Hype overload

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By SCOTT C

I think we're just about out of the woods on this whole New Year's thing. For a little while there it seemed like we were doomed to talk the millennial blah blah until 2001, but I think the worst is over. What is it with us and hype? It's amazing when you think of all the useless shit that's piled up in regards to this year. What happens to it? It gets forgotten--or replaced with the story about how that giant meteor is supposed to hit the earth sometime soon.

This planet of ours could be hurtling towards the sun at this very moment--I could live with that as long as I get a chance to hear the new D'Angelo record in its entirety. The street date for Voodoo is set for January 25, a date that's changed more times than my underwear over the last year. Recorded at Jimi Hendrix's old studio, Electric Lady in New York, the buzz about his album rivals that of Y2K itself, cradling the musical talents of names like ?uestlove from the Roots, Charlie Hunter and Roy Hargrove. For those of you who can't wait 'til the 25th, check out Okayplayer.com for all the pre-D'Angelo you can handle.

Speaking of sweet soul, Montreal is in for a long-overdue treat in the form of Ivanna Santilli. The former Bass is Base member has been weaving a tantalizing web of soul, funk and jazz ever since leaving the group a few years back. Her album Brown is an honest look into the soul of a talented vocalist and instrumentalist, and a sound that isn't really explored enough in these parts. Playing at the Cabaret on Thursday, January 20, I strongly suggest that you check her out. Not only does she got da goods like Madaline Woods, she's got fans in this city who haven't even heard her yet. Gorgeous and talented, damn!

Those of you who are still crying because Alchemy Wednesdays at Jai are no longer, can suck it up. The one and only Gary Tremblay (aka DJ Troubleman) will be spinning his wares for everyone who's tired of crying and the rest of you who just want to get down.

While Gary is dipping his toes into deep house, the young and able-bodied Alex Robbins (Alchemy) can be found working hard on the premiere issue of his new magazine The Finer Things. Contributors from Montreal, San Francisco, New York and London will shoot the shit about music, film and literature from a DJ's point of view. "I think there just comes a point after you've been Djing for so long where you feel you have to do your own stuff," says Robbins. After losing the entire publication on a crashed computer before the holidays, let's hope things run a little more smoothly for young Alex this time around. :

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