All Entries Tagged With: "Tech House"
Fresh Beats w/ Stuart Johnston
You begin to follow trends when you spend as much time on social networks as I do. As a promoter, I look out for those who Like, retweet and comment on the content I enjoy. I figure these are the people who’d dig the music we provide, or in this case, provide the music we dig.
Obviously, Stuart Johnston is one of these people. We’ve been praising many of the same artists, loving and listening to the best of progressive house for a very long time. Together we support and encourage the legends and fresh talent of our underground even though we’re situated over 5000 km apart. It’s a bond I’ve felt before and is very real to me. It’s one of the most beautiful things about our scene.
After hearing this exclusive, I’m pretty sure he feels the same way. It’s a serious compilation; super tight, skillfully programmed and methodically captivating. I know A LOT of effort was put into this mix; we’re sincerely thankful for such an exquisite gift.
The journey kicks off on a tech / tribal tip with an intro from Scottish maestros Slam. It reaches forward to gorgeous synths from Stelios Vassiloudis, which then melts into the hypnotic strings of Berg. A deep gruuv is the undertone for the second half, rolling into a super-suave conclusion in Vincenzo’s version of Nuribo.
An instant btb classic and an incredible start to what we already know will be a long-lasting friendship. Thanks again Papa Johnston.
I don’t often post artist bios straight up in this forum; I usually just reference them to confirm the facts. But I’m including Stuart’s below because it’s well written and quite frankly he needs to get his money’s worth…
The shimmer of a beat the smooth edge of a flowing groove, dance music that seamlessly emerges from an electronic belly brimming with funk, soul and depth. Sounds which materialise in mixes by Belfast based DJ Stuart Johnston play-listed over the last 6 months by online Electronic Dance Music radio stations such as Frisky Radio and Proton Radio.
Submerging himself into a world of beats, grooves and rhythms in the early 90s the Belfast DJ frequented clubs such as The Art College Belfast, Kelly’s Portrush, and Circus Circus Banbridge, Stuart was greatly influenced by the DJ’s who played these clubs, David Holmes, Ian McCready, Chris Hurley, Glen Molly and Jacko.
His recent sets span the deep and melodic side of electronica and techier productions by artists such as Tale Of Us, Maya Jane Coles, Solomun, Tigerskin, Maceo Plex & Sasse. He cites DJ’s such as Desyn Masiello, Ricky Ryan, Luke Fair, Tom Morgan, Hisham Zahran and Dana Bergquist as contemporary peers.
Does the world still need DJs we hear you ask ? Just as a disco ball needs to spin and feet need to hit the floor. It appears so.
The LocALe – Brad Copeland
Back in the day, while captivated by magical Brad Copeland sets on the Stereo and System Soundbar dance floors, I used to conjure up images of what the underground would be like if it reached the mainstream. I had grand illusions of slick-dressed clubbers – youthful and yuppie – pilgrimaging to contemporary -styled dance floors in homage of the most talented musicians in the industry. I never imagined we’d have what we have today.
Slick-dressed is hipster, bottle service minimizes dance floors and the underground hasn’t only become mainstream, it is mainstream. At least this is what I see all over downtown Toronto.
So often I stand on the dance floors of the city’s hottest spots, complaining about the simplicity of the music and how it seems to be a norm in our scene nowadays. Most of these conversations are initiated by my personal jadedness; however, over the past couple years many of my friends have approached me with the same conclusion:
Most of Toronto’s nightclubs are no longer about substance; they’re only about style. Scenesters determine the popular music of the moment, and just like fashion, it’s completely random. It doesn’t matter what comes out of the speakers, as long as the DJ looks hot and is having a good time. The people on the floor can be convinced cheap-looking elf shoes are in style, and they can also be persuaded to believe Pauly D is actually a world-class DJ.
It’s a simple formula. Dress the talent funky; ensure he / she play tunes everybody knows and flash their drinks as often as possible. Keep it simple and make sure nobody’s completely locked into the groove. You mustn’t divert patrons from the ultimate goal, and that’s to buy more booze!
It reminds me of the time I went back to my hometown and its one nightclub. The dance floor was packed as long as the DJ was dropping hip hop, but every once in a while he’s slip in a Brian Adams or Corey Hart track. Why would the DJ interrupt his own rolling vibe? The bartender’s explanation: “If we play great music all night, people would forget to come to the bar.” Holy shit! Toronto’s becoming Brantford!!
Like a Rob Ford spending cut, this suburban trend is adversely affecting the downtown core. It’s the reason why we don’t hear real DJs like Brad in the booths of Toronto’s largest nightclubs anymore. His seamless mixing is way too gripping to impose this drinks-first mentality. Any B-Cope fan can share their many moments of dance floor entrapment caused by his groove-locking programming style. Quality artists like Brad have no place in today’s club “business.”
Just listen to the first part of this exclusive for The LocALe. You’d never hear the smooth melody of You Are Here to open a big club in Toronto. By the time he reaches the deep funk of No Crash, I guarantee you 9.5 out of 10 would have no idea Brad’s seven tracks in. Everyone would be dancing so hard there’s no reason to even think, let alone take a sip of a drink.
It’s so sad promoters are depriving their customers of tunes like Sweet Hanley because that’s exactly the sound Toronto had always yearned for. And they might as well close shop after Brad goes Back on Track because that shit’s going to have everyone confined to the floor.
Part 2 begins on a groovy tip and incessantly rolls with BC pace. As Brad moves through Da Funk it emphasizes how he’s always been best as a headliner. Only during peak-time hours are mega bombs like Love and Imitation done justice. The entire mix transports me back to the cyclones of circular soundscapes at System and Stereo (had to write it). Vadim’s Cottage Industry slams an exclamation point on that… all our nights with Brad end in such epic style.
Fresh Beats w/ Hernan Cerbello
What would life be without house music? When I’m up and when I’m down, when I’m working hard or chilling out, it’s always been there… when I need it the most and even when I don’t. House music is my security blanket, my crutch and unconditional friend. It’s everything I want and need it to be and thankfully it’s something that will forever just be.
But even house music can be overdone. I honestly believe I’ve overdosed on beats more than once. Many times I’ve had to pick myself up and tuck the headphones away because my body and mind have told me in unison I’ve listened too much.
It’s a weird sensation to get so totally locked into the groove that you lose all concept of where you are and what you’re doing. I guess too much of anything isn’t good for anyone and unfortunately for me, house music is no exception to this rule.
I had one of these “Oh my God this is way too much!†moments while jamming to this Fresh Beats mix from Hernan Cerbello. I was at my desk working on some mundane shit and before I know it I’m coming around with the kick calling my name from behind. Let me tell you it’s super embarrassing to be caught in your cubical, totally zoned out with your head bouncing around in the middle of the afternoon… by your coordinator! Who knows how long I was doing that for and if others may have come and gone before? All I know is my desktop was a mess when I finally got back to being focused on work. Fine example I am.
It doesn’t really matter because I can’t help but be excited that progressive house DJs like Hernan aren’t sitting around sulking over the explosion of techno like I’ve been. They’re embracing it and incorporating cool tech sounds into their program and whether I can believe it or not, I’m actually totally digging it.
I remember in Lisa’s Inside the IM with Naveen G he quoted Lee Burridge saying that Lee doesn’t play progressive, he plays music progressively. Hernan is one of these super cool artists that are following Lee’s lead and it’s really opening my ears to tracks that I might not have ever given a second listen if they weren’t so clinically fit into a progressive mix.
I asked Hernan to make this promo because I think it’s amazing how he’s adapted to the sounds of today and even more incredible how that music continues to impact my life. If I strip it all down to just the tunes, all of this influence is positive… even if I’m caught making a fool of myself within the process.
Download (left-click and unzip):
Hernan Cerbello – bringthebeats – August 2010
The LocALe – The Rogue Show's warm-up w/ Matt Coleridge and Steve Mack
Knowing that The Rogue Show at Footwork could be the last bringthebeats party we put together, we wanted to ensure it was not only memorable, but nostalgic. There are few DJs in this scene with deeper ties to Luke Fair than Matt Coleridge and Steve Mack. We thought it was only right the two of them warm the room for the last time ‘Single Luke’ stepped into the booth.
Back in the day the trio were the catalysts of the Solution series, one of our first and favourite all local nights ever. It was the glory days of progressive house, producing the greatest time of my clubbing career. Everything was so about the music. There was no bottle service, glitz and we were definitely not glamorous. It was pure and just so much fun.
To this day I don’t think I’ve ever met an entire crew so dedicated to house music with such little care for the bullshit that seems to monopolize the industry today. The DJs weren’t above working the door, the club was the default decor and it was always 100% paid on the dance floor. We were there to support our favourite residents and the genre we liked best; we had absolutely no problem attaching a price to that.
Unfortunately time took its toll on us hanging out. Responsibility began to creep into each one of our lives and our kind of parties became fewer and farther in-between. We started to not see each other all that much, but our connection through the beats never stopped.
Of course Luke became a jet-setter introducing our sound to the world. Matt continued to support the Toronto scene to unprecedented levels. Steve became one of the all time ultimate bedroom DJs and you know what I’ve been up to over the years. Everything truly came full circle with the four of us at the helm of such an incredible party on August 7th, 2010. It was a long time coming and we took vastly different paths getting back there, but it was well worth the wait and I think we were all super happy to be doing it together.
It’s extremely exciting for us to be able to launch this flawless Fabricated opening set to give everyone on the planet the opportunity to experience every minute of what this sensational party was all about… once again. You’re going to hear the perfect selections, at the perfect pace, from the most perfect duo we would could have asked to open the Footwork space.
Download (left-click and unzip):
Matt Coleridge and Steve_Mack – Fabricated Warmup – Footwork, Toronto – August 7, 2010
Listed presents JORIS VOORN at the Balance Party – WMC 2010
Time is never on my side… growing up totally sucks! Between my job, the all encompassing move from Club 1000 and the everlasting battle between my brain and the size of my belly, I just don’t get the chance to search out Fresh Beats as much anymore. Geezus, it’s gotten to the point where I’m drafting most of these posts on the phone in transit.
Thank God for the push technology of SoundCloud and the amazing DJs that appreciate the site enough to send promos our way or we’d be stuck in music purgatory right now. It really is amazing that we can get incredible new tunes by simply logging into our inbox. We appreciate it sooooooo much.
This set came to us in just this way. Our main man from Tampa Bay, Steve Graham sent this gem of a live mix to my Facebook account and boy have we ever put it to great use ever since. It’s so good when you were actually on the dance floor when listening to a live promo because you can place yourself back in the vibe and truly feel it all again inside.
As we’ve written over and over again, Listed’s Balance party at the WMC was one of the best of the conference and this set from Joris Voorn stood out from just about everything we heard throughout the week. This was the day I knew without a doubt Joris was a world class talent. It was the second time I’d been on one of his dance floors and this gig was as good, but also very different from the one before.
At Footwork his tech was pumping and progressive, atop the Victor Hotel it was deep and bumpy. All of his selections have groove and soul no matter the pace and he is one of the few who can properly mix it up in any setting. Inside or out Joris Voorn is most impressive, and in my opinion, one of the not many who absolutely “gets it.”
This download is amazing in so many ways. It represents a lot of what I love about this music… and it’s not even in the realm of the style I dig most. It’s the purest example of quality live music I’ve heard in a long time, and I think you’ll agree no matter what you’re into.
Download (left-click and unzip):
Joris Voorn – Live at Listed’s WMC Balance Party – March 26, 2010 – Part 1
Joris Voorn – Live at Listed’s WMC Balance Party – March 26, 2010 – Part 2
Fresh Beats w/ Gabriel Sordo & Memo Insua
Electronic Dance is the World Cup of music. No other style connects the four corners of the earth like EDM, just as no other tournament in sports has more global appeal than the World Cup. By far the best thing about being deeply entrenched in this industry is the bonds we’ve formed with passionate fans from all over the planet.
We can virtually watch every game of the World Cup and have allegiances to one or both of the teams because of someone we’ve met in the house music scene. There’s no better example of this than Sunday’s match between Mexico and Argentina, a rematch of the top contest of Germany ’06.
Of course our bond with the Argentinians is no secret and our trip to Buenos Aires in 2006 created lasting memories of a beautiful, lively city inhabited by equally gorgeous and energizing people. But our friends in the Northern part of the Americas are just as amazing and if anyone deserves a victory on the world’s stage it’s the Mexicans, especially after what they had to endure with the H1N1 bullshit.
Gabriel Sordo is the original Mexican in the bringthebeats crew. For a few years now Gabby’s been providing us with some of the most musical and intricate compilations we’ve hosted. This mix may be the most complex to date, as I believe it’s the first ambient set we’ve promoted on the site. What makes it increasingly special is that he made it with our audience in mind, knowing we would definitely appreciate such a work of art… and we absolutely do!
Download (left-click and unzip):
Gabriel Sordo – bringthebeats – June 2010
Ironically we were introduced to Memo Insua through Ricky Ryan, and on Sunday the two will be cheering from opposite sides of the pitch (Ricky literally speaking as he and his bro are in South Africa for the games). We approached Memo for this submission after hearing the many incredible productions coming from his very active SoundCloud page. This guy is a straight up wizard when it comes to deep and funky tech house and this mix is no exception. If you were to ask me what the coolest and hottest sound is for me right now, I’d pass on this promo from Memo.
Download (left-click and unzip):
Memo Insua – bringthebeats – June 2010
Best of luck to our Mexican and Argentinean friends this Sunday and to all who are cheering on their country in this amazing spectacle of sport and pride. As Canadians we know what its like to achieve greatness with our Olympic success in Vancouver, it must be just as fantastic for all who are locked into the World Cup.
Winter Music Conference 2010 review
I’m not all that into party reviews anymore, pics, vids and music usually tell the story better than I. But since rapping on the keyboard is what we do here, I’d be amiss not to mention some of the highlights of what may have been our favourite Winter Music Conference ever. And of course there are pics, vids and music to pass along as well. So indulge me in a party by party trip down memory lane now that the cobwebs have finally cleared from this wild and wonderful week.
Tuesday March 23
After a virtual full body cavity search from the American Airlines staff, we had a fairly low key, stress free flight to Miami. We arrived at our spectacular hotel sorted by organizational ace Jason Warth and then immediately hit up Five Guys Burger and Fries for a quick bite. We actually made a list of places to eat this year and this was one of the most highly recommended burger joints on South Beach. And for good reason, the food was fantastic.
Soon after we were off to part-eh #1… SOS at BED. It was amazing to see everyone after a year away from conference, but the smoke inside BED is almost unbearable and SOS was good but not great. These guys are over the top talented and have incredible charisma, but I just can’t get into the flow of the trio spinning in unison. There are far too few tempo changes and for some reason they choose to really bang it out when playing together. It’s a bit much for me.
Wednesday March 24
The DJ Mag at The Shelborne poolside party was definitely not for us. It sounds like Way Out West were great in the early hours and we did catch the end of Dennis Ferrer’s set, which was pretty excellent, but from then on, it was kind of crap. SOS played some cool tunes, but it was impossible to enjoy them on the dance floor with the cast of Jersey Shore mauling the ladies at every turn. You can see for yourself in this video, which on a more positive tip highlights Omid 16B in full effect.
The day was saved by Danny Funk, the cooler, groovier side of Danny Howells. With two Lee Burridge and Danny sets planned for later in the week, we knew Danny was going to play house at the Dig Deeper event at BED and we were definitely not disappointed. All around this was an awesome party with great tunes, fantastic people on the dance floor and much better sound than the night before. Even the smoke didn’t seem quite as intense. It was our first time hearing Danny in the city of his GU and man was it ever a killer time.
Thursday March 25
We had this day circled on our calendar for months. The Sasha & Digweed cruise is a party we never want to miss, but unfortunately this year we were literally left on the dock. It was an empty feeling not being able to get every one of our crew on the boat, but that’s how it goes sometimes. In the end we had some good hanging out time with just the tight knit group, which is a rarity during conference. But as you can see on ChinaShopMag.com, it looks and sounds like we missed another incredible cruise put on by the masters of the music we love. Hopefully we’ll get on that ship one more time before we shut it down… it really is the party of all parties.
The evening brought us to the basement of Shine for the very first time, where Desyn Masiello hosted the Alternative Route label party with many of our favs in the booth. Des and Dory played the early portion of the night, Tom Morgan and balErik took over in the twilight hours. And as you can hear below, Add2Basket destroyed the peak time hours with a killer progressive roll. The space was a little dark for Miami, but it was a definitely a nice little jam with great people and our kind of music all night long.
Download (left-click and unzip):
Add2Basket – Live @ Shine, WMC – March 25, 2010
Friday March 26
This was the first day where the weather didn’t cooperate, but with Luke Fair having his flight canceled, it didn’t matter the festivities were delayed for the Balance party. With Luke off the bill nobody’s slot was cut short and the party ended up going off incredibly well. Will Saul played a perfectly suited set for poolside sunshine and Joris Voorn displayed his incredible versatility with groovy, bumpy tunes that had the entire rooftop shaking their booty under the South Beach sunset. We missed Agoria in lieu of a spectacular performance from our #1 gal Dory, and thanks to the Listed crew, we have proof we didn’t miss a beat on the other side of the headliner… Dory blazed the poolside proper.
Download (left-click and unzip):
Dory – Live @ Listed pres Balance, WMC – March 26, 2010
Saturday March 27
I can’t think of a better day at conference than this one… ever.
The Discoteca boat cruise was absolutely perfect for us. We couldn’t have hand picked a better dance floor and the music from Tom, balErik and Luke was absolutely magical. Being on that boat reminded me why we’ve been in this scene for as long as we have. The love, joy and pure bliss that were shared were everything we could ask for and more. As you can hear below, Tom started the cruise off with some deep, soulful progressive and from there we literally and figuratively rode the sweet waves into the sunset. And as you can see in the video below, the ride was equally amazing when the sun went down.
Download (left-click and unzip):
Tom Morgan – Discoteca Boat Cruise, WMC – March 27, 2010
The night time shenanigans took place inside the Shine main room with what was billed as a solo performance from Sasha alongside opener Charlie May of Spooky. To our dismay we walked into the room after Charlie finished as the owner of the club felt obliged to give himself a peak time hour in between two legends of the progressive house genre. I’ll say no more.
When finally in control, Sasha started kind of slow; but once he found his groove, it was all hardcore dance moves for the next two hours… that was until Lee Burridge and DJ Three stormed the booth. As these two found their bearings it became a bit stagnant again, but soon after he disappeared, Sasha reappeared and revived us all, including Lee and Three. The trio proceeded to lay down the most spectacular back to back to back set I’ve ever heard. It was music that could only be played for an ‘up for it’ conference crowd. It was so deep and so sexy, but still dance floor driving. By far the most amazing music I’ve ever heard in Miami and an experience that will go down as one of the most moving in my clubbing career.
Sunday March 28
We ended our conference on the rooftop of the Bentley Hotel for the Add2Basket / Witty Tunes soiree. This was exactly what the groove doctor ordered for winding down a mad week on South Beach. Deep house from Roberto Rodriguez, Mike Haddad & Royce Haven, Luke, Add2Basket and Coyu had us all floating on the clouds… the $35 mojitos helped with that quite well. This party was really something special in my eyes. While many were sketching it out at Sunday school, we were all styles hanging with an incredible crew. It was absolutely the perfect party to end this phenomenal week; a week that was supposed to be our last at the WMC, but we honestly can’t say that anymore.
Pre Miami Memories w/ Ricky Ryan and Ali Ajami
I could write a book about our adventures at the Winter Music Conference. It’s by far the time of year we cherish most when it comes to music and getting out of our minds. Not that we don’t have incredible times at home with the Toronto crew, but it’s always something special when faces are put to usernames and we’re side by side all of our favs in the industry.
This was written on the plane on our way to this year’s conference… with a couple regrets in mind. The first was that we couldn’t wait to go off after our killer pre Miami party with Luke Fair (ugh… still burnt) and the second is that Ricky Ryan and Ali Ajami wouldn’t be joining us on South Beach this year. One of the most memorable days we ever had at the WMC was with these two maestros as we wound down our trip in 2007.
In search of “something to do” we bailed out of Cafeteria and Luke’s Balance release party to catch a surprise appearance by Lee Burridge at the already legendary ‘˜Sunday School for Degenerates‘ at Pawn Shop. Straight up the name of this event alone creates apprehension inside me and the techno laden line-up is never my thing; but the hype for this day is so massive, and we loved the venue so much, we thought we’d check it out.
Overall it wasn’t a great experience for us. Lee was a no-show and outside a killer set from ‘˜Evil’ Eddie Richards, the music was as expected. However in amongst the insane mess, Ali recognized Ricky in a mad search for anything normal and soon after we all high tailed it out of there for some resemblance of civilization.
Side Note: All the power to everyone who has a great time at this party, and I know there are many that do. But the kind of techno found at ‘˜Sunday School’, combined with the sketchy atmosphere, is not anything I can deal with while winding down the most intense week of the year. Side Note #2: Danny Howells and Lee supposedly rocked some cool deep techno this year… props to the legends.
The day that ensued back in ‘˜07 is best left to the memory bank and is somewhat touched upon in my review of that year’s conference. Let’s just say both Ali and Ricky left lasting impressions on our entire crew and will always occupy space in our hearts because of the outrageous time we shared that day. We all continually stay in touch, of course with the music as the centerpiece of our unwavering friendship and support.
It was only fitting that we set off on our 2010 WMC adventure with tunes coming from these two incredible artists and brothers. Ironic to this piece, Ricky’s rocking some techno, but definitely not of the Sunday School variety. Ali is grooving to the music that saved our day back in 2007, thankfully providing all the funky goodness we still love so much.
Download (left-click and unzip):
Ricky Ryan – www.rickyryan.com – MARCH 2010 – PART1
Ricky Ryan – www.rickyryan.com – MARCH 2010 – PART2
Download (left-click and unzip):
Ali Ajami & Chair – Music Matters – [NRJ Radio Mix - March 5, 2010]
Fresh Beats w/ Leonardo Tou
I know we’re sounding like a dirty CD going on and on about these young South American upstarts spinning and producing unbelievably mature house sounds. But the world will never stop talking about the football skills and slick styles of the people of this region, so neither will we when it comes to the underground.
I was full on into the high school party scene when Leonardo Tou was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina in 1989 (okay now I’ve seriously aged myself… ugh). At the incredibly raw age of eight, Leo was learning piano and guitar and being influenced by seminal acts of the ages including Pink Floyd, Joy Division and Brian Eno.
By 16 his electronic arousal was in full bloom through productions supported by Satoshi Tomiie, Jimmy Van M and Hernan Cattaneo… an absolute prodigy indeed. Over time other superstars of our scene including Eelke Kleijn, Demi and Chloe Harris have regularly played out Leonardo Tou tunes on highly respected labels such as Avangardia, Fat&Blind and In4mation Records.
As a DJ he’s travelled throughout Argentina, from Buenos Aires to Rosario and Cordoba, as well as international gigs in Uruguay and Chile. His promos have been heard all over the internet airwaves with features on Proton Radio, Digitally Imported, friskyRadio and Danceradio in Greece. All of these accomplishments before he’s even legally able to order a drink in the USA… it boggles my mind!
This exclusive mix is true to the style description in his bio, the first I’ve ever read with the aid of Google Translate I might add. It’s a dynamic groove meant to surprise with originality, absolutely without monotony. It’s a fusion of house and techno; I feel a little tribal influence as well. From start to finish its deep and soooo smooth. It’s a mix for the connoisseur, serious music from a seriously talented dude.
Download (left-click and unzip):
Leonardo Tou – bringthebeats – February 2010
In Demand: balErik
Erik (balErik) Molthe has been one of the leading DJ`s in the Oslo underground house scene since he began DJing in 2001. For years his dedication for hunting tracks has been in full use by Desyn Masiello as A&R for Alternative Route.
Now as partner in his own label, Discoteca Music, he has begun producing his own tracks with partner Vadim Yershov. They are proving to be quite a successful duo, recently releasing an EP on Plastic City and they have a few in the pipeline for Discoteca later this year, including ‘Do Your Dance` and ‘Everybody`; both very funky grooves perfect for the dance floor.
I have been listening to everything Discoteca from before the label even started, so it`s been nice to see the progression in sound from all the members. Erik has really been catching my ear lately. His ‘We Love Space` mix received loads of play and this In Demand mix is my new favorite, a sexy blend of classic tracks and new upbeat house bombs, exactly what I want to hear on a dance floor.
Download (left-click and unzip):
balErik – In Demand – January 2010
I`m really happy that I have been able to book Erik for the Audio Tonic night at 360 this Friday January 29th. Now all the Discoteca members will have played the most beautiful venue in Dubai!
This year is starting off well for Erik, but stay tuned for even more mixes, tracks, parties and exciting new projects which are making this pale blue eyed Norwegian very much In Demand!
Neil Quigley – Live at Fabricated, Toronto – December 26, 2009
It`s really important to have a local base when trying to push a sound in a city. We know this all too well as we`ve struggled to find a Toronto talent that is in tune with what we’re into and that can help lure more bodies to the dance floor.
But even outside of our own parties, it`s vital we have promoter allies that love the same tunes we do. The more our beats are heard, the greater the thirst will be for what we offer. That`s why we thank God the Fabricated guys are back in the game.
DJs Steve Mack and Matt Coleridge and scene good guy Roberto Ramasar have all been in the club scene for many years. Steve and Matt were part of the Solution crew alongside Luke Fair in the early part of the millennium. Berto, a good ole Brantford boy like me, became a regular face in the crowd around the same time.
After some time in and out of Toronto`s club world, the trio`s returned with a vengeance over the past six months promoting a monthly at Stone Lounge inside the lower level of Revival on College Street West. Aptly named after Steve`s obsession with the UK`s marquee underground venue, Fabricated has featured a who`s who list of the city`s top progressive and tech house talents. However on Boxing Day, they stepped it up a few notches securing an extra special guest appearance from international superstar, the UK`s Neil Quigley.
The bringthebeats crew were spellbound throughout two incredible performances for our EXPOSED weekly a couple years back, and once again we were amazed by this unreal musician at this holiday jam. The crowd was right, the venue was tight and Neil laid down a super smooth set of deep, groovy tech house that had the entire room in a frenzy well beyond the Stone Lounge`s regular hours of operation.
It was one of the events of the year for us and the recorded set is a reminder of how amazing this party really was. Thanks to the guys for adding some much needed life into Toronto`s underground and thanks to Neil for allowing these stellar beats to ride the internet airwaves. See you all again on February 19th for the next installment of Fabricated.
Download (left-click and unzip):
Neil Quigley – Live at Fabricated, Toronto – December 26, 2009 – Part 1
Neil Quigley – Live at Fabricated, Toronto – December 26, 2009 – Part 2
Neil Quigley – Live at Fabricated, Toronto – December 26, 2009 – Part 3
Holologic 3.0
I knew it would take something rather monumental for me to get back on the horse and start another Holologic after it’s been-what, over a year?
While I was blown away by the hospitality of Moalla Amine and his friends in Tunisia, the 48 hour JFK-Tunisia-JFK run just didn’t afford me the ability to gain as much of a sense for the country and it’s people as I would have liked. I hope to find a way, as times goes on, to articulate the frenetic reality of the trips in which the time spent flying outweighs the time spent on the ground in the destination city. Although commonplace for most DJs at the top of their game, I found that nearly everyone I interacted with in the “real world” made no secret of the sheer lunacy they felt these endeavors represented.
Luckily for me, my 6 days in Costa Rica were nothing short of epic. In every way I could have wanted the trip to excel, it did. And with the exception of the nearly three hour set I played at Vertigo in San Jose, the trip’s success was 100% due to the truly outstanding job my good friend (and now Latin American manager) Francis Vincent did of putting together an amazing party and comprehensive sampling of the, food, sights, and people that Costa Rica has to offer.
It began the morning of Thursday, November 19th when, after rolling over to turn off my alarm clock and reminding myself I was going to sleep in Costa-fucking-Rica that evening, the Today Show on NBC told me to expect massive delays and cancellations due to an FAA computer error that was wreaking havoc on the country’s airports. Subsequently, I checked into my Delta flight that connected to San Jose through Atlanta online and was alerted that while my flight had been cancelled, they’d taken the liberty of booking me on something that left the following day”¦at 6:10am”¦.out of Newark.
A quick call to an outsourced customer service representative who’d clearly never found himself in a position such as mine was of little help. My only hope, he said, of getting to Atlanta was to tear-ass to the airport and hope the flight scheduled to depart at 12:48pm was delayed significantly enough for me to be allowed to board. The time was now 11:47am and Newark, on a good day, was 35 minutes and $80 away by cab. I’m a big fan of the “Where there’s a will there’s a way” mentality and didn’t want to accept that I was going to lose a night of my vacation to some nebulous computer problem. I ran down the street, grabbed the first cab I saw and was off.
From the back seat of the cab I looped my mom in on what was afoot as she was the only one on earth who’d send flight status text updates my entire ride to the airport. While the flight was ultimately bumped back to 1:15pm, the cab didn’t arrive until 12:49pm. I walked to the check-in desk, and waited patiently(on the outside) to speak to a lady in a bright red, ill-fitting and entirely out of uniform Delta T-shirt. In my experience, when the shit hits the fan, the airlines put all hands on deck and bring out the more executive staff from the back offices to lend a hand. I’ve seen these individuals make far more industrious moves with regards to rebooking flights, surprise upgrades and, at worst, tempering the bad hand you’ve been dealt with a reasonable consolation. What also added to my optimism was the fact that I overheard her mention Continental. Continental is the only airline with direct service to San Jose out of the New York area and despite being my first choice for the trip, was significantly undercut by Delta’s rate. Long story short, she put me on Continental 1796 with service to San Jose and I settled into a 4.5 hour wait at the airport without a charger or my Macbook.
Any packing checklist worth its salt should include your laptop’s power cord no matter how obvious you think it’ll seem to you at the time. What led insult to injury, in my case, was that my list DID include the power cord and my (also forgotten) hair product. But when a man named Tom with a thick Indian accent tells you to “run,” certain things, like the aforementioned items and the list on which they were written, quickly pale in significance to passport, wallet and CDs. The important thing, I kept telling myself as I tried to occupy my time with phone calls and blackberry messages, was that I was going to sleep in Costa-fucking-Rica”¦
For the most part, the flight was uneventful, although it’s never a good sign when the man sitting at the end of your row goes to the bathroom for 30 minutes and leaves a bag overflowing with cold medication and prescriptions written in Spanish wide open on his seat. Props to “Johnny” from Continental for hooking up a few Coronas gratis AND for having an apron that reflected his namesake in cursive over the image of a vintage airplane in the background.
Costa Rican customs took a decidedly forward approach to going through my bags when I arrived. Although I panicked a bit when they laid out my headphones and gigantic CD booklet, the real alarm set in when they found a pocket full of Holosound business cards rubber-banded together in my carry-on. Generally, I’m low-key about travelling without a work-visa and, if there is a perk about not being universally recognized for your craft, it’s that this is a generally safe predisposition to have. In addition to being safe, it’s also one mandated by necessity, as a work visa requires additional money being spent on your behalf by the promoter. In my music career, I’ve been way more prone to role the dice at customs than lose a gig on account of the extra $ and hassle acquiring a temporary work visa represents. Apparently, this time, they thought I had something far sketchier than dance music in my luggage and upon finding I was not importing drugs or exotic reptiles they let me through.
Like clockwork, my man Francis was waiting for me as soon as I exited the airport and we took off to the Barcelo San Jose Palacio where I was going to be staying. We threw my bags in the room and went out to sample some local Cervezas. Essentially there are three main beers brewed in Costa Rica: Imperial, Pilsen & Bavaria. Imperial is awesome and seems to be the beer most sold around the country. Pilsen is also tasty but a bit lighter in color and taste. Bavaria is gross. I guess there are different versions of Bavaria and it’s marketed to an older demographic, but if you ask me, Bavaria blows.
The next day, Friday, I spent mostly getting music and samples together in my hotel room. Francis had to work and I was more than content to rest a bit and get situated. At one hour behind EST, travel from NYC requires little adjustment to your circadian rhythm and for a place that feels a world away, Costa Rica isn’t tough to get used to.
At around 4pm Francis grabbed me and we headed to the airport to pick up the Li twins, Ann and Joy, who were also Francis’ guests and would be our company for the next 5 nights. He brought us to a local restaurant at the top of a mountain overlooking the entire San Jose basin with amazing steak, plantains, rice and beans and Chilean wine.
Saturday morning, Francis arrived at the hotel in his third car of the trip, a turbo-diesel Jeep Wrangler that would serve as our vehicle for the afternoon. We picked up a friend of his and began a 45-minute, off-road ascent up one of the many mountains surrounding San Jose. As we reached the top of the road, it was hard to tell whether a heavy fog was rolling in or if we’d driven into the belly of a cloud. The hills were extremely lush and although I’d seen several cattle on the drive up, the summit offered a pleasant view of a horse grazing beside some cows that were lying down-presumably as a result of the dense fog/cloud we all found ourselves in.
Finding myself surrounded by extremely green valleys and forests, in the company of cows and at least one horse, I remembered-and strongly disagreed with-disparaging comments friends had made about my spending time in San Jose. This wasn’t “just another dirty city” as they’d suggested and while the beaches and jungles of Costa Rica do offer an even richer sampling of what the country has to offer-I live in New York and this shit was fantastic!
Saturday Night: Game Time. Francis and the Li’s swung by my hotel room, just as I was exiting the shower, I ran through some T-Shirt options and we were out the door. We ate at a local Italian spot that was really fantastic and I settled into a responsibly paced, yet comprehensive, assessment of Imperial. We hit up a small local bar where we were the only gringos to be found, and after about an hour, shoved off for Vertigo.
Vertigo is gorgeous, and I really take my hat off to the owners and management for putting together a venue with as much class as the custom-built Gary Stewart Audio system that drives it. The party was held in The Den which, on paper, is the more intimate of the two spaces within the club. The only blemish on my New York City DJ resume is not having had the chance to play at Cielo and I’m confident that this was as close an analog as I’ve found in my travels. The booth was raised about 6 inches, sat squarely in the center of the main floor and really felt like a part of the dance-floor. Urbanettv.com was there to film the night from 3 angles and record all the audio-it’s really a pleasure to concentrate on just playing music and not having to record it as well. Everything about the club and the night ran exceptionally smoothly and professionally. Beautiful chandeliers were the icing on the aesthetic cake of the room”¦.
Download (left-click and unzip):
Holosound – Live @ Vertigo – San Jose, Costa Rica – November 21, 2009
The next day, an overstuffed Jeep Wrangler showed up at the hotel, ready for the 4.5 hour journey to the Guana Caste province. As we headed west out of the city, I was thankful Francis had strongly recommended not engaging in any after-party festivities the night before.
Andy Newland warned me before going to Tunisia that the drivers were pretty crazy, but Costa Rica is no slouch in the “unorthodox” driving category either. We dodged mopeds, motorcycles, tourist busses and occasional livestock as we wound our way across the country.
The weather, for the first time since I’d arrived, was sunny and with every moment that passed, it seemed the temperature climbed another degree. Almost halfway (2 hours) through our journey we stopped for an amazing breakfast of scrambled eggs, tortillas, rice and beans and some plantains and salsa for good measure. The restaurant also had some gorgeous parrots on their property and a somewhat disarming 6ft Jesus head sculpture.
Roughly 30 minutes after breakfast (which was at 2pm) the combination of our collectively full bellies and the concurrent increasing of temperature and humidity forced a decision to remove the soft-top from the Jeep. With the sun bearing down and wind in our hair we soldiered on across the plains and finally arrived at our hotel with about an hour of sunlight left to spare.
After checking in at the hotel, we grabbed bathing suits and headed for Francis’ beach club. An absolutely top-of-the-line resort nestled in a beautiful cove with tiny islands dotting the horizon, this place did not mess around in any way. We hit the Spa for a steam and a Jacuzzi and then I disappeared to sneak a glimpse of sunset by the beach in this idyllic locale. Francis ordered some sushi that was as good as anything I’ve had in the states and threw a Margharita Pizza on top to level things out.
That night Francis and I left the girls at the hotel and had our one and only guys’-night-out of the trip. We took the Jeep down to the beach during low tide and did donuts for a few minutes before off-roading up to the back entrance of the casino in the aforementioned resort. At the roulette table we met a bunch of people who had just seen their friends (one of whom was a pro baseball player for the Mets) tie the knot. We had a few drinks and talked some shit about the Yankees but ultimately my dwindling luck, coupled with a growing hunger led to our departing in search of some late night eats. We found what we were looking for in “Pollo Alhondra #2″ the only 24 hour food joint in the area. After annihilating a few chicken breasts and some tortilla chips with hot sauce (what?!) we sojourned home.
By now it was Monday and I was staring down the barrel of just two more nights in this paradise. I asked Francis if we could engage in the one activity I’d always associated with a trip to Costa Rica, Zip Lines. Known locally as the “Canopy,” the Zip Lines happened to be located about 45 minutes up an off-road trail into the mountains and away from the beach. We dropped the girls off at a beach and headed into the hills. It must have been clear how much I enjoyed our previous off-road activities because as soon as the cement under the tires disappeared Francis threw on the emergency brake and told me to “hop over.”
The level to which one can enjoy driving another man’s car is linearly related to the temperament of the car’s owner while it is being done. I like to think that I was doing a pretty solid job on my own, but having Francis snapping pics and taking in the scenery without a care in the world certainly added to my enjoyment. Just as we saw signs announcing the Canopy lay a couple hundred yards away, Francis told me there was a surprise down the road a few more yards. As we rounded the corner a river appeared that ran directly across the trail and, after 2.5 seconds of encouragement, made short work of splashing across it”¦three times before pulling into the Canopy site.
Some brief highlights of the Zip Line/Canopy experience: sweating profusely as we hiked from jump site to jump site, marveling at how the gigantic metal platforms were physically put so high in the trees, laughing with the guides as my hands shook so badly I could barely keep water in the cone shaped water cups long enough to bring it to my lips, tasting white chocolate covered coffee beans and finally walking into the Spider Monkey Jungle, seeing the monkeys and then being told there was a cost to continue seeing the monkeys and then deciding we’d seen enough of them and leaving.
Francis barreled down the mountain trail that’d taken me about 45 minutes to ascend in about 25 minutes-a fact that might have made me think to question my earlier pace a bit more were I not having the time of my life standing on the two back seats and “surfing” the Jeep while he did so.
We grabbed the girls at the beach and headed to what was described to me as the best Seafood in the area. A lofty mark to hit I thought, but upon looking down at a marvelously tender and juicy filet of Mahi Mahi glistening in garlic butter I started to think they might be on to something. A mound of rice, an ice cold Pilsen and 3 tiny islands spotting the horizon made for one of the simplest and yet most enjoyable meals of the trip. As the sun went down and we told the Mariachi band “No Gracias” for the third time, I knew I’d be sitting in front of a keyboard sometime soon and trying to share the experience with my friends.
Our last night at the beach involved sangria, pizza and an ill-intentioned tortilla chip that took out the bottom (and fake) half of my front left tooth. At first I thought the salsa had “rocks” in it (and declared it pretty loudly for an outdoor restaurant) but after deducing that the shocked looks I was receiving from my company at the dinner table were probably due to something aside from award winning charm, I realized what had really happened. If I was going to lose half of a tooth that had been replaced years ago-this was the place to do it.
We woke up the next day to Francis, our fearless leader, in a bad way. “You’re gonna have to drive bro” he told me before slumping into the passenger seat. We sped off to the infirmary at the resort where the doctor, upon hearing that he’d spent the last few days with “friends from New York,” returned with a mask and gloves on because of “Gripe A” known to English speakers as Swine Flu. They gave him some Tylenol and sent him back to us while we waited at the pool. We ordered some food, chilled out, and Francis found a day bed to crash out on. After an hour and a half he was up and insisting he drive us the entire way home. 5 hours, 4 milkshakes and 1 speeding ticket later we pulled into the Barcelo San Jose Palacio. I raced to take a shower before we all joined some friends for my last meal at a local Churrascaria.
While it’s always nice to have never-ending amounts of meat piled onto your plate until you say “stop,” the dinner drove home an important point to remember whenever you’re eating anywhere: just because it’s the most expensive doesn’t mean it’s the best. I’d now been to several different parts of the country and eaten by the side of the road, at the beach, on mountain tops and mom-and-pop Italian spots and seen just how far a smile and a couple thousand Colones could go”¦and, let me tell you, they can go pretty damn far towards having an unforgettable time.
The next morning, as had become the ritual, Francis picked me up at my hotel. This time our exploits were markedly less exciting. We swung by the “Super Mega” on the way to the airport and I grabbed more of the white-chocolate covered coffee beans I’d first tried at the Canopy to share with my friends and family back home. We spoke pointedly of the need for a Spanish Holosound press kit and hit up the Delta drop-off at departures. I lengthened “bro” into “brother,” when thanking Francis from the bottom of my heart for an amazing experience and believed him when he told me we’d do it again soon. With memories like this, I really hope so.
And for those who’ve made it this far, here’s a little post Holoday treat. Hope you had a great one.
Download (left-click and unzip):
Holosound – Happy Holodays – 2009-2010
Season's Greetings from South America: Ricky Ryan & Lucas Abadi
With every passing year it becomes clearer; there is only one region in the world I could call home outside of Toronto. I’d say 75% of everything I love is in South America. Musically, whether it’s in Argentina, Brazil, Columbia or Peru, it’s the sexy grooves that are keeping the floor moving and quite frankly, this movement is something we can’t stop trying to be a part of.
Many, many times we’ve wracked our brains as to how we can get closer to the likes of Ricky Ryan, Lucas Abadi, Paul Trelles and Felipe Callado. Some dudes sit around day dreaming about woman. I’m always thinking about how we can get Toronto to support the DJs we dig.
I listen to the music and see the visuals coming from South American parties and it breaks my heart to know that North America doesn’t have such big love for the funky, more stylish stuff. Damn, the first time I met Lucas it was among 3000 plus at a Luke Fair-only headlined event in Buenos Aires. I’ll develop an ulcer trying to get 5% of those numbers on New Year’s Eve.
But right now it’s the nature of our scene to bang it out, so us old schoolers will just have to wait it out. Damn, we’re in the Obama years now, we’ve got to bring the soul back sometime soon, no? Haven’t we had enough of the Bush-like aggression by now? Sooner or later clubbers will put their bumpers away and remember why we were on the dance floor anyway. I’m counting on it.
Until then we’re left to satisfy our tastes through mp3s. But let me tell you, when I listen to these, I hear something I totally can not believe… techno! In Ricky’s a bit deeper and subdued, but in Lucas’ the tech is pretty full on. Both have managed to incorporate what’s hot today with the groovier house sounds of our roots; creating a hybrid of the two and somehow making the aggressiveness way more accessible than it’s ever been.
All three mixes prove how well rounded these two are and further my assumption that once properly introduced to our city, all of our South American brothers will become Tdot superstars.
Download (left-click and unzip):
ricky ryan – bringthebeats.com@LIMA – DECEMBER 2009 – PART 1
ricky ryan – bringthebeats.com@LIMA – DECEMBER 2009 – PART 2
Download (left-click and unzip):
Lucas Abadi – Promo Mix – December 2009
Ricky Ryan – bringthebeats album [Aenaria Chill]
We’ve always left the production world to the big publications and have done our best to cater to the dance floor warriors of the scene. But there are exceptions to every rule, especially when you have an entire digital album dedicated to your cause.
We are overwhelmingly proud to present the bringthebeats album from Ricky Ryan on Luca Ricci’s Aenaria Chill. Ten tracks inspired by our deep progressive roots, Ricky has dug deep into his soul for this truly global release.
Each selection was contrived during Ricky’s spring / summer production tour in Europe and Asia, alongside some of the most revered artists in electronic music today. A passion project in the purest sense, Ricky has brought all of his vast talent to light with this album.
Thank you, Ricky, for this incredible honour. We’ll let you, the expert aka magician, tell everyone about it.
Ricky Ryan – bringthebeats album [Aenaria Chill]
Out now on Beatport!
“My desire was to produce an album with a progressive atmosphere that would remind me of my favourite old days, combined with fresh gentle beats. Simple, melodic, hypnotic, driving; a friend would call it “Musica Fantasia,” like a toy story.
When I listen to music I see colours. I will share with you those colours I see for every song and mention the influences, inspirations (such as Brazilian blondas) and all the wonder collabs!”
Ricky Ryan - Little India - Original Mix
* Produced @ Roman Rai studio in Prague, Czech Republic.
Inspired by John Digweed: A deep and dark ride with an Asian spooky vibe. [Blue and Silver]
Ricky Ryan - Olive Groove - Original Mix
* Produced @ Shlomi Aber studio in Ashkelon, Israel.
Inspired by Indaba and Weekend World: Another dark one, rough and agressive. [Black and Blue]
Ricky Ryan - Grave Digger - Original Mix
* Produced @ Shlomi Aber studio in Ashkelon, Israel.
Inspired by Sasha & Digweed: A warm up ride. [Red and Green]
Ricky Ryan - Snake Charma - Original Mix
* Produced @ Roman Rai studio in Prague, Czech Republic.
Inspired by Sasha: Peak time atmosphere. [Silver and Blue]
Ricky Ryan - Perfecto Mundo - Original Mix
* Produced @ Patch Park studio in Vlissingen, Netherlands.
Inspired by Circulation, Underworld, Chemical Brothers and Joris Voorn: Bright and gentle. [Green and Yellow]
Ricky Ryan - Flower Bomb - Original Mix
* Produced @ Shlomi Aber studio in Ashkelon, Israel.
Inspired by Johnny D, Tom Middleton: A Flower Bomb. [Black and Orange]
Ricky Ryan - Tokyo Tales - Original Mix
* Produced @ Patch Park studio in Vlissingen, Netherlands.
Inspired by Guy J and Sasha playing @ STATE, Buenos Aires in April 2009: Progggggg! [Black and Red]
Ricky Ryan - La Troya - Original Mix
* Produced @ Shlomi Aber studio in Ashkelon, Israel.
Inspirded by Gamma Rox: For Ibiza, dancing naked…LOL! [Blue and Yellow]
Ricky Ryan - Living Stone - Original Mix
* Produced @ Patch Park studio in Vlissingen, Netherlands.
Inspired by John Digweed: Trancy and floppy sounds. [Black and Green]
Ricky Ryan - Abracadabraham - Original Mix
* Produced @ Kosmas Epsilon in Kavala, Greece.
Inspired by John Dahlback, Dusty Kid and Sasha: Epic, magic. [Red and Blue]
In Demand: Kosmas Epsilon
Kosmas Epsilon is definitely not new to the world of house music. His tracks have been a permanent fixture in the CD bags of every major DJ for quite sometime now.
I came to known of Kosmas through his work with Somnus Corp, producing some incredible tracks like ‘Metal Bronco’ and ‘Buenos Tiempos’. These are the tracks that really got me listening. He also has productions signed to some of the best labels out there including Renaissance, Global Underground, Alternative Route and his own label, Epsilon Trax.
When he’s not in the studio he’s touring the globe. From Mexico to Russia, Kosmas is proving to be a truly In Demand talent!
After hearing so many incredible productions you wonder if it’s possible that he can be an equally masterful DJ. Well after listening to these mixes, I would have to say yes!
This is one long set of full on energy all the way through. Techy house blended with some groovy baselines, instrumental tones and atmospheric highs that would be perfect for any dance floor.
Download (left-click and unzip):
Kosmas Epsilon – In Demand – June 2009 – Part 1
Kosmas Epsilon – In Demand – June 2009 – Part 2
And don’t forget to check out my online chat with this really cool guy / DJ and producer:
Inside the IM with Kosmas Epsilon & littlemissbluedress
Spirit Catcher – Shakemaker Mix – December 2008
During my time in Tokyo I had many memorable nights out. One of the most memorable was at AgeHa, Asia’s largest nightclub. What made the night so enjoyable was the live set performed by Spirit Catcher. Although it was only about an hour long, it was one of the best sets I heard throughout my entire time in Japan.
This duo from Belgium has been consistently releasing quality productions that have been played by DJs the world over. Jean Vanesse, the production wizard with a degree in music production, and Thomas Sohet, equally masterful in the studio, who lends his vocals to some of their tracks, brought amazing energy to the over 1000 people who flooded the dance floor that night.
The entire hour was exclusively their own production. Tom was doing vocals and playing the keyboard, while Jean was mixing; both were creating and mixing their own music live. I have never seen this done before, and in such a lively way! Their energy poured into the crowd, it was amazing.
Ever since this most memorable event, I have been eager to get a set of theirs to share with the bringthebeats crew. But Tom and Jean are so busy these days, touring the world with their live act and playing DJ sets; and when they aren’t on the road, they are in the studio creating more spectacular tracks.
So you can imagine that when I finally found this mix in my inbox, I was thrilled. It’s smoothly blended with a jazzy, funky tech-house feel. I’m sure it will lift your spirit!
Download (left-click and unzip):
Spirit Catcher – Shakemaker Mix – December 2008
Here is some Spirit Catcher trivia for you…
Where did they meet? Was it on the Internet like so many do these days? Was it at a music conference? Nope, it was in university where they both studied music production.
While many of their peers continued on to create scores for movies or compose tracks for commercials, Tom and Jean decided to use their musical prowess for what they love and do best, house music. Good choice guys!
Do you know where they got their name from? Why Spirit Catcher? Are they trying to steal your spirit? Of course not, the name has nothing to do with this.
When they were surfing the net one day they came across an image, of a statue, which really caught their eye. Funny enough, this sculpture sits high about Barrie, Ontario, not far from Toronto, and yes it’s called a Spirit Catcher. They liked it so much they decided to use it as their name and logo.
So an unlikely Canadian sculpture, that was originally built for Expo ‘86, is now representing these Belgium boys worldwide. I knew they had great taste.
