Atlanta-based artist Quie speaks about self-producing his debut album, Darkside

Atlanta, GA – Coming through our speakers from Georgia, Atlanta artist Quie has been quietly working away for most of 2016 on his debut album, Darkside. The project dropped on Soundcloud last week, and we recently had the opportunity to get the low-down from Quie on the motivation and inspiration for the album.

Composed of 6 tracks, the project is fully original in its’ approach to the genre, with a variety of atmospheric vibes. The dark instrumentals, and blurry musical definitions help the tracks comfortably seep into the ears of his listeners. Whether he’s smoothly crooning the high notes of “Numb” or bringing a stronger energy on “X Piles”, the arrangement of tracks will appeal to a wide audience.

Check out our conversation on Darkside below, and stream the album.

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Quie: Q&A

HipHopCanada: Thanks for speaking with us on your new release. This project will be your first introduction to most of our audience. What are some things that you wanted to establish with his project in terms of your identity as an artist and producer?

Quie: Thanks for giving me the opportunity to speak with you guys. It’s an honor. To answer your question, I wanted to establish that I’m that thing that musics missing. A lot of music, mostly directing to hip hop and R&B, that you hear nowadays is similar in every aspect and that’s something I’m not opposed to but I’d rather be different. When I was younger, music was authentic. That’s something I wanted to establish. Authenticity. It’s so easy to make music now, nobody’s trying to be different or authentic. It’s sucks. I feel like I created my own sound and now I want to give it to the world.

HipHopCanada: Why did you name this album Darkside and what kind of things influenced the subjects and content?

Quie: I named the project Darkside because I felt this was a side of me no one has ever seen. I’m an introvert, I keep to myself. This project is the other side of me I never revealed… until now. I was also in a dark place. I just moved to Atlanta, I really don’t have anybody out here. It’s been me and my music. When you’re in such a atmosphere you start to reminisce and think about past events, people that you’ve missed etc. You start soul searching and I think that was a big influence.

HipHopCanada: Congratulations on self-producing the whole project, because that’s a feat in itself. What are some challenges that you face in your creative process when you’re handling both performing and producing?

Quie: The most challenging thing about doing both is staying original and making sure every track is distinct from the other. I want everything I make to be unique. 1 of 1. Starting with production all the way to performance.

HipHopCanada: If I’m correct, you’re originally from New Orleans but relocated to Atlanta. How have both of those places influenced your music, if at all?

Quie: Growing up in New Orleans has influenced my music in ways I wouldn’t even know lol. There’s so much culture going on down there. I add a little bit of everything into my music and New Orleans is probably why. Atlanta’s trap sound has taken over hip hop in today’s world. It’s being incorporated into every genre so I had to incorporate it into my own. Why not.

HipHopCanada: What did this project mean to you, and what did you want your audience to take away from the experience?

Quie: This project means a lot to me. It’s been a long road. I’ve been in and out of different studios all of 2016 constantly creating vibes that I thought people would enjoy. Now I finally have them in one package. I want my listeners to get a dose of something new. I want to be the refreshing breeze.

HipHopCanada: Which track are you proudest of, and how did it come about?  

Quie: “Northern Lights”. It’s just so different and I didn’t expect it to come out like it did. I tried to record it  in 2015 but things didn’t go as planned. In December 2016 I rediscovered the beat and something told me record the song. It’s my favorite track. A lot of people won’t like it, a lot will. I think it’s special.

HipHopCanada: What was your goal with this project, and what kind of approach have you taken with your music this last year leading up to its’ release? 

Quie: Being that it’s my first project, I wanted to just lay a solid foundation for what’s to come after. I wanted to let whoever’s listening know that this is only the beginning. Leading up to the release, I’ve just been promoting and mostly networking, reaching out to people that can either help me or push me in the right direction. I released a few singles to get a buzz going also. 

HipHopCanada: I really love “Numb” and the overall atmospheric sound that you give to the track when you sing on it. How did you get started creating music, and do you enjoy singing more than rapping?

Quie: I started creating music at a young age. My dad was a musician so playing instruments was something that grew with me. I was born with a voice to sing, but I always wanted to be a rapper. I have more fun rapping but it’s not on the same level as singing. It just doesn’t give people the same feeling.

HipHopCanada: The rest of the album seems to be full of vibey, and similarly darker tracks. How close to your personality does the music match up in comparison to the style and persona you take on the album?

Quie: Everything’s vibes. Every track I make starts with the beat. My beats originate from whatever mood I’m in. I’m actually a quiet person so if you don’t really know me, you wouldn’t see the side I portray in my music.

HipHopCanada: What can listeners expect from you in the near future?

Quie: In the future my fans can expect more and even better music from me. I just want to keep getting better and keep giving my fans something to look forward to. A lot of artists aren’t consistent, i don’t want to be like that.

Stream Darkside below.

Interview conducted by Kira Hunston for HipHopCanada

Sled Island announces Flying Lotus as the festival’s 2017 guest curator

Calgary, AB – With less than six months until the return of Sled Island, the annual Calgary music festival just kicked off the new year with some exciting news: Flying Lotus is going to be guest curating the 2017 festival line-up this year!

Every single year, Sled Island brings a guest curator on board to hand-pick some of the festival performers. Past guest curators have included Peaches (2016), Godspeed You! Black Emperor (2015), Kathleen Hanna (2014), and more.

Each year the festival brings 250 bands, music performers, comedy acts, films and visual art projects to more than 35 venues across Calgary. This year’s festival goes down from Jun. 21 through Jun. 25.

In addition to assisting with the curation of the festival line up, Flying Lotus will also be performing a show at The Palace Theatre (formerly Flames Central) on Jun. 24. Sled Island passes grant access to the show and are currently on sale at SledIsland.com, Sloth Records (736B 17th Ave. SW) and Lukes Drug Mart (112 4th St. NE). Single tickets will be available in spring 2017.

But if you don’t want to miss your chance to scope this show, buy a Sled Island pass ASAP. Sled Island is currently offering a special 15% off discount on all Discovery Passes, Discovery Plus Passes, and Sampler Packs until Mar. 13.

Premiere: Seth Dyer releases Adom Woods directed visuals for “Black Ghosts”

Toronto, ON – Nearly one year after writing “Black Ghosts,” Toronto artist Seth Dyer returns with a minimalistic Adom Woods directed video to accompany the record.

“Black Ghosts” released over the summer and serves as a record to bring awareness to the epidemic of innocent Blacks being murdered. Throughout the duration of the song, Seth repeats one question for his listeners: “Don’t I live in the same world as you?”

For this video, Seth and Adom connected thanks to an introduction through one of Seth’s friends. After linking to discuss potential video concepts, the two quickly decided to make this video come to fruition. The visuals maintain a simple, dark aesthetic as Seth puts the focus on his lyricism.

Check out the video premiere for “Black Ghosts” after the jump, and scope our Q&A with Seth.

Q&A: Seth Dyer

“Innocent people are still being killed and I had to bring more attention to this record and make it new again through this music video.”
– Seth Dyer

HipHopCanada: Start off by telling me about your vision for this video, and the story you wanted it to tell. I know this is one of the heaviest songs you’ve ever released.

Seth Dyer: I wanted the video to be very simple. I didn’t want people watching the video to focus on a story or another element that would distract from the initial message of the song. I feel like the lyrics are the most important element of the record and I think we did a good job of getting the message across.

HipHopCanada: How did you meet Adom and end up collaborating on this one? Tell me the story.

Seth Dyer: I met Adom through a friend that brought me to the studio I currently work at, G-Spot Studios in Toronto. I knew I wanted to shoot a video for “Black Ghosts” and other songs. But I was having a difficult time finding videographers that were talented, inventive and deliver high quality work. Adom embodies all three and he’s an effective worker as well. I didn’t have to chase him down for edits or anything he was incredibly timely. We spoke about the “Black Ghosts” idea in a tea shop and we executed the shoot soon after our initial meeting. I plan to work a lot more with Adom he really helped to get my idea across.

HipHopCanada: Talk to me about the significance of keeping this video so minimalistic, and sticking to the black aesthetic.

Seth Dyer: I’m a minimalist in general so I guess that attribute comes through in the video. I’m always wearing black so that aesthetic is a reflection of me. But the darkness also represents the somber situation that is the reality of police violence against Blacks in North America. The minimalism of the video is purposely done to bring more attention to the message within the lyrics.

HipHopCanada: If I’m not mistaken, you initially wrote this song back in February 2016. It’s been almost a year since you penned this song. Talk to me about how the track’s message resonates with you now in 2017.

Seth Dyer: This message still resonates with me after nearly a year because things have still not changed. Innocent people are still being killed and I had to bring more attention to this record and make it new again through this music video. Because the message is important to me.

HipHopCanada: When you first released this song, you said something that I found really poignant. You said that if this track was your only effort in raising awareness about injustice, you weren’t doing enough to foster change. So what other steps have you taken to create change in the world this year?

Seth Dyer: I’ve worked on helping people heal through gatherings and general conversation. I’ve also changed the way I spend my money. I think if we – as Black people – have better access to wealth we can do a lot to help ourselves. I’ve spent more of my money with Black businesses. When my music takes off on a larger scale and I have larger amounts of money coming in, I’d like to invest in Black business and Black entrepreneurs.

Lifestyle Brand HICU puts on local showcase highlighting Vancouver’s rising talent

Vancouver, BC – While the vibrant music scene of Toronto rarely waivers, there’s been a shift on the West Coast this last year. Lifestyle brand HICU caught onto these shifts in West Coast culture early, and recognized the need for a public platform as a collaborative possibility between fashion and sound. The result of the brands’ efforts were two clothing lines laying parallel to the release of two sound tapes ( Sound Tape N ° 1 and Sound Tape N ° 2) which combined promising rising Canadian artists. While the projects brought an impressive aesthetic value, they were highly noted for featuring some of the best rising artists that the West Coast has to offer.

This past Friday, January 13th saw the first ever HICU showcase held at the Alexander Gastown in downtown Vancouver. In collaboration with Hyphy events and HipHopCanada, the evening displayed sets from the local aritsts who contributed tracks to both tapes. The turnout was outstanding, and quickly surpassed capacity as people filled all three floors of the venue (with the lineup reaching well around the block even after doors opened). The energy was contagious, and a just testament to the success of a newly flourishing collective community.

Check out our interviews below with artists: Seth Kay, GRNDBLVD, Brandon Gregora, Stevie Ross, Sharuk, Dave Fields, Spotty Josif, as well as HICU’s creative director, Borna Shayegan (aka LXRY92) . In our conversations, each artist was asked: what their respective track meant to them and how it came about, how they individually felt about being an artist from Vancouver at this moment, and where they see the community headed. We also had the opportunity to talk to Borna about how he was inspired to take this approach with HICU – collaborating fashion with music.

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Spotty Josif

“WYWG” with Dave Fields

“My track with Dave Fields, “WYWG” meant a lot to me.  Being part of a project with artists of the cool wavy R&B genre just shows that two different worlds can work well together.  I feel that Dave and I brought the aggression aspect that the project needed. It’s crazy because Borna really knows the scene and we were handpicked to be apart of it.  The crazy thing about that song, is we did it in two weeks from start to finish.  And on top of that, the song progressed naturally.“

“I’ve been doing music for awhile now and honestly it feels great to be an artist now.  I know the city can be cliquey sometimes but after that show the supports gone through the roof.  I was thinking the whole time like, damn, when did people start showing love? How come I didn’t get the memo?  I feel like the community is much more open to new artists and we’re finally coming together.”

“I think everyone’s starting to realize in this music shit that it’s Vancouver vs The World.  I know for awhile everyone tried to claim the city but all it takes is for one of us to be put on. I know for a fact that if I ever make it, I’m taking the whole city with me.”

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Dave Fields

Photo by Mats Schram

“WYWG” with Spotty Josif 

“WYWG” with Spotty Josif means a lot to me. Even though it only took a couple of weeks to put together, it feels like it was a long time coming. Spot was one of the first Vancouver artists I met after coming over from Ontario, and I feel we had a mutual respect for each other (and each others music) right away. Even though we have somewhat different styles, I think they mesh well together. It’s funny because Borna had expressed interest in both of us being on the project, but I don’t think he expected it to be on the same track.”

“I’m still a new artist in Vancouver, but I feel as though I’ve been carving out a space for myself and my sound. Coming in as an outsider, and having different interests in music pre-rap, I feel I have my own sound and that I’m doing things a little differently than other artists in Vancouver. I feel blessed that people put their faith in me and my music from early on, people like Matthew Harvey, who I collaborate with on basically everything. I feel as though Vancouver is becoming more and more open to local artists and the support seems to be building. I think people are catching on.”

“I’ve been fortunate enough to build relationships with so many faces in the community over a short period of time. I feel the love and I see people showing more and more support, whether online or at shows, and it feels like a step in the right direction. The HICU showcase proved to me and many others that we need this type of support in our city, and I think we’re going to keep getting it.”

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GRNDBLVD

“All I Want”

“The song means a lot to me because its my first release. I made the beat for the song in a few hours and freestyled the hook right after. Left the track alone for a few months but Borna’ was like you need to come back and finish it.”

“We don’t have the music scene other cities do, so naturally artists get less recognition in Vancouver. But that just makes me want to grind harder and develop my craft. End of the day, the product speaks for itself. Good music has no borders.”

“I don’t know about the wider community — but if you mean the HICU family, just watch what we about to do this year.”

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Brandon Gregora

“On You” 

“On You” originally was a song I made just for my friends, not really serious about it. After a couple weeks I uploaded it on Soundcloud and shared with a few people online. Within a couple days, Stevie Ross sent me a message on Facebook, mentioning how much he liked the song and wanted to work on new music with me. At the time it was something extremely unexpected. This body of work has opened many doors for me this past year, and I feel blessed with my experiences and the people around me.

“I’m from Victoria, BC, and the music scene there is a lot different, I find, compared to Vancouver. From my perspective, Toronto is a big name when it comes to underground artists making it successfully in music, but I find the sound in Toronto is the same in a lot of ways – lyrically, style of music, Drake, etc. Being an artist here I find we work hard on creating our own individual sound, and it is a very positive, supportive city. Everybody has something different to bring to the table.”

“I predict this year will be a successful year for most. A lot of amazing projects have kicked off this year already, and I’m excited to see others improve and grow as artists. I hope to work with new artists in the city, as well as keep consistently working on my craft.”

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Stevie Ross

“Superman” and “Switch” with Brandon Gregora

“I think Vancouver is super unique, because a lot of the people that are still killing it right now, or starting to get their just dues, we all met like 5/6 years ago going to Monday night hip hop because of Emotions. That’s where we all built relationships, y’know? Maybe we all didn’t work together in the beginning because we were all just trying to figure out what we were doing. We all took different paths to get to where we’re going. All those relationships that everybody built – it’s coming into fruition now because look at how we’re working together. Everybody is pushing each other. Before my set I’m playing my other friends’ songs because we have to force it on the DJs out here, if they’re not going to play the songs. We have to say “Play this song before I go up,” and then pick your homie.”

“I think Vancouver’s in a good spot right now. I think we’re all going to kill it. We’ve got ninetyfour, Brandon, Spotty, Dave, So Loki. That’s what I’m trying to do, this whole run with this album Imma’ shout everybody out in every interview cause I don’t give a fuck. If I’ve gotta’ start it, then I’ll start it. But hopefully everybody follows and we all just fucking mobilize. We’ve got it, obviously, just look at how the show went. I’m happy to be a part of it.”

“I hope everyone stays positive and wants to keep working together. If we stay on this wave, the city could have a real moment with all the different talents out here. I’d just like to see more industry out here (in general) and I think we’re going to be the guys who make that happen.”

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Sharuk

“No One” and “No Luv”

“No Luv“ was recorded in a friends bedroom. Seth just happened to be there as well to record some stuff of his own. He heard me lay my verse down and after playing it back, he told me “yo, this has to be your toughest joint yet” and I was like “well shit, hop on if you got something.” About 10 minutes later the guy went in on it and bodied it. This was a couple years back now. Anyways, we never intended this song to come out or to have that mix be release worthy but I messed with HICU heavy around that time too and they generously asked to throw it on the tape so I said why not? and I’m glad I did because after a couple shows now it’s clear that this is the people’s favourite.”

“No One” came about with a surprise. I didn’t really see my direction for my verses but I had the hook stuck in my head for months before ever writing to it. Again, it all came from experiences and feelings prior to it and some in that current moment, which in the end kept it honest and real. It was a new sound I brought to the tape following my EP released during the summer but the people took it in well, and I felt a different confidence behind this one. 

“Privileged. I’m not sure if the older guys in the city can say that because I know they’ve been at it for some time without seeing any drastic difference in our culture. However, I feel good about it. Vancouver does have a lot of artists but the ones who grasp the attention are all in their own lanes. No one is out here biting sounds or copying a wave and I think that’s a huge advantage for us when the city finally gets on the map. There’s still breathing room out here. I also absolutely love the city so what else would be a better way to represent it?”

“After that release party? I wish I could ask the people who showed up the same question. Because it’s those people who make me feel like we’re heading for the top. I can’t say with confidence that 2017 is “our year” but I could be completely wrong. Without a doubt our community is heading for bigger and better things. That HICU release party proved that we have something out here and I feel like it’s just been sparked. I mean.. The year just began. What’s to come? I want everyone to win and it’s going to happen. “

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Seth Kay

“6 am”

“My song “6 AM” was just a vibe. I had the beat, and played it for my man on the way to the studio just free styling a few bars and his reaction was like, “Yo… You gotta record that.” As far as the concept, it’s just where my life was at during that time. Literally finding myself still awake at 6 AM night after night, only focused on music and money. Of course, when you’re all work, it leaves little time for personal, relationships etc. That’s basically what that song is about.”

“I love being an artist in Vancouver. It’s probably the best place to be an artist period. I hear a lot of people complain about why it’s more difficult to be an artist from here, or how we have no community and that’s the problem, or a million other excuses for why they can’t make shit happen for themselves. As long as you blame the city, or the people in it for your own progress and success, you’ll never make it.”

“I don’t like to talk too much about what’s gonna happen. I prefer just to show work. But I can definitely say that this will be a great year for Vancouver. Bout’ to do a whole lotta’ damage.”

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LXRY92

Creative Director

“HICU started as a passion project as a branch of my design studio, High Culture Studios (hence the tags “An Experiment conducted by High Culture Studios”). Creatively, it only goes through my filter, so the vision is pure. Doing art direction for many of the artists I work with, like Stevie Ross, Seth Kay and Teshalé puts me in a unique position to pull a project like this together.”

“My angle with these tapes is to show how close to home the inspiration for HICU is. There are artists (in Vancouver) making music worth talking about and being proud of… I think the HICU Sound Tape opened up a lot of people to that. And the HICU Pop-Up + Sound Showcase event we had on January 13th confirmed that… the city pulled up for it and it was epic.”

Khalid talks finding his voice & charting his own path to success

El Paso, TX – Originally published Jan. 25, 2017 – At just 18-years-old, R&B singer/songwriter Khalid isn’t your typical teen. With a newly acquired deal under his belt from RCA Records, his rise to the forefront of the music industry has been swift and organic in its’ origins. After all, it was only during the first quarter of 2016 that the vocally-trained soul singer started releasing music online as an independent artist residing in the border city of El Paso, Texas. One of his earliest releases, “Location” quickly surpassed expectations – collecting over a million streams in a mere two months, and ultimately leading the new high school graduate to sign with RCA.

While the release of “Location” established his marketable credibility, it’s Khalid’s unmatched voice and seamless delivery that undeniably wins him respect within the greater international music community (and with his growing fan base). His lyrics deliver the perfect concoction of depth and nostalgia that is both present and reminiscent. Currently he’s embarking on his first headlining North American Tour – appropriately named, The Location Tour.  It’s on the afternoon of January 15th, while preparing for his third show in Toronto, Canada, that we connect for a quick phone interview.

“Growing up was a lot of ‘nos’. People kept telling me – ‘No, this isn’t what you should do,’ or ‘No, you should sing this way.’ But I gave myself the yes. ” – Khalid

The warmth of his voice envelops the conversation as he rebuttals a comment on the weather in Toronto, elaborating, “Toronto’s super cold. I actually lived three hours from Toronto when I lived in New York.” 

Following inquiries about how someone goes from living in New York to El Paso, Texas, he describes a transient childhood, “I’m actually a military child, so my mom was in the army and still is in the army. I lived in Germany for 6 years. I moved to New York and was there for four years, and then I lived in El Paso for a year and a half.”

The tour’s title, The Location Tour resonates deeper as he relays his experiences moving around. He’s enthusiastic to explain the dynamics of his upbringing, “Moving to El Paso really had a big influence on my music career because I wouldn’t have became a musician or a recording artist if I hadn’t moved to El Paso. That move from New York to El Paso was really, really dark for me. Being a senior in high school, I didn’t really know where my life was going to take me. I didn’t know what decisions I wanted to make. I didn’t know what I wanted as a job. But the moment that I moved to El Paso and I got introduced to all these cool people, some of the friends that I have right now, gave me the strength and courage to keep pushing my music. And it created an opportunity for me when I released one of my first songs called “Saved” in voice memo form.”

He pauses to take a breath, and also to take a moment to reflect. Through the phone, you can hear him fully recounting how his dreams came to fruition, and the excitement builds in his voice as he continues on, “I put rough tracks on it and I put it out there. Seeing everyone in my city react to that, kind of hyped me up to keep going and keep pushing. It lead up to ‘Location’ which is doing so well right now. I wouldn’t have even imagined that it would do as well as it’s doing right now, and it’s so special because I really feel like that was the tipping point for me. It really set up everything for me, on the course of the tour, on the course of signing.”

He laughs again when talking about the creation of “Location”. The background story he describes is idealistic, and relatable – two qualities that have been worked into most of his music. And credibly, these qualities are what have garnered the music video close to 5 million plays online. He describes, “I wrote it a little bit before prom. I was trying to impress this girl. I just didn’t really have any strong attributes other than music. So I was like, “You know what? I really feel like it would be super dope to write a song (for her).” I’d started this song out in Atlanta. It was after this long session I’d had, and I didn’t want to keep going. But there was something in me that was like, you kind of have to keep going. So I wrote the chorus in Atlanta, got back to El Paso with the girl on my mind, and finished the song. I was like, “I have to release it before prom. It has to come out before my senior prom.” I didn’t get the girl, but I won prom king.” 

At only 18, the transition from youth to adulthood is a period of self-discovery and self-reflection that many of us can relate to, or are currently going through. He expresses the need for creative outlets, and on the role that music has played in his life, he contends, “Throughout high school I really felt like I was going to be a music teacher. I was gonna’ be in music education. I was gonna’ have a vocal performance major. I was gonna’ minor in music education. So I really learned a lot about music, and about the way I felt was best for me to sing. I actually didn’t win a lot of the competitions that I was in because my voice was so different from everyone else’s. I feel like when it comes to the terms of music and vocal performance and all that, it’s very one track. You kind of have to sound a certain way because that’s the best way to sound. And since I never really sounded like that, I never really did that good – until last year. The moment that I turned it into recording music, everyone was listening to the songs and like “Why does this 18 year old sound 30?” 

Most interesting is our discussion about the inevitable resistance that comes with the territory of fame and success. On making music that is different from the mainstream, Khalid shares his own experience of overcoming negativity, “In El Paso, when I started creating music they thought it was weird. They thought it was different. The most popular kid probably in my school stated that the song ‘sucked’. So I kept going. Growing up was a lot of ‘nos’. People kept telling me – ‘No, this isn’t what you should do,’ or ‘No, you should sing this way.’ But I gave myself the yes.  I was like, I’m gonna’ do what I wanna’ do. If this is really what I wanna do and if I make a song for this reason, there has to be a reason I made that song. I really didn’t care what anybody else told me.”

With such an overwhelming amount of success occurring so quickly, it’s hard to imagine what he might be feeling at this point. He gets slightly quieter as our conversation comes to an end, and he humbly recounts on all of the developments in his life, ” I would say that it was super overwhelming because I didn’t expect it to happen. So the moment that everything started moving as fast as it did. I was like okay, I really have to grow up. I have to learn. I have to be open to doing a lot of things. I have to really put myself out there. I have to be more vulnerable. It was really a growing process to see how fast everything was going. Just the momentum, and the way that it’s been pushing has been really humbling. And it always reminds me to keep grounded. Because I’m like, why did I come into this profession? Why did I want to be a recording artist? I had to keep in mind all of that stuff. This job is just so easy to get carried away with everything that comes with it.”

He’s about to be pulled away to get ready for his show, and we end our call contemplating what he’s grateful for. With honest appreciation in his voice, he states, “The fact that everyone comes out and they know all the words to the songs.” The answer is to the point, and uncomplicated. As a kid who’s finally received recognition on a larger scale, he’s just thankful that people are appreciating his music. The lines drops and there’s a resounding feeling that he’s only skimmed the surface of the success he’s going to receive.

Check out future dates of The Location Tour here, and stream “Location” below.

Create. Define. Release: After more than a decade, CDR Toronto’s support hasn’t wavered

Toronto, ON – On a cold and wintery December afternoon in Toronto’s East End, I met with Gavin Alexander, Gareth Morgan and Ramón Charles – members of CDR Toronto’s brain-trust – to discuss music and culture in Canada, but more specifically CDR. We talked about its inception, the state of CDR and what the future holds. But what is CDR (Create. Define. Release.); and what makes it different from other producer centric events in the GTA? Well the format is simple. CDR sessions offer music makers the opportunity to submit their own songs (burnt onto CD, on a USB key or uploaded in advance) then hear them played in a club environment over a superb sound system.

CDR was started over 10 years ago by Tony Nwachukwu, then a member of Attica Blues. When the group’s run with Sony Music and MO ‘Wax came to an end, he sought to create a safe space where young artists could play their works in progress, develop their sound and find an audience. He soon called upon his friend Gavin Alexander to help get the project off the ground.

“Toronto is a great city for music; with a huge range of sounds created within the GTA. After being here for 2 years I quickly realized I had to bring CDR to Toronto.” – Gavin Alexander

Billed as “The Night of Ideas and Tracks in the Making” the first CDR session was held at the Embassy Bar in 2002.

Gavin Alexander remembers: “The idea of immediacy, creating art and being able to engage with an audience was very appealing to me.”

The word quickly spread from there and the night eventually moved to the place which would become its spiritual home, the legendary Plastic People in London. CDR has since spread its gospel around the Globe with events being held in Sydney, Melbourne, Berlin, Pittsburgh, and Paris.

Fast forward to 2012, Gavin now finds himself in Toronto. “Toronto is a great city for music; with a huge range of sounds created within the GTA. After being here for 2 years I quickly realized I had to bring CDR to Toronto.”

His run-ins within the local music and arts community allowed him to cross paths with Ramón Charles, Janine Wright and Koray Özel, like minded individuals who would be instrumental in getting the project off and running.“Before I even approached Ramón he was already sending tracks to me. He was very much an inspiration.”

Since September 2015, CDR has been amassing a growing following all the while building an amazing community of creative people. Not just music makers but also listeners. To put it simply, people who are fans of new music. Over time regular participants like DJ/Producer Gareth Morgan, who goes by DJ G-Spot, and Snafu76, have come into the fold, DJing throughout the night and providing customized mixes of the submitted works.

Ramón Charles says, “We try to make mixtapes in order to spread the word about all the amazing music being made in the city.”

It attracts artists from all walks of life, genres and skill levels. Gavin continues, “I see this every time we do CDR. Just random people immediately connecting with each other, not just vibing but, sharing their creativity and appreciation for each other’s work.”

Ramon Charles adds: “It’s a great playground for producers and musicians to let their songs free.”

All this goes down in the basement at 805 Studio on Dovercourt. It’s a cozy venue with a beautiful dance floor and plenty of seating; an ideal setting for those looking to network, dance or just listen and admission is free. “We were lucky and blessed to have found Studio 805 as a venue… Big ups to Elizabeth and the 805 crew for being so welcoming and taking a chance with us.”

The night starts by digging into the CDR archives, playing and mixing tracks submitted by the participants in previous sessions and prior to the night’s event. Before moving on to “Open CDR” where the latest crop of submissions is played and mixed by Gareth while the artists Name and the Track name are flashed on the big screen.

Gareth: “People are really there to listen and contemplate the music.”

Submitting music to CDR

Participants can submit their music by uploading their track directly to the CDR website by bringing a USB or submitting a CDR at the event itself. By submitting their music participants not only have the opportunity to hear their creations played over a state-of-art sound system but they automatically have their name entered into a draw to win music software.

CDR is not only the night. Ramón has lent his talents as a graphic designer to help create a visual esthetic on par with what is being created sonically. He’s also used his skills as a film editor to create short vox pop vignettes culled from footage recorded at each session. Featured in these vignettes are interviews with participants and members of the audience who are asked to speak on a variety of subjects and give their feedback on the nights proceedings. He’s also done work editing the CDR In-Studio series where members of the CDR community are interviewed within their creative spaces.

After a highly successful run of events in 2015 and 2016, what does the future hold for CDR?

Ramon Charles: “We’re talking about expanding what it is we’re offering. We want to reach out to the community to network and figure out ways we can highlight them or work with them.”

Gavin Alexander adds: “We’re looking to maybe change the process. Have artists talks before Open CDR.”

CDR Knowledge sessions have been held in London, these events offer workshops given by technical experts from companies like Ableton, Apple and Native Instruments. “There are lots of people out there who need help. In terms of understanding what it takes to Mix a track properly, to Master a track properly. There are people within the community who’ve been teaching music making for years.” There is also CDR Live, a concept where the participants are invited to reproduce their works live.

“At CDR we’re obsessed with the creative process.”

CDR has wrapped up its 2016 season after presenting another successful evening of new music on Dec. 22nd. The event will be on hiatus until the spring of 2017. With so much in the works there is a lot to look forward to in 2017 as CDR will be hosting its 10th Session in Toronto.

For more information check out http://cdrtoronto.ca.

Written by Hugues Lamour for HipHopCanada