Music

Unknown to the Unknown

Callan | May 2nd, 2013

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I have talked about Fade to Mind and Night Slugs and their brilliant take on futurism, and talked about L.I.E.S. (I think I have lol) and its retro-punk approach to house music, but right now the most fun (sometimes even silly) corner of the electronic underground is probably Hot City’s label “Unknown to the Unknown,” and its open use of lowbrow dance sounds (ranging from tropical bass, grime, rave, bassline, African kudoro/township) and always made sounding rough and unpolished, yet secretly sophisticated. Read More

Jai Paul’s coup

Callan | April 30th, 2013

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Seems that last week everyone I know in the industry was either taking jealousy-inducing #selfies at Coachella just to let me know how much I have missed the sunlight or they were tweeting about this long awaited Jai Paul record which was uploaded to Bandcamp instead of being released by XL recordings. Read More

Festival Culture In The Mother City

Zama Mthetwa | April 23rd, 2013

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Since moving to Cape Town I can’t help but notice the sudden rise in music festivals in and around the city. Not only are there so many, but there’s a wide variety which serves to appeal to every individual. Read More

Revival of a Legend

Zonke Mthetwa | April 23rd, 2013
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Image courtesy of citypress.co.za

A couple of weeks ago beer giant, Hansa Pilsener held its annual Festival of Legends  at the Mary Fitzgerald Square in Newtown Johannesburg. Read More

Vancouver Dub Inna Internatty Style

Kuma | April 17th, 2013

Mystery, everybody loves it and especially when it comes to music. Electronic music especially, names like Burial, Redshape and Basic Channel have all cultivated non-existent images in an attempt to put the focus on the music.

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Lessons In Leisure

Kuma | April 15th, 2013


The Leisure collective have always been people that you can go to in Vancouver for quality music appreciation, be it with their show or other projects. With the re-launch of their new web site, you now have a hub for music or for dancing with a very specific philosophy, here in Vancouver. Read More

Alicia Hush

Claire | April 14th, 2013

In the frequencies hovering above the deep rumble of the bass, one hears a distinctively clear clap, and some metallic percussion.  The music swings and grooves, causing a funk to be stirred from deep within my nether regions.  Is it minimal?  Techno?  House?  Or break beat?  Maybe a mix of all four, with a minimal crunch, a techno aesthetic with house-inspired emotionally-charged melodies creeping in at just the right moments.  And the drums, so funky, reminiscent of break beats occasionally smashed together with a little 4/4.  Deep clean kicks and skittering hi-hats, interrupted every once in a while by a random, weird wash of sound and quirky vocal sample.  This is the sound of Alicia Hush. Read More

Hey Cosmic Soul Sister!

Kuma | April 13th, 2013

Having known roaming Vancouver songstress Amalia Townsend since day, it’s easy to give home girl props.

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Are you ready to get Vilified?

Claire | April 12th, 2013

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Since moving to Montreal a little over 4 years ago in 2008, Jenny Carmichael aka Vilify has been ripping up decks and dancefloors with her own unique brand of dirty dubstep, hip-hop, d’n'b and trap (hip hop’s bass-heavy offspring).  Her sound: raunchy ripping sub-bass, hip hop vocals, nasty percussion, huuuuge drops, and aggressive yet pop-sample-heavy sounds.  Top this off with a pair of steel-blue eyes, a mane of fire-engine red uberlong hair and badass street style incorporating lots of studs, leather, lace, and tattoos, and there you have it.  Vilify is Montreal’s undeniable Bass Queen.  Wednesday is the new Friday–at least since Vilify started Bassdrive Wednesdays–and bass is the new religion for the masses.   Read More

Living for The Weeknd

Lee | April 10th, 2013

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I have been hung up on this triple disk album for a couple months now without knowing much about it. Trilogy, released in 2012 by Canadian artist The Weeknd is some mixture of R&B with a heavy hip hop influence, with sparse arrangements and incredibly soulful and almost tortured singing.

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Vancouver’s New SubSpecs For Techno

Kuma | April 10th, 2013

Vancouver is in the midsts of something of a techno renaissance right now and it’s being lead by labels like Subspec Music.

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Mount Kimbie on the Rise

Claire | April 7th, 2013

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Mount Kimbie.  An unassuming moniker for the musical heavyweights they are.  Since the release of their 2010 home-recorded album Crooks & Lovers on Hotflush recordings, British duo Dominic Maker and Kai Campos have been on a nearly perpetual world tour, spreading the love for their own brand of Post-Dubstep sounds: deep throbbing bass, intricate percussion and delicate melodies.  Their music makes you feel like you are lying in a field on a beautiful summer’s day, listening to the clouds drift by.  Or in a small boat out on a little lake listening to the waves and the birds and distant whispers of insects and animals. Read More

Angel Haze

Lee | April 6th, 2013

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While the whole world coos over Drake and Kanye showing their sensitive sides by admitting that there’s a dark side to girls, cash and fame, there are female rappers getting even realer, talking about repression, abuse, and personal revolution. With just one EP and a mixtape out Angel Haze dives headfirst into personal stories that expose her rawest nerves. Read More

Girl, You’re In Their Hut Now

Kuma | April 5th, 2013

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Vancouver’s got a nice set of crews running through the city and the next one that’ll really start blowing people’s minds are the kinfolk in the Moodhut.

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Savages Are Pretty Rad, Also Pretty and Rad

Marissa | April 4th, 2013

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I had the opportunity to check out Savages at SXSW last month and they did not disappoint. The all female, post punk, Brit four piece’s sound is know as skronk, which I had to look up: “Skronk” adj. Used to describe dissonant or discordant sounds made by musical instruments. Read More