that the audience was indeed getting prepared for some rock music.  Willner has added multiple live instruments to his shows to keep it refreshing, likely to appeal to the indie rock crowd his popularity has seemingly bled into-- a crowd that tends to be equally focused on the visual component of entertainment compared to the actual music itself.  It seems as though when Pitchfork magazine chooses to review an electronic artist the bleed over into the indie crowd allows a cross-continental electronic act to draw enough of a crowd in Toronto to make the trip to North America worth while.

While many audience members may have been prepared for a rock show, that is not what they received.  Willner and two accompanying musicians took the stage first; New York based DFA group The Juan MacLean were to play second.  Willner did not ease into anything, blasting into "The Little Heart Beats So Fast" only two tracks into his set, and shortly after drums and bass were added during a break in "I Have the Moon, You Have the Internet," remaining a part of the show for the remainder of their stage time.  The entrancing sampling and repetitive progression of The Field's music made the listener almost forget that some of the instruments were being played live, occasional cymbal crashes and bass runs providing momentary reminders that there were indeed other musicians playing along.

Willner pleased the audience by providing an equal mix of material in his hour and a half-long set from both Yesterday and Today and From Here We Go Sublime.  The intermission saw a good chunk of the crowd leaving-- some who did not return had only come to see Willner.  After a brief setup time, The Juan MacLean began playing.  Products of the LCD Soundsystem hype machine, The Juan MacLean definitely pulls some loyal fans in Toronto.  Although many of their tracks appeal to the same indie-dance genre popularized in the 2000s, their trademark single "Happy House" is a track that is tough to find yourself standing still to even if they aren't your thing; at over 10 minutes it was the staple of their set.

Despite the length of many of the tracks played by both acts, the length of this performance would not have pleased regular DJ fans.  At $20+ for the show, only two acts seemed insufficient for most attendees.  Then again this was a show at Tattoo Rock Parlour, expecting more is probably unrealistic as blistering guitar solos and double-bass pedals are the norm most nights.