Dub Ditch Picnic :: Rebuilding, Moving Forward with 50th Release

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by Broose Tulloch

In less than four years, local music label Dub Ditch Picnic has reached a pivotal milestone, releasing its 50th album, err cassette, April 1st. The compilation of 50 artists includes several local acts that have enjoyed some success on Campus/Community radio, such as Dead Ranch, Beef Donut, and Kindest Cuts. Continue reading “Dub Ditch Picnic :: Rebuilding, Moving Forward with 50th Release”

Blunderspublik – Barren Immensity

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When David Simon’s latest foray into television, Treme, began airing on HBO, you can’t fault people for assuming we’d get The Wire Pt 2. On the contrary, what Simon provided was not so much of a plot driven narrative, but a slow, reflective look at New Orleans and its people. In some ways, it was more of a painting than it was a television show. Blunderspublik’s latest cassette Barren Immensity follows a similar suit. Continue reading “Blunderspublik – Barren Immensity”

Smurfs and 8 Tracks: Microdot.

By: Kyra Leib

Microdot is easily the most jovial and fun band that I’ve ever interviewed. I sat down with the whole band: Bill Northcott, Rob Nay, Jen Alexander and Janus Field. During our conversation we digressed on the silliest tangents (see the bit about shrunken heads and tiny instruments) but also discussed the Winnipeg music scene and band dynamic. This is how it all went down… Continue reading “Smurfs and 8 Tracks: Microdot.”

White Dog – Noise Below the Wall


Photo by Cole Peters
By Taylor Burgess

For Cole Peters and Chris Jacques two years ago, it all began as an outlet to release their music but since Prairie Fire Tapes’ inception, Jacques has made seven albums under the name White Dog—some really cool and psychedelic, but most others approach horrifying parts of your brain. Since he’s going to be a performer at this year’s send + receive festival, both of his tape labels are releasing killer stuff, and his own music is taking wild turns, Jacques welcomed me up to his “East Berlin” office space which he shares with No List Records so we could discuss shit.
Mostly, I just wanted to know why his music is usually such a head-trip.
“It’s not meant to be creepy or dark or anything,” he said. It’s because of being a high school guidance councilor that he internalizes a lot of the darker side of the human nature. “I deal with people every day in their psychological needs and hear lots of crazy shit from kids and then their parents about what’s going on in their lives. My teaching has always dealt with people who are marginalized, or downtrodden, abused, and all that kinds of crazy shit. I’m a history student, so a lot of that stuff—things about rebellions and resistance come through as themes in my stuff a lot of time.”
Continue reading “White Dog – Noise Below the Wall”

Tim Hoover – More Napkins

Known as the beloved DJ Co-op, Tim Hoover is making a new reputation for himself, if that’s possible. This tape/digi-download heads into trip-hop and post rock territory over a span of 60 minutes, which is like a total 180 considering his use of party hip-hop and indie samples for his Co-operation mashup albums. So, rather than matching Fugazi to M.I.A. (which was four whole years before Wugazi, mind you), Hoover’s flexing his melodic muscles, which are in full force, in alternation with his beat programming, which here lies somewhere between glitch and hip hop. I was actually taken aback at how much of this music is original, and the samples, used sparingly, usually add such depth to the mix. The melodies, reminiscent of Godspeed (his comparison, though an apt one) sing colourfully and even more brilliantly once they’re up against electronic beats and hip-hop samples. I have to agree that this is headphone music—but once you’re in that world with your ’buds in, every little twitch and glitch stands out, and you’re in quite for the meditative ride. (Woven//Dub Ditch Picnic, wovenrecords.ca//dubditchpicnicrecords.blogspot.com) Taylor Burgess