by RAF KATIGBAK

According to Jean-Michel Cauvin, co-founder of the Montreal label, Lipstick Music is part electro, part post-punk, part techno and part pop - but mostly a reason to party. While it may be new to record-store shelves, DJ vets and cofounders Cauvin (aka Nivoc) and Pascal B have assembled a crack team of locals (Sean Kosa, Jordan Dare, Eddie Jasmin, Jacob Asher and Julien T) to back them up. With a solid debut 12-inch and a mandate to pimp local talent to the world, Lipstick looks like yet another reason for international press to dial the 514 area code. The Mirror caught up with Cauvin and Kosa to get the skinny on headspaces and haircuts.

Mirror: So what kickstarted Lipstick?

Jean-Michel Cauvin: Long story short, one night I went on a ketamine porn-star bender with my girlfriend and I had Sean's demo CD on repeat. Literally the next day, I sent a copy to Neuton, who distribute labels like Playhouse, Bpitch and such, and suddenly I got bombarded by e-mails telling me that I would be crazy not to put it out.

M: What's your role in this, Sean? Sean Kosa: Right now me, Jordan, Mateo, Eddie and the others are the musical core. We're remixing each other as sort of an in-house crew. Everyone's good at different things. The idea is to come out with well-rounded EPs rather than just one style.

M: I like the idea of a label with more artist input.

JMC: It's a different headspace. Other labels and scenes are very competitive, with some crews hating on other crews. At the risk of sounding like a cheesy hippie, we're not hate-based, we're love-based. In the end, it has to be solid music. That's why we have guys like Mateo, and Sean, who is sort of the musical backbone of the label with his original and cutting-edge twists.

SK: Ooooh! I just wish I could get an original, cutting-edge haircut.

M: Like a half-afro, half-mohawk?

SK: The half-fro?

M: No dude, the 'fro-hawk.

SK: Sweet.

Label launch with Sean Kosa, Jacob Asher, Nivoc, Pascal B and Eddy Jasmin at SAT on Saturday, April 23, 9 p.m., $8

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