Recently, I've heard some people describe Seattle as "the next Berlin," comparing the Emerald City to techno's current global capital. While I share their overall rosy outlook, it does a disservice to Seattle's scene to say it has to be the "next" anything. Seattle is, and can only be, Seattle. We're in a unique position up here in our continental outpost. Geographically isolated and filled with transplants (I'm one of them), Seattle is an incubator for ideas. And the same way that the hiphop world is starting to take notice of what we've got going on here, the electronic-music scene has seemed perpetually on the verge of wider recognition.
The attention is certainly well deserved. From the pop-culture-drenched Game Boy tones of Truckasaurus to the quirky deep house of Mat Anderson, Seattle is filled with talent that screams for wider exposure. Add institutions like Re-bar's Flammable, the War Room's Tuesday drum 'n' bass night, or the institution-in-the-making Decibel Festival to the mix and you've got to be excited about being part of this vibrant environment.
That sense of excitement has always been a cornerstone of this space, regardless of the column's name. Prior to my arrival, every author has been a champion for the music coming through and out of the area, and that won't change. I've always been incredibly impressed not only by the talent that we have here, but by the generally supportive nature of our various players. While minor dramas occasionally flare up, the culture here has always lent itself to friendly competition rather than sabotage, collaboration instead of shit talking. It's always felt like everyone was working to build something bigger, with the realization that it makes more sense to grow the pie rather than battle over every slice.
The same spirit formed the foundation for the recent success of Broken Disco. My personal hope is that this inspires further large-scale cross-promotion, with various camps exposing their audiences to more of what Seattle has to offer.
My primary goal with this column is to get other people as enthusiastic about what Seattle has to offer as I am, to get you off your couch and out to hear some music. There's so much out there, it's daunting to consider it all at once, so I'll just take it one week at a time. Hope you'll join me.
As a primer of sorts to my musical leanings, here are some releases that have been getting my attention lately.
DJ Day, The Day Before. This hiphop/funk debut will appeal strongly to the Ninja Tune set with its layered sound proving that the art of sampling is far from dead. It's only April, but with songs like "Manha" and "Lovebug," this album is an early frontrunner for the soundtrack to this summer.
Efdemin, untitled. When I graduated from school, the only thing I did in stunning fashion was burn through my savings. Berlin's Efdemin (Phillip Sollmann) graduated from Vienna's Institute for Computer Music and prepared this minimal-techno/deep-house hybrid, a sound I wish would take over the world, not just my iPod.
Thief, Sunchild. This is what happens when you combine the production prowess of Sonar Kollektiv with traditional songwriting and structure. Consisting of two Jazzanova members and Sascha Gottschalk, Sunchild sounds like a hybrid between Radiohead and Four Tet, but this neo-folk album could stand to have a bit more "neo" to set it apart.
FRIDAY APRIL 27
A TOUCH OF CLASS
New York's A Touch of Class often bring their electro/disco sensibility to the world of rock, with remix credits that include Scissor Sisters, Le Tigre, and Gossip. Their mixes include a mélange of tracks that maintain more of a sleazy underground attitude than any strict genre classification. Expect things to get sweaty. If Comeback isn't your cup of tea, you'll also be able to catch ATOC at the afterhours (just ask around for the not-so-secret details). With DJs Kadeejah Streets, Fucking in the Streets, Colby B, and Porq. Chop Suey, 1325 E Madison St, 324-8000, free before 10 pm/$5 before midnight/$7 after, 21+.
PRETTY TITTY, RECESS
While Pretty Titty usually goes for the pop-music-in-a-blender approach and Recess keeps things techno-centric, the common thread between these two DJ/promoters is a strong commitment to the debaucherous side of a good night out. It's hard to fathom how crazy a party could get with both the Death of the Party and Shameless crews in full force, but it's even harder to understand why you would miss it. CHAC Lower Level, 1621 12th Ave, 388-0521, free, 21+.
TUESDAY MAY 1
TOTAL SCIENCE
Many critics would perceive irony in a drum 'n' bass artist claiming to play an old-school set: Does "old-school" mean anything when the sound hasn't changed in years? For Total Science it most certainly does, since their reputation was built on a revival of old-school sounds and arrangements. Their legacy (over a decade of DJing and producing for their own and other imprints) leaves them in a prime position to not only showcase drum 'n' bass's past, but to point out the musical signposts that indicate where the sound is going. War Room, 722 E Pike St, 328-7666, $8, 21+.
