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SHIGETO GIVING BACK TO HIS MUSIC ROOTS CLUBLAND YOUR MONTH MEASURED IN BPMS ALAN RANTA BPM There’s a bubble tea store on Commercial Drive that has “fuck rain” written in huge letters on their wall. If you don’t like rain, you are living in the wrong city. Go to any of these shows and you’re gonna get wet or get sweaty, likely both. Do it. It’s good for the skin, and keeps Vancouver green. Why else are you living here? Giraffage Nov. 17 @ Fortune The time to buy into San Francisco producer Charlie Yin is now. He’s been slaying outlets like the Boiler Room and Low End Theory with his bedroom dream-poptinged future R&B stylings. His latest album, Too Real, saw him sign to Ninja Tune sub-label Counter Records, and feels like the one to blow his name up. Follow your doctor’s order; get lots of Giraffage. Desert Dwellers Nov. 18 @ Imperial Shigeto’s exploration through rhythm within electronic music has proven a worthy endeavor. Amani Friend and Treavor Moontribe hail from the arid regions of New Mexico and California, but their trippy, cerebral psy-dub sound is every bit as worldly as Shpongle, with whom they have toured extensively. If you’ve never been to Shambhala before, you can open a direct channel to the Grove stage here. HOLLIE MCGOWAN Sometimes it’s necessary for one to temporarily depart from their roots in order to develop a true appreciation for them. For Michigan’s Zachary Saginaw, a.k.a. Shigeto, The New Monday is a representation of exactly that. “Before I was searching for meaning,” reflects Saginaw from his home-base in Detroit. “What’s changed is my process in accepting myself as artist and accepting the flow of whatever comes out of me.” For the last nine years, since his first release in 2008, Saginaw has gone deep into the realms of instrumental downtempo and trip-hop, a sound reminiscent of early Warp Records and Ninja Tune, yet through his own lens as a drummer trained in the art of jazz. His exploration through experimental nuances and rhythm within electronic music has proven a worthy endeavor, leading him to develop his own distinct sound of layered percussion and trippy melodies. However, The New Monday has been a new direction for Saginaw, and a reestablishment into his own community. Coming full circle has allowed him to reexamine his musical foundations and fully immerse himself into Detroit’s nightlife and culture, yet through mature eyes and an experienced outlook. What has resulted is an album which is more focused on the dancefloor, bringing its listeners into the various clubs within Detroit’s underground. The title of the album itself a reference to his own regular event within the city. “It is a play off the name of a weekly night that I have in Detroit,” says Saginaw. “Initially I didn’t know what to call this record, but as I was writing music for it and curating the track list, I realized that the music was [like the] stuff that I had been playing every week while DJing… It’s a palate of sounds of Detroit, Michiganinspired music through my eyes. I might sound manic, like, ‘Oh, there’s this techno track, and there’s this jazz ballad, and there’s this rap song,’ but what’s connecting it is [that they are all] influences of mine from here [in Detroit] and growing up [in Ann Arbor]. This record is like my ode to Michigan, just being back here and being an actual part of the community.” Detroit’s music history is well-known for its richness and complexity. Dire political circumstances have historically driven its populous to deal with their hardships through art. Expressing their frustration while keeping themselves busy has given life to groundbreaking genres and styles of electronic sound. For Saginaw, being a part of the scene on the groundlevel has given him a new-found respect and feelings of solidarity for those who have chosen to continue producing music, despite all odds. “For the people that are from here, and have been here, life is a struggle, and within that struggle, you have to create your own world and your own reality. The demand for that need to create your reality is greater. I think within that, the DYI attitude and the possibilities are just so much bigger with the DYI mentality here,” explains Saginaw. “There are more quality independent record labels running in Detroit and in the Michigan area than there are places to buy groceries. There is a concentration of people that love music, make it, and then put it out themselves no matter what. Half of them are not on social media.” The relationship between art and politics is no doubt a fascinating one. When times get tough, the human race will naturally band together, resulting in innovative ideas and creativity. <strong>2017</strong> has been no exception to this unspoken rule. “Whether it was conscious or not, many of us all over the world, artistically active people or not, political people or not, we all got more of the sense that we have to do something, whether it was for others or for ourselves,” he ponders. “I think it also brought a sense of solidarity for people to start coming together and start breaking down these racist and sexist barriers. When the sense of urgency is at an all-time high, it brings a sense of motivation, and inspiration, and solidarity.” This <strong>November</strong>, Saginaw makes his return to Vancouver, and he’s bringing his fresh approach and new experiments in sound with him. “If you like King Tubby, or like really dubbed out psychedelic psych-rock, you’re going to like this.” Shigeto plays the Imperial on <strong>November</strong> 18. Hilltop Hoods Nov. 18 @ Vogue When you think about the modern giants of hip-hop, you probably don’t think Adelaide, South Australia. Yet, that’s where the Hilltop Hoods started their skyward climb. This outfit has had five number of their albums go number one in Australia since 2006. They got skills. Princess Nokia Nov. 23 @ Celebrities The hip-hop stage name of Destiny Frasqueri, Princess Nokia has been practically unavoidable in music circles over the past few months, and with good cause. Her hard-hitting flows are so frank, funny, and female-positive they could blow the dick off Gucci Mane. Bleep Bloop Dec. 01 @ Celebrities His name is Bleep Bloop. Say it aloud: Bleep Bloop. That’s all you need to know you’re going to buy a ticket. The fact that this DJ Shadow protégé produces a dank ass bass blitzkrieg onstage is just icing on the cake. Princess Nokia <strong>November</strong> <strong>2017</strong> 23
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