A mix made for the @seasonleeds crew on @sableradio

[ Le char est en feu + personne n'est au volant ]

Montreal in winter is an odd place. Temperatures can drop to -40 as Arctic blasts stream down from the north, everything turns into shades of brilliant gray with the occasional flash of orange from the ubiquitous traffic cones. Construction never ends, the surfaces are always mottled, a million posters tear apart and flutter in the windstorms. I’ve moved about a lot, experienced a lot of sometimes tragic changes in my life in the past year or so, and even though I know I’m always going to feel like an outcast here - même si je parle français, même si j’ai de vrais amis ici - I still feel like this is the best place for me right now.

[ Le gouvernement est corrompu pis nous sommes tout droguées (avec la radio allumée + les rideaux tirés)]

The scene here is noted for its liveliness but how much of that is just because it feels like the only major city in the country that can host a thriving arts community in a place with comparatively affordable housing. Five people I knew from Toronto also decamped to Montreal this summer because rents had skyrocketed and the stress of working 2+ jobs to maintain any kind of creativity or life-outside-of-work was crushing. Those that stay are faced with an ever decreasing number of level venues, increasing by-laws, rents, and new condos that go up with tenants that complain about the music from the bars nearby. If there’s any complaint I hear about the scene here, aside from a lack of cross-genre communication among parties - and linguistic/cultural barriers (a lot of young Anglo transplants making their dreams come true from elsewhere in the country - see point on rent above) - it’s that the music is either stuck in ‘disco nostalgia’ or ‘rave revival’, with tempos reaching breakneck / fever pitch speeds and little room for variety. I don’t think it’s entirely true but the scene isn’t immune from a lot of DJs always playing like they are at peak time all the time, with little room for nuance. It is there - you just have to look for it.

[ Le soleil est tombé + les affichages sont tous lorgnant + les drapeaux sont tous morts au sommet de leurs poteaux ]

I usually play slower but I tried to bring it up, compress the feelings I get from these parties, and this city, between the intro - cold, gray, introspective - and the fade, in between is just me pressing play and letting things ride out. I don’t like to plan too much, but I like to challenge myself. I’m in the process of restarting my radio show - Days Of Steam - as a club night as well, and try to focus on the slower tempos and the spaces between the notes. Sometimes, though, you just gotta max is out, find space in the speed, un excès de vitesse.

Shouts to the LAGOM crew + Inner Circle + Doc'trin + Choozey + Anabasine + N10.AS + Kris et Jeanne à La Rama + Marie D & Pierre G + Celeste + P Trafford + Conca d’Oro + Stefan + La Plante + La Brique (RIP) + Le Rideau Déchiré (RIP) + Snowdon Deli + all the astral travellers. Fuck la loi 21, racistes décâlissez.

Norah Lorway - Distant Ends [2018, Xylem Records]

Godspeed You! Black Emperor - Dead Flag Blues (Excerpt) [1997, Constellation]

Eliane Radigue - Stress-Osaka (1969) [2013, Alga Marghen]

Polly Moneaux - Send In The Drones [2017, Let’s Go Swimming]

Culture Clash - Sultan Groove [2017, Lost Futures]

DJ ESP - The Power Hour [1995, Sounds]

Dave Olson & Scott Radke - First Ring [2000, Parotic Music]

Marco Carola - 3rd Question (B2) [1999, Question]

Roza Terenzi & DJ Zozi - Strobe Fountain [2018, Planet Euphorique]

Pure Science - Be-Dup [1998, Lunar Tunes]

Stylistic - People [1999, Bud Brothers]

The Groove Monster - Think About It [1996, Inhouse]

Dolo Percussion - Dolo 1 [2013, LIES]

Accelera - Tour Garden Segway [2017, Acting Press]