DEMF

Cassie, I love you for giving me those tickets.

Monday May 25, 2009 was unbelievable. This year's Detroit Electronic Music Festival was coming to a close by this last day of acts, but the energy in Hart Plaza was still fully charged. I took the tunnel bus over with my buddies George and Chris just in time to catch the start of Tiga's DJ set, which was incredible. I think the track that really shot the electricity through my veins was his remix of The Knife. After his set was done, and a few beers and thousands of cigarettes later, we made it over to the Red Bull Stage to see Busy P. In my opinion, his set was the best of the evening (and yes, I might get flack for saying this, but: he was better than Benny Benassi). When his remix of "Kids" by MGMT came on, I literally lost my mind.

Lastly, back at the Beatport Stage, Benny Benassi finished off the night with an electrifying DJ set performance. By this time it was past 9:00 pm and the sun was fading, so the lights and strobes were coming on. Benny's set was probably the loudest of the night, with bass so deep you could literally feel your lungs vibrating. The crowd was so thick that you couldn't move around (not that anything but jumping up and down was needed anyway), and everyone was in the heat of the moment. Great line-up, great people, great time. If you didn't make it this year, go next year.

Addicted

Well we can all blame Nicole Markham of CJAM's Washing Machine for inexplicably getting me absolutely hooked on this new female, Canadian artist. Vancouver-based electro-pop wonder Christer has blatantly demonstrated to me, yet again, how catchy and damn fun the right combination of pop vocals and playful synth-keys can be. Her 2009 album Techna is a powerhouse of a demonstration of her skills to pull off this combination. On the assumption that a few of you will pull the whole "Man, electro-pop is so played out" or "I'm so sick of all of this postal service-style stuff", blah blah blah. I can say with conviction that Techna will break you from this rut.

The album starts off with the supercharged "How You Like It" slaps down warming vocals that wrap around your entire head when you have headphones on and continues its assault with deeper, acid-like riffs that eventually are gift-wrapped with colourful strings to play the song out. Other tracks like "Cadaver" and "Trees And Rockets" use more pinpoint keystrokes and bass kicks to complement the vocal work in an effective and thoroughly enjoyable fashion.

If you're a fan of Ladyhawke, you'll love this. If you're not a fan of Ladyhawke, you'll still love this.

Onslaught

So far 2009 has been a year of powerful releases like wrecking balls through tissue paper, and we're not even half-way through. There is a slew of artists that will be busting out, guns blazing with an infrastructure of aural brilliance to round out the remainder of the year. There are a few new albums that I feel are going to act as a kick off for the summer:


Bloc Party - Intimacy Remixed
This album needs no formal introduction for those familiar with this amazing band's work, however the fantastic and skilled remixes of artists such as Armand Van Helden, Villains, and Mogwai should be enough to peak any electronic fan's interest.


Uh Huh Her - Common Reaction
Similar to the style of Canada's own Dragonette, this outfit integrates a more ambient vocal style with electro-house elements flawlessly for a cohesive indietronica experience.


Wisp - The Shimmering Hour
IDM fans rejoice. The heavy hitter so far (in my humble opinion) is a work of pure brilliance from start to finish. This New Yorker melds lush atmospheric sounds with powerful yet playful rhythms to create something far beyond the standard IDM album.


A-Trak - Infinity + 1
Quite possibly the best club/dance programmer I've experienced in a while, A-Trak is proving himself yet again in this endurance-filled mixtape. Remixing artists like MSTRKRFT, Midnight Juggernauts, and Gonzales, he never fails to impress.