by RAF KATIGBAK

There's no doubt we live in paranoid times. Thanks to the Internet, grassy knollers and alien anal probe "victims" from Idaho have the opportunity to share their conspiracies with a heretofore unparallelled number of bearded shut-ins and post-rock activists. Of course, the government isn't helping. Thanks to the events of September 11, every time you pick up the phone, computers decide whether to alert analysts by using software that scans for key words. Any mention of words like "bomb" or "blowing up" would automatically raise alarm, so when you dial up your "baby boo" to mention how the DJ last night was "the bomb" or how a particular MC "blew up the spot," don't be surprised when CSIS come knocking.

"Terror" is a word that rings alarms, but what about "sonic terror?" A recent poll (meaning, me pestering a bunch of drunk and stoned friends) indicated that sonic terror conjured up a variety of different images. One friend talked about infrasound, a weapon developed in France that shoots very low frequencies creating nausea, disorientation, vomiting and even pooping your pants. Another friend mentioned that "sonic terror" is what they should have named Celine Dion's new Vegas show, while another asked, "Is that that new hedgehog video game?"

Well it seems that "sonic terror" means different things to different people, but to four chaps with laptops from the Midwest, sonic terror is everything. Sonicterror, the collective, started out of Cincinnati (WKRP styles) in 1999 and originally consisted of everything from industrial noise bands to jungle artists, eventually evolving into a label. Now they're taking their IDM/breakcore/drill & bass show on the road, with one date this coming Wednesday, April 9, at Saphir's Flexout night. On hand will be Enduser, Dev79, Rusuden and Line 47, bringing their Midwest maximal-ness to the Montreal masses. Any fans of next level audio à la Squarepusher or Venetian Snares would do well to check this shit out.

Bad news for those looking forward to the Hacker show at Unity II this Friday. Word on the street is that he has cancelled his North American tour due to "the Iraqi conflict and the unstable international situation". This is a pity since the dude rocked the house at Neon oh-so-long-ago. Watch out for a make-up date at Unity II in the near future.

Friday-night revellers shouldn't be too disheartened, because they can check out the minimal and bumpin' house madness that is Soirée Risqué at O Patro Vys. On hand will be DJ sets by Akufen and Wince (the prince) and the triumphant return of live hick-house hillbilly hybrid duo Crackhaus, who wowed audiences at the last Micro Mutek. Cover is $5.

Next Sunday marks the return of the liquid funk, smooth drum & bass, dub and hip hop Sabbath known as Horizons, care of the iDJ family at Saphir. DJs D-Joos, Axionfigga and Galaksy invite you to a laidback post tam-tam jam from 10 p.m. to 3 a.m. - $3 cover, $3 drinks and soon the all-important terrasse will be open, so be there!

CSIS the word… that you heard… Diskoakimbo@sympatico.ca

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