Last week and next wave

The next few months will be a defining period for electronic nightlife in Montreal. While acknowledging the absurdity of such a sweeping claim, it’s tough to ignore the widespread flux. Many long-running nights have ended, many clubs have closed, changed or opened, artists are switching gears all around town, experimenting with new styles or incubating new projects. All that to say, it’s a really fabulous time for all you young producers, promoters, bands and DJs to start new residencies, new parties and new projects. I’m not saying that as a desperate appeal to revitalize the scene, but rather as a reminder of scene Darwinism. Those niches will be filled. There will be lots of amazing new things by the time the ice melts. It’s Montreal—great art and parties are inevitable. I’m saying that you’d do yourself well in terms of timing to get rolling now. Make a land grab. Just thought I’d throw that out there.

In other news, though my currently inundated schedule didn’t permit nearly as much Igloofest as I would have liked, I did have one of the best nights out in months last Thursday night with Phillip Jung and Robag Wruhme. That was the night of the blizzard, making for big, chapping winds, drifts of fine snow and a creeping chill. The effect was that of a penguin herd, as the entire crowd snuggled up tight to the stage in automatic, evolutionary defence against the weather. Wruhme read the situation perfectly and played a heartening, gradual, all-vinyl lesson in classic house and techno sounds, allowing for funky basslines but sticking to the dark, sparse synth styles of Detroit. That was the best DJ set I’ve heard in a while. Jung’s set wasn’t quite as concise and atmospheric, but the sounds were sweet and he concluded with one of my faves, “Giant From Nibiru” by David West and Ida Engberg.

REREAD NEUROMANCER WHILE LISTENING TO REX THE DOG…jack.oatmon@gmail.com