Over the 4 years that I’ve visited FME, there have been many adventures. There were joyfully sleepless nights and that one time I’ve nearly missed a flight home because of them. There were nights of experimenting, nights of getting lost in the crowd, and even karaoke nights. There was also that time a bunch of us made friends with a porcupine named Chewbacca and a time I spent the entire industry dinner listening to lifelong stories from a local rock legend. This time was much tamer, for obvious pandemic-related reasons. But it was also the time a fellow journalist and I got tattoos while listening to disco house around midnight on a Sunday. 

FME is an annual highlight for many industry folks from across North America and Europe. It is an event that brings together emerging artists, label representatives, festival runners, publicists, promoters, and media across a wide range of languages and genres. Here we gather, make friends, party, learn, and most importantly – get introduced to new music.

At this point in 2021, it feels as if it’s been forever-and-a-half since we were able to see live music in Toronto so nothing was going to stop me from attending FME, not even an 8-hour bus ride across the Canadian wilderness (it was probably longer). Due to many pandemic-related issues, things were not exactly the same this year – no international media were in attendance, and getting into shows was a bit more complicated – but the overall energy was high because it is better to see live music with limitations than not see live music at all. 

In its true tradition, FME showcased artists across multiple genres and languages. The most language diversity was perhaps seen across hip-hop and rap performances. This showcase, spread out across multiple days, begun with an extremely energetic performance by Maky Lavender. As a multitalented creative, dancer, and an artist who performs in both, French and English, Maky is a common name in the Montréal rap scene. The audience, anxiously seated 6 feet apart from one another, were in absolute awe of this performance, making song requests, chit-chatting with the artist, singing along, and nearly begging for their favourite songs. Lavender’s music ranges from sentimental chill tracks (“Bloom,” “Wont Fall Inlove”) to songs that when performed with a live band gained an unprecedented bass-heavy level that sent him spinning in circles around the stage (“Oh non! Man, c’est la vie,” “Le game a changé”). This energy is contagious and this is an artist you should know about.

Toronto-based, Edmonton-born Cadence Weapon (Roland Pemberton) and most recent Polaris Music Prize winner (congrats!) confidently took the torch from Maky and lead us into his Parallel World for the following hour. Lit up by a bright spotlight between tracks Weapon pointed out he felt a bit like a standup comedian but his banter with the crowd was not all fun and jokes. Song to song Pemberton shared his reflections on the city’s losses, homelessness, issues of surveillance (“On Me”), being alone through the pandemic, and spoke about his various collaborations. The audience was locked in, “going crazy” in their seats to “SENNA” (as requested), and singing along to Pemberton’s rendition of Stardust’s “Music Sounds Better With You” during “Sunrise”. Having played a solid number of songs from his latest album Parallel World, Cadence Weapon made sure to illustrate his full thematic range with older tracks like “Conditioning,” “My Crew (Woooo)” produced by Kaytranada, and “Night Service” from Jacques Greene’s Dawn Chorus during which the lights were turned down to “moody,” setting the appropriate tone for the track.

The biggest night for French rap was Friday at the lakeside stage where fans gathered for Shreez and Souldia, two of the most recognizable names in the Québec rap scene. According to Le Devoir, Shreez is one of the house names that fronts the new generation of local beatmakers. As a recognized lyricist Shreez gathers a fanatic crowd, the energy in the field was ecstatic, people loudly sang along, jumping up and down and nearly creating a mosh pit by the stage.

Souldia’s performance followed in a similar tone, but this rapper had zero interest in engaging with the rowdy crowd, creating a human wall in front of the stage so he can pace along the speakers untouched by human hands (though, I get it, COVID). Souldia has gone through his share of difficult times from “petty crimes to incarceration” and has been recording music since 2009. His latest album, Backstage, is reflective of these life experiences, “What I’m still doing now is 360-degree reality rap” he shared with Panm360 in an interview, “I’m inspired by life, my own life and the lives of the people around me”. A few songs into the set I felt the crowd begin to close in around me in a very uncomfortable way, trying to get closer to the artist and each other. The reality of the “pandemic isn’t over” and “oh shit that’s more people than I’ve been close to in a very long time” begun to set in making me back out and seek comfort with the rest of my festival crew elsewhere in the city. 

On a separate night, a smaller group of people gathered for a more intimate indoor show by the Montréal four-piece Ragers; the band is known for their engaging eclectic mix of hip-hop and live instruments. Ragers gained niche international recognition with their 2018 LP Raw Footage, and have since released a range of singles and most recently, a new EP Tant Qua’y Y Etre. Ragers were actively engaging with the crowd, getting people to dance and squat on-demand to collectively jump up to the drop of the next song. Small groups of people swayed with cold drinks in hand, breaking into an occasional unrestricted dance, laughing, and making friends. Admittedly, this event felt the most normal, in the traditional sense of seeing live music that is, a feeling I have been starving for since March 2020.

When it comes to hip-hop this year’s lineup lacked in female representation with the only female genre representative being Montréal lyricist, singer, rapper, and songwriter Emma Beko. Beko took the stage at a smaller indoor venue for a more personal and occasionally sensual hip-hop performance. Her solo project debuted with BLUE earlier this year (you might know her as half of Heartstreets) and with this record, she came into her own as a solo artist in a whole new way. The stage was heavily decorated with stuffed toys – on the floor, on the mic stand, everywhere – and a giant teddy bear was resting on the left, framing the mic center stage. She opened the set, accompanied by an injured DJ, with “Demo” setting a very laid-back atmosphere in the room. As a projection rolling through her childhood videos begun to play above the stage Beko grabbed an empty stool from the front row to sit down for “Alma,” a song written for her sister. This song has been stuck in my head since that day and I am not even mad. Beko has a very soothing voice that delivers well on her clean, melodic rhymes and I’m looking forward to seeing what comes from her next. 

Canadian treasure Lido Pimienta took the stage for a headline performance on Friday night, playing tracks from her latest release Miss Colombia and highlighting some of the older favourites. Colombian-born, Toronto-based “global beats trailblazer” Pimienta is a Polaris Music Prize winner (2017), a nominee for Latin Grammy Awards, Grammy Awards, and most recently took a well-deserved spot with the New York City Ballet Orchestra. Most importantly, Pimienta is a truly unique artist, adored in fantastical dresses in which she floats around the stage, telling stories through a blend of music that can only be described as a hybrid of electronic and cumbia. Québec was not ready for this but they embraced Pimienta’s anthems with open arms and were quickly absorbed into her magical universe through tracks like “Eso Que Tu Haces,” “Nada,” and “Agua”. 

Many artists perform multiple sets, as scheduled or through surprise pop-up events (an FME signature) and so an artist’s first performance might make them talk of the town for the rest of the weekend. In this manner, one of the biggest highlights on the electronic side of things were multiple performances by Montréal’s DJ and music producer Aïsha Vertus who performs as Gayance. Influence by her Haitian roots, UK Garage, and Detroit / NY house Gayance spins engaging, melodic sets that can get quite heavy late-night with that classic wub-wub sound that throws you back into a dark nightclub, dancing into the sunrise. Vertus is currently working on her debut EP Not Toning Down, and has been teasing her fans with singles like “Sirens” (feat Kallitechnis), the release date is yet to be announced but we are waiting with anticipation.

The following day a smaller outdoor stage also hosted Krimer (a.k.a. Simon Bertrand), an up-and-coming bass music producer. It was a rainy day and an early show but a small young crowd created a mini dance floor, headbanging and vibing to Krimer’s trap-heavy beats suspensefully building into heavy synth rhythms on tracks like “Blitz” and “Brute Force”. 

One of the annual highlights at FME is the Bonsound BBQ. As a prominent Québec label, Bonsound are always actively involved with FME and this event is an opportunity to meet the crew, mingle with artists, and enjoy a pool-side performance. This year the spotlight was on Paul Jacobs, a Montréal-based artist fronting a five-piece band whose latest release, Pink Dogs on Green Grass, dropped earlier this year. It is an album that showcases his range of influences and production skills within a tight pink package, one that if listened in the right environment might feel quite psychedelic. In the daytime, under a clear blue sky, Paul Jacobs and the band were a perfect house party soundtrack. 

In the evening the psychedelics started on a high note with Yoo Doo Right, an experimental trio from Montréal. The band played a pop-up show earlier in the weekend and so the word-of-mouth spread that YDR was a band to see. According to their bio, YDR play with “elements of shoegaze, post-rock, and psychedelia, crafting a unique sound that could be described as a car crash in slow motion” (listen to Don’t Think You Can Escape Your Purpose, you’ll understand). The trio spread across the stage, backlit by hypnotic visuals in various shades of red and orange, their set is mostly instrumental, occasionally accented by minimal vocals, so the psychedelic visuals really do drive the music home. For their last track, “1N914,” the band invited us all to practice breathing as they went into a 7-minute instrumental adventure. Past halfway into the track, my festival companion noted that he hasn’t taken a breath in a solid two minutes. I realized I was a bit short on air as well, “Ah, I see” a thought dawned on me, “it’s an exercise in breathing”. 

Back in the smaller space, following Ragers, another weekend favourite took the stage for his second set – Robert Robert. During the first decade of his music career, Robert Robert made people dance (“Coolest Place in the Universe” from Welcome to Finetown, 2017, is how he got on my radar). Over that decade Robert collected many, many stories, so now he is telling stories in his mother tongue (French). His latest release, Silicone Villeray, is an upbeat indie-pop record based on personal experiences, somewhere “halfway between confessions and fortune cookie sayings” or as Robert Robert describes it: “a cloud of sun and grass, an eternal teenage story, and confused days of love and boredom”. It was a perfect way to end a Saturday – fun, relaxed, and in good company with a cheerful crowd. 

Each night as the shows ended (earlier than usual) small groups of people lingered around open festival spaces, sipping on their drinks, swapping friends, debating who’s afterparty to go to. All throughout the week artists were meeting other artists, discussing collaborations outside of Chez Morasse poutine, making plans for studio time, and complementing each other’s recent work. The festival weekend may be over but the connections made here can have a lasting impact. See you next year Rouyn-Noranda.

The post This is major: FME returns with performances by Cadence Weapon, Lido Pimienta, Emma Beko, and many more appeared first on Quip Magazine.

Pemberton has released four albums all of which have been nominated for a Polaris Prize, with Breaking Kayfabe (2006) and Hope in Dirt City (2012). Cadence has been busy not only with his album but collaborations and advocacy work outside of music. Along with other artists, Cadence helped change the name of Edmonton’s (his hometown) football team. He also advocated for Toronto’s Little Jamaica against gentrification caused by the Crosstown LRT project. He’s a complete artist. To give you an idea:

His poem “The Garden” was incorporated into a bronze sculpture at the Alberta Legislature Grounds in Edmonton in 2018. Cadence collaborated with numerous artists such as his Night Service EP with Jacques Greene, and writing lyrics for “Stars” on Greene’s Juno-nominated album Dawn Chorus. He acted in the Montreal play “Please Thrill Me.” He plans on releasing a book about his career in Spring 2022 titled “Bedroom Rapper.” He’s an accomplished journalist who’s hosted lectures and interviews and publishes a newsletter. He’s also begun live-streaming his DJ sets via Twitch. 

Cadence Weapon opens the dimensions of his Parallel World on the introductory track “Africville Revenge.” Howling echoes state the album’s title before loud distorted synth jar listeners. Cadence comes in hot with his message of African cultural memory and structure inequality. “Revisionist I resurrect with through remembrance. Black communities stay strong, resilience. Wish my people were treated with reverence. Instead, they’re treated as irrelevant. Disrespected cause of resemblance. Courts want to see us be recidivists.” It’s a short track but even so, Cadence Weapon makes some powerful statements in the early going setting up what’s going to be a politically-charged album. The next track is a banger with “On Me” featuring Manga Saint Hilare. The beat slaps hard but the message explores the sad truth of us being under surveillance at all times now. While this might of sounded like a conspiracy in the past, this is unfortunately the grim reality we live in today. The instrumentation keeps you jumping but as the song progresses the paranoia deepens, “Got phones on me. Everyone I know on me. Got mic on me, recording me. No red light on me, no session fee. Got apps on me. Google car got maps me. Think they got some facts on me but they lost track when I crack the screen. Actually, hidden camera got lock on me. On the block, ad-block on me.”

“SENNA” sees the duo of Cadence and Jacques Green working together once again and is all about self-determination. When describing the single Cadence Weapon stated, “SENNA is inspired by legendary Brazilian F1 driver Ayrton Senna. The documentary about him from 2010 has floated in the periphery of my mind ever since I first saw it. Musically, it shares the spirit of early UK grime but what we ended up creating feels completely new. When Jacques Greene and I were in the studio working on this track and I heard the beat he was making, ‘SENNA’ started floating around my head like a mantra.” Visually the video is stunning thanks to the soundscape of the song that is elaborate and you can’t help but do a little dance as Cadence chants the mantra “Senna! Senna!” Play this song on a late-night cruise and you can’t help but start speeding through your city.

“Eye To Eye” is another futuristic trap song with a serious message. It’s so easy to hear or watch news stories about people losing their lives from being in the “wrong place at the wrong time.” But what about those poor souls that live in those environments and have to look over their shoulders every moment? This point is driven home in the chorus where Cadence pauses before hitting with a somber message, “Thank God I made it home today. If I walked another block, might’ve gotten blown away. I don’t think I’d be surprised these things happen every day.”

The final song on the album is “Connect.” Here Cadence speaks about how we’ve become dependent on technology to feel a sense of purpose without experiencing full communication. The vibe is slowed down compared to the rest of the album. Feels like your floating in space as Cadence sings, “It is what it is. It ain’t what it seems. Life is but a dream.” As the beat goes, his relatable rhymes speed up, “Stayed up late. Scrolled by someone I used to date. Hanging with someone that I hate. Felt like bait, clicked anyway…”

The reason why I quote so many lines from Parallel World is because Cadence Weapon is a tremendous writer. As someone who loves great lyricism, Cadence Weapon delivers on every song. The beats are a blend of UK Drill and Grime. The instrumentation pair well with his message creating this dystopian future that is all too real in today’s current climate. You truly have to listen to all the songs in their entirety in order to grasps the powerful message Cadence puts forth and experiences it all. He’s bold with his statements and isn’t afraid to get up in your face. If the lyrics he says make you feel uncomfortable, good! These are topics that must be discussed. I implore readers to check out his other works to see this wordsmith at work, to get an overall view of what a complete artist he is.

Album is out April 30, 2021, pre-save now here.

photo by Scott Pilgrim @rdspilgrim

The post Cadence Weapon shares his dystopia on “Parallel World” appeared first on Quip Magazine.

With Montreal’s own, Jacques Green as the executive producer, the album features guest appearances from the likes of Brendan Phillip, Blue Hawaii, Casey MQ, and even the MC’s father (featured on the album’s opening tack). In his previous albums, the MC admitted that he was unwilling to truly express himself, but with Cadence Weapon, the MC put aside his hesitancy to tell listners what’s really on his mind.

Lyrically, Cadence Weapon is unsympathetic as he reflects on the path that he has (and currently is) taking towards fulfilling his destiny, while tackling issues of racism, sexism, and broken communities. Musically, the MC fuses hip-hop and electronic music, with some elements of jazz. Cadence Weapon’s lyrical execution is confident, intrepid, and fully meshes with the music on the twelve-track LP.

The MC has described Cadence Weapon as “a reintroduction to Cadence Weapon as an artist,” and long-time fans will hear a different side of the MC with Cadence Weapon, as the album is more political and “in your face.” While the album is very serious and relatable, it doesn’t necessarily alienate listeners who have not shared the same experiences as the MC, not to mention, the album art deserves its own article.

Writer’s Favorite Tracks: “Five Roses,” “Own This,” and “The Afterparty”

The post Cadence Weapon swims in an infinity pool of fearlessness appeared first on Quip Magazine.

With 3 studio albums behind his belt, Cadence Weapon was recently nominated for Rap/Hip Hop Artist of the Year at the Indies. We caught up with him between the shows for a quick chat.

Kateryna Topol:  How would you describe your musical career so far, what were some of the biggest challenges?

Cadence Weapon: I’ve gone through a lot of creative changes over my career, I’ve experimented a lot. I’ve run the risk of alienating people over the years. People were sometimes unsure of the music that I was making, whether it’s rap or not. But I think by now people are starting to understand where I’m coming from, to expect the unexpected from me.

KT: Congratulations on the Indie nomination! What would it mean for you to win Rap/Hip Hop Artist of the Year?

CW: Thanks! It would be particularly satisfying to win it with this album, it would mean a lot to me.

KT: What is your dream stage to perform on?

CW: Rock The Bells. It’s the proving ground for hip hop. It would be really special for me to play that festival.

KT: You have been known to hang out after shows and meeting your fans, what has that been like, any strange memorable experience meeting fans?

CW: I really appreciate my fans a lot. Anybody who thinks what I do is worth their time and money gets love back from me. There’s this couple in Portland who have been coming to my shows together from the beginning of their relationship. They’re married now and it’s like they can frame their life together with my music, it’s pretty cool.

KT: What was it like growing up among  musicians?

CW: I didn’t really think much about it. It was just my environment when I was younger. Music was made to be part of my foundation as a person. Looking back, I suppose it was inevitable that I’d be an entertainer.

KT: Do you have your own music library?

CW: I collect records but probably my favorite thing is learning about music. When I like an artist, I find out everything about them. I listen to all the music and writing they were influenced by, learn what their process is, why they made their most popular songs. I like everything around music that makes it what it is.

KT: How did you come up with an idea of re-sampling your own music?

CW: I was inspired by certain rap albums that combined live instruments and samples. Albums by Devin The Dude, The Roots and UGK specifically. I thought of taking that further and making music that might outwardly seem like I found some weird jazz record and just rapped over it when I actually composed all the music being sampled.

KT: You have been known for pushing artistic boundaries, what are you planning on doing next?

CW: I’m recording a lot of new songs lately, working on a new album. These tracks are more in the rap framework than anything I’ve ever done before. I’m definitely pushing myself hard in all directions. Trying to make beats in ways that no one has ever considered before. It’s futuristic shit.

KT: And now some wildfire personal questions: how would you describe your personal style?

CW: My style icon is probably Futura 2000, the rapping graffiti writer who was down with the Clash.

KT: Where do you go to shop?

CW: Mainly vintage shops, I find the best stuff when I’m in England usually.

KT: Favorite food, do you cook?

CW: I’m a good cook but I only cook interesting things when I have company. I like Greek food.

KT: Favorite city to play in and why?

CW: Barcelona. Everyone is happy there because it’s the most beautiful place in the world.

KT: Thank you for your time and good luck at the Indies!

The post Interview with Cadence Weapon appeared first on Quip Magazine.

The thing about indie shows is you never know for sure what you’ve gotten yourself into – you’re either introduced to new, fantastic, mind-blowing music or you’re moderately traumatised. Everyone has their own take on what went down.

Music is much like love; there is someone for everyone and I have no doubt some good discoveries were made in the sexy light of General Chaos’ projections but let’s just say that 11-member bands who look like they may have recently robbed a thrift shop were not within our range of expectations.

The highlights of the weekend were Montreal duo Blue Hawaii and Canada’s hip hop treasure Cadence Weapon.

Blue Hawaii’s production handiworks combined with soft yet piercing voice came together in incredibly haunting, delicate tracks. The audience seemed surprised by the performance but by the third song everyone was well into the grove. Put aside the sadness and melancholy and Blue Hawaii actually sounds like peace, true to the name, that comes toward you  in waves.

Cadence Weapon, on the other hand, is a whole different experience. Being recently nominated for Rap/Hip Hop Artist of the Year at the upcoming Indies, the artist known offstage as Rollie Pemberton seemed quite content with his achievements which made the performance pretty smooth. In the traditional fashion Pemberton raps to a live DJ which adds a good dimension to the show, especially when your DJ is a somewhat of a clown.

Is this something we’d do again? Sure. The music scene is just that, it’s a scene. Everyone deserves a chance to play and to be seen. That being said not everyone who decided to form a band should carry on doing it.

The post Highlights from Wavelength Music Festival 2013 appeared first on Quip Magazine.