by SCOTT C

There's really no eloquent way to say that it's time to get your head out of your ass and check out this city's fifth annual Montreal Electronic Groove festival, so let's move on. With the help of the respective ambience of the SAT, Metropolis and Unity II, organizers of this year's MEG have once again gone to great lengths to offer a particularly varied slice of electronic production and performance, to the delight of the insatiable, progressive music lovers of Montreal. Of course, I can't reprint the schedule here, that's what www.megmontreal.com is for. What I can do is tell you what's got me a little wound up.

I guess we all kind of knew that this whole "breakup" of Antipop Consortium was just a little bit premature. Genius nutbars Priest and Sayyid have got their eyes on the prize once again, reunited as the infectious Airborne Audio. These guys have punched in the next shift to take hip hop to another place, and I think they want us to come. Check them out Wednesday, October 22, at the SAT. Also on that bill is Montreal laptop kid Ghislain Poirier, who's managed to score a sweet deal with U.S. hip hop label Chocolate Industries for his latest album Beats As Politics. While most know him for his minimal techno contributions, you might be surprised to see how he's decided to approach this whole boom-bap thing. On the same night, the wonderfully twisted rap of TTC makes its Montreal debut as well. Ceci n'est pas un disque is easily one of the most bugged-out records I ever heard in French or English, and who knows what they'll get up to live.

Even in a city brimming with versatile young Frenchmen, there always seems to be room for one more. Check out Joakim (www.versatilerecords.com), Paris native, Versatile Records signee and one of Gilbr's buddies on Tuesday, October 21, at the SAT. He's never been to Montreal before, but his penchant for big drums, soulful shuffles and techy moves has sold in this town for years.

Up the street at Saphir next Tuesday, October 21, make room for the four-turntable antics of DR One and DJ Fat Sak as they gear it up for the b-boys and b-girls with a dose of funk and hip hop at Rockdeep. If you can dance, or if you can't, you should still really try to pass through.

FYI: CKUT 90.3FM hip hop staple Off the Hook has shifted time slots on Thursday nights, from the graveyard shift forward to the midnight-2 a.m. space. Good news for you freestylers who can now call in from 1 a.m.-1:30 a.m. to show 'em what you got.

Seven reasons it's time to get those records off the floor:
1. Outkast Speakerboxxx/The Love Below (Arista)
2. Bugz in the Attic Fabriclive. 12 (Fabric)
3. INI Center of Attention (BBE)
4. Bob Jones Souljazz (Trust the DJ)
5. Five Deez Kinkynasti (K7)
6. The Mighty Imperials "The Matador" 7" (Daptone)
7. Bless "Get It Now" (Think Twice flip) (CDR)

Make ‘em clap to this... fathead@videotron.ca

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