NOW Magazine // Music // The future sound of Toronto
January 29, 2009
The future sound of TorontoDone with dancing to other DJs’ beats, a new wave of local producers are about to crash the partyToronto is finally poised to make the transition from being a great town to party in to being the town that provides the soundtrack for the rest of the world to party to.
DJs all over the planet have noticed there’s something going on here, and it’s high time we recognized this ourselves.
So writing a cover story about a local up-and-coming dance producer, someone on the verge of breaking on an international level, was a no-brainer. Except when the list of candidates was tossed around, it was obvious that picking only one wouldn’t do the scene justice. There’s just too much talent here.
Toronto has had a number of club music success stories. Nick Holder, Hatiras, Deadmau5, MSTRKRFT and Moonstarr all come quickly to mind, and that’s not even touching on all the minimal techno and drum ’n’ bass artists who’ve put out quality records.
But there’s never been such an overwhelming volume of beats coming out of this town before. Still, in many ways, it’s surprising that it took this long for us to get here.
We’ve long had an exceptionally strong club scene, but for whatever reason we’ve always partied to the sounds coming out of other cities rather than trying to forge our own identity.
In the 80s, the Twilight Zone was our respected equivalent of legendary clubs like Chicago’s Warehouse and NYC’s Paradise Garage, and our rave scene in the 90s was one of the biggest in the world. Industry Nightclub was cited by many international DJs as one of their favourite places to play. More recently, the Guvernment and Circa have made a big impression on the global mega-club scene.
On the underground level, you can find a Toronto exemplar for pretty much any niche genre. If you want deep soulful house, promoters like Garage 416 still bring out big crowds after more than a decade; if you want scrappy digital hardcore, you’ve got parties like Embryon. And it’s long been true that lots of international DJs play for bigger crowds here than in their own hometowns.
Despite having so many places to dance, Toronto has never been associated with a particular sound, and likely never will be, thanks to our famously ambiguous, amorphous identity. In the past, that might have held us back, but now that dance music sub-genres are less segregated, there’s finally an opportunity for our crazy-quilt approach to get the attention it deserves.
So we settled not on one artist for our cover story, but 10. The acts we’re spotlighting all have their own sound and influences but aren’t tied closely to any previous established scene. They do, however, often cross paths, and you’ll see many of the same faces in the crowd at each of their gigs, even if Loetech’s throbbing take on dubstep is miles away from Mansion’s upbeat stadium house, and Syntonics’ updated booty bass has little in common with TMDP’s synth disco.
This cross-pollination of scenes and sounds will lead the way for Toronto and the world. The days of trying to emulate the regional genres of other cities are over – people want to dance to a variety of sounds in the course of an evening, and variety is exactly what Toronto excels at.
On that note, here’s who we predict will come out with the next Toronto dance floor anthems. They’re also a reminder to everybody that there’s more to club music than NYC, Ibiza, Berlin, Paris and London.
To prove the point, we’ve teamed up with Circa to present a party featuring most of our picks, commissioned AD/D’s Mario J to do an exclusive online DJ mix featuring all 10 artists, and you can stream individual tracks online from everyone as well.
http://www.nowtoronto.com/music/story.cfm?content=166995
NOW MAGAZINE PRESENTS THE FUTURE SOUND of TORONTO @ Randomland Circa
January 29, 2009
| Host: | |
| Type: | |
| Network: |
Global
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| Start Time: |
Friday, January 30, 2009 at 10:00pm
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| End Time: |
Saturday, January 31, 2009 at 4:00am
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| Location: |
Circa Toronto
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| Street: |
126 john street
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| City/Town: |
Toronto, ON
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| Phone: |
4169790044
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| Email: |
A mega party at Circa featuring the freshest up-and-coming producers out of Toronto NOW!
artists performing that night includes
Autoerotique
http://www.myspace.com/autoerotique
Syntonics
http://www.myspace.com/syntonics
Mansion
http://www.myspace.com/mansiondj
STA
http://www.myspace.com/stafree
TMDP
http://www.myspace.com/tmdparty
PILOT PRIEST
http://www.myspace.com/pilotpries
LOETECH
http://www.myspace.com/loetech
EGYPTRIXX
http://www.myspace.com/africaforyou
This event has 276 confirmed guests
CiRCA: RANDOMLAND – MANIC PANIC DEC 19th – SPARK OF LIFE PROMO LISTS
December 18, 2008
—Dec 19th—
MANIC PANIC @ CIRCA
Listen up! We’re getting our mistletoe on this Friday December 19th. I’m bringing my people Santa, IceCream Snowcone, and his buddy the Snowman to the club this week! YA DIIG???
Word is that we’ve got some HO HO HO’s that will be spreading the Christmas spirit and dishing some gifts out to all the randoms at Randomland!
Randomland PRESENTS:
!!!MANIC PANIC!!!
Featuring:
————IN THE MAIN ROOM———-
AUTOEROTIQUE
MARIO J
MATT MEDLEY
———–WASHROOM BAR————-
DOPPLEHERTZ
VANESKA
_________________________________________
MSG ME FOR GUESTLIST
MSG ME FOR PARADE LIST (FREE DRINKS/FREE ENTRY)
contact@sparkoflifemedia.com
sparkoflifedj.wordpress.com
sparkoflifemedia.com
GIVE ME A SHOUT!
Sister Act Xmas Extravaganza @ Riva: Violca + Sara Simms + Melle Oh!
December 18, 2008
SISTER ACT THURSDAYS HOT HOT HOLIDAY XMAS EXTRAVAGANZA…THURSDAY DEC. 18
SISTER ACT IS….
A REVOLUTION IN THURSDAY LIVING!
Come celebrate the final frontier of 2008 with the Sister Act family.
In case you didn’t know, Sara Simms is back from Berlin, and she’s formed a DJ tag team with her little sister. DJ duo SARA SIMMS and MELLE OH want to celebrate the holidays with you and will bring down the house this Thursday in the final edition Sister Act before the new year. SARA SIMMS and MELLE OH will drop a unusual blend of dancefloor-oriented electronic records that blur together European minimalism, New York house, female playfulness, pop structures and modern 4/4 sketches.
For the Sister Act night at Riva, they have concocted a special blend of records that includes a selection of classic house grooves.
This week, we celebrate the holidays with the whole crew of residents. Don’t’ miss Hotshot resident VIOLCA of MANSION dropping a crazy blend of electro, classic house and dancefloor stompers. Fresh off the road from her Get Er Done tour, VIOLCA is ready to give it to you. Word.
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Start the weekend early at College St hotspot Riva, hosted by the infamous duo, sisters Sara Simms and Melle Oh. Not to be missed, ultra noteworthy, this night comes equipped with drink specials, and bi-weekly guest DJ’s.
Sara Simms got her start playing at after hours parties in Toronto. In a few short months, Sara rose up quickly in the Canadian club scene, and was soon being booked by the city’s top clubs and promoters, including Ink, Fukhouse, and Circa. Her most successful achievement in Toronto was her weekly residency at the Ladies Spa in This Is London, one of the city’s finest superclubs. While in Berlin, Sara gigged at underground clubs, including Villa, Rodeo, Vorspiel (Upper floor Club 103) and CCCP. It wasn’t long before she began to get booking requests from all over Europe.
Back in Toronto, Sara is looking forward to her new weekly Thursday night ‘Sister Act’ at Riva. When she’s not up in the clubs, Sara spends her time collaborating on tracks in the studio with her sister Melle Oh. An up and coming producer, Sara has plans to release many tracks in the coming months. The future looks bright for this young DJ and producer, and you’ll be hearing more music from this girl this winter!
The sisters are pleased to welcome Violca (from MANSION) as a bi-weekly resident DJ. Originally from Toronto, Violca has been DJing and producing parties under many names since back in ‘99 when she was involved n the Mississauga Drum and Bass scene. She has toured Canada and Europe on her own and with her former band, Fritz Helder & The Phantoms and has played alongside the likes of: Deep Dish, MSTRKRFT, Pase Rock, Lazaro Casanova, Joakim, and Deadmau5.
Come and get down with this luxurious line up of resident DJ’s:
Sara Simms (Toronto, Berlin, Big Sis)
Violca (MANSION)
Melle Oh (Little Sis)
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FREE DOWNLOAD LINKS…
DJ MIXES:
SARA SIMMS
Sara Simms ‘Arcanum’
http://www.divshare.com/download/5885776-870
VIOLCA
Violca December 2008 DJ Mix
http://www.mediafire.com/?mwkwy1jlyzj
Louis La Roche ‘Get on Down’ (Violca’s afterparty edit)
http://www.zshare.net/audio/521406415c77d503/
Mondays @ The Social hosted by Matt Simms
December 18, 2008
Saturday Nights – Fuck Faces @ Sneaky Dees
December 13, 2008
NACHO LOVERS @ FUCK FACES
With Jokers of the Scene, Syntonics (live). Sat, Dec 13. Sneaky Dee’s, 431 College. $5 after 11pm.
Canadian artists ruled the blogs in 2008 and this party shows us why. Toronto’s Nacho Lovers (Andrew Ross and Scott Seewhale) turned their shared love of early Chicago and Detroit house and techno into a string of synth-soaked releases, including their Acid Life EP on Fool’s Gold and their recent remixes of Thunderheist and Chromeo, and you really need to hear their new mix on the Curb Crawlers blog. Meanwhile, Ottawa’s Jokers of the Scene have produced a steady flow of originals and remixes, including the new Acid Bagg EP, and arrive here fresh from dates in Dublin, Oslo and Paris. Not to be outdone, local duo Syntonics have recorded non-stop all year and perform live here as well.
What to do on Wednesday nights ?
December 10, 2008
KILLER WEDNESDAYS @ HARMONY
The never ending thump and pump of KILLER WEDNESDAYS is going strong and looks like it will
definately live LONG and prosper as THE party to beat on College Street for the midweek hump!
So why not get a jump on your less-cool friends and be the one to tell THEM about the most happenin happening around…come down, here the sound, and pass it around..
THIS WEEK DEC 10TH 2008 WE HAVE ::
CHE DUBOIS (again!) – myspace.com/chedubois, Bugeyed Records
HOUSE/ELECTRO
We cant seem to get enuff of his bar rocking house beats and vocal treats, so we had to have him back AGAIN!
O-GOD – the social, circa randomland, dopplehertz
MASHUPS/REMIXES/ELECTRO/HOUSE
mondays main man is bringing his special powers to wednesdays wikkidness and making people dance like there is no choice!
REX MANNING – white rabbit, terror inc
TECHNO/ELECTRO/BREAKS
Do we even have to say anything about Mr Conradi and his sidekick “bomber” ? I think not, but i will.. solid, solid,solid.. nuff said..
DINGOKILLER – triforce, newmindspace, white rabbit
BLOG BEATS / MASHUPS/ PARTY MUSIC
Always on point and always to the point.. the point is to make people party and he does this well! Not to mention he is pretty swell..and did we mention dressed well? haha
NO COVER (MEANING FREEEEE PARTY!!!)
SICK BEATS!!
FUN PEOPLE!!
@ HARMONY
589 COLLEGE ST W.
This event has 71 confirmed guests
DJ FUCKERS :: WEDNESDAYS :: @ The RAQ Ft: DJ SEAN CAFF
DJ FUCKERS.
The newest collective in Toronto, brings you a weekly Wednesday night and one-off events showcasing the best talent in djing and dancing at one of the most adored and under rated venues in the city, patio, megasound system and all – The Raq. Catering to everyone from the Queen West electro scene, to the Church St. boys, college crowd, and server circuit, the DJ FUCKERS Wednesday Night Summer Series (now into Fall) provides the mid-week party you’ve been itching for with CHEAP DRAUGHT PINTS & FREE POOL ALL NIGHT LONG!
—————————————
house / hip hop / disco / more
all dance floor.
Residents:
Adam Addison
Fawn Big Canoe
This week featuring:
Fawn Big Canoe w/special guest DJ SEAN CAFF
Starts Wednesday, December 10thth, 2008 @ 10:00pm & every Wednesday after …
No dress code, $5 cover, $3.50 draft, free pool.
Location: The RAQ
Street: 739 Queen St. West
City/Town: Toronto, ON
Contact Info
Email: info@djfuckers.com
Web: www.djfuckers.com
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Dec 10 Fawn Big Canoe w/guest DJ Sean Caff
Dec 17 Mischief & Frankie
Dec 24 CLOSED
Dec 31 CLOSED
Jan 07 Kosmic w/ DJ City & Miss Mixxxy
Jan 14 Fawn B.C. w/guests Tight Knit DJs
Jan 21 Tee Loo’s Kitchen
Jan 28 Fawn B.C. w/guests Thunder & Chris James
This event has 30 confirmed guests
HUMP DAY BUMP @ Wrong Bar
Hump Day Bump
with
Le Freak C’est Keek
Violca(Mansion)
Dec 4th – Dance Like You Fuck @ Strangelove
December 4, 2008
Mother Fucker’s are going to drop the pressure.
December 1, 2008
CROOKERS @ CIRCA
November 27, 2008
