Cam'ron - Big Deal

Killa Cam is gearing up for both the release of Purple Haze 2, 15 years after its namesake, and a busy 2020 in which he'll be touring said followup album. In recent weeks his name has been popping up everywhere, first appearing to me via the shocking announcement that he's set to play the intimate confines of Velvet Underground February 28th (see here). In the last few days he's released a trio of tracks, each from the forthcoming album which is set to drop next Friday, December 20th.

Below, the latest and my favourite of the new cuts, "Big Deal" brings some sensational production from The Heatmakerz atop which Cam captivates with his typically strong storytelling and wicked wordplay. While I'll readily admit I've always been slow to rap and hip hop in my life, I'll never grow tired of Cam'ron's presence and his ability to be both powerful and playful at the same time. Listen below, check out his Youtube for each of the three new tracks and follow his socials at the bottom.

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Bump In The Hump Sneak Peek: David Hohme & Dustin Nantais - Onward Only

Tomorrow the legendary trio of Above & Beyond take to REBEL for what promises to be an epic night (RSVP/Tickets). Not only do I have a remix of their classic "Sun & Moon" lined up in tonight's episode, it's also sandwiched by tracks from their own Anjunadeep imprint, including the just released David Hohme & Dustin Nantais collaboration "Onward Only." After first capturing my attention with "Crash & Burn," I've kept a close eye on Nantais and can safely say that this is the perfect place for his expansive, wandering sound. Stream it as a part of Explorations 08 and catch it in the mix tonight.
Above & Beyond are not the only Anjuna talents in the 6ix this weekend however, as Luttrell brings his Into Clouds tour to The Velvet Underground Friday (RSVP/Tickets). Rounding out the weekend of activities; Wingtip, Destructo and Mind Against all hit the decks Friday night (click names to see each event). Also on tonight's episode, we open with a first play from Vancouver's Hot Tub, make back to back stops at EPs from Shapeman and The Accountant, before closing with a strong serving of trap, midtempo, DnB and dubstep from the likes of So Sus, Slooze, Zeds Dead and AWAL. Listen live from 7-9 PM EST via Radio Humber or catch it after the fact as cataloged on Mixcloud here.

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Bump In The Hump Sneak Peek: Humans - Going Late

Over the past month Vancouver's Humans have been authoring some sublime singles from their forthcoming album Going Late, out November 16th via Haven Sounds. Three weeks ago the sneaky genius of "Breakfast With Liz" captured my attention, and now the title track "Going Late" has me feverish for the full release. Despite its 10 minute runtime there is no boredom or malaise, it is a massive groove that just keeps growing, pleasing your ears with each awesome movement. Until just now I had been struggling to ascribe comparables to these latest releases, but I think I've found it: they're a mix of BADBADNOTGOOD and LCD Soundsystem. Hear "Going Late" opening tonight's Halloween heavy episode of Bump In The Hump and check out the other singles from the LP here.As you know today is Halloween and there is no better holiday for electronic music. Whether it be dubstep, midtempo, trap, techno or bass house, there's no shortage of spooky tracks lined up for tonight's episode. That said there is a brief reprieve from evil early on as we give a nod to aiwake's latest single "Palm City," Robert Robert's How To Save Water, and Ryan Hemsworth's stop at Velvet Underground tonight (RSVP/Tickets). Finally we close the night with a clip of my conversation with STUND, this week's guest on My Mixtape. Catch everything live from 7-9 PM EDT via Radio Humber or after the fact as cataloged on Mixcloud here.

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Bump In The Hump Sneak Peek: Weekend Warmup

Coachella is over and all the world's artists have been freed from the clutches of the Colorado Desert. Accordingly there's an onslaught of events happening in the 6ix this weekend, six of which I'll be promoting on tonight's episode of Bump In The Hump. See each event linked below, click through for more details and tickets, and note those artists marked with an asterisk, as they'll appear tonight.

THURSDAY April 26

Gramatik* - Re:Coil Tour w/ Balkan Bump & Mome at Danforth Music Hall

FRIDAY April 27

NoNeon w/ Hunter Siegel, Cazztek* & DLMT* at Velvet Underground

SATURDAY April 28

Tom Misch* - Geography Tour w/ Hablot Brown at Phoenix Concert Theatre

Machine Girl w/ Eytan Tobin*, XenoYoga & Babygirl at Nocturne

Chrome Sparks (Live) x Machinedrum* (Live) w/ Ela Minus at Velvet Underground

Sébastien Léger* w/ Nature Of Music & Nadia at CODA

Of course we love to share what's going on each weekend, but Bump In The Hump's main focus remains on presenting the latest and greatest from across the country. As always there's a hearty helping of house (disco, deep, bass, and otherwise), techno, trap, club, funk, and more. And once again we end with an interview, as this week we welcome CastNowski to the My Mixtape turntables. Catch all the action live from 7-9 PM EDT via Radio Humber or after the fact via Mixcloud here.

Bump In The Hump Sneak Peek: Weekend Warmup

The beauty of this city is that the party never stops. After showcasing several events last week in what I thought was a special circumstance thanks to St. Patrick's Day, there's just as many great shows this weekend. So once again as a teaser for tonight's episode of Bump In The Hump I'd like to draw your attention to six shows happening in the area this weekend, with links to the Facebook events, and highlight those artists I'll be playing with an asterisk, all below.

THURSDAY March 22

Mura Masa* (DJ Set) @ CODA w/ The Range and Shagabond

Brasstracks* w/ S'natra @ Velvet Underground

FRIDAY March 23

Boombox Cartel* w/ Manzone & Strong @ UNIUN for #FactoryFridays

SATURDAY March 24

Amelie Lens w/ Jeremy Stott*, AADJA & Tim Shannon @ Warehouse Location TBA

Disc. with BodyWorks and Riggadale* @ Dundas Video

BlackGummy MESOPHASE TOUR w/ Attlas* @ Club 77

Tonight's episode of Bump In The Hump will help you get warmed up for the weekend ahead with music from these artists and more of the best new tunes from across the country. Whereas last week hit hard with house, and there's still some of it tonight, the focus shifts more towards a club feel. There's funk and groove, a ton of trap, future bass and wave, and a strong sampling of DnB and dubstep. You can catch all the action live from 7-9 PM EDT via Radio Humber or after the fact via Mixcloud here.

Bump In The Hump Sneak Peek: Seven Part Weekend Warmup

If you thought last week was busy with shows (three great ones on Friday night alone), this week puts that to shame. Originally I had a list of six shows I was set to support on the Weekend Warmup, but that list just got one bigger with a last minute announcement that included an artist I was already set to play. That being said I'll quickly link the shows I'm supporting on tonight's episode below. I've placed an asterisk next to the artist you'll hear from and linked it to the Facebook event page.

Thursday January 25th

Humans* at Velvet Underground

Friday January 26th

METUM Monthly inside CTRL ROOM w/ George Loukas, Jake Chec, Blair Malott* and more

Destructo* w/ Habstrakt & Dillon Nathaniel at UNIUN for Factory Fridays

Low Frequency at Round Venue ft. Charlie Zane* & Billionz

Saturday January 27th

DJ Jazzy Jeff and The Playlist & Skratch Bastid* at Koerner Hall

Road To Ever After - Snails* w/ Hydee, Skretaz & Rayz at Club 77

Billy Kenny w/ Chris Larsen* & Consequence Of Sound at CODA

Whether house, bass, techno or otherwise there's most everything for everyone, and apart from the slight chance of rain, the weekend is looking incredible, especially for the deep freeze of January.

While you might think all this focus on the weekend would leave little room for new music, you'd be wrong. There's eight new artist debuts and a whole lot of Bump In The Hump veterans, including Chromeo, Demuir, Dom Dias, Eytan Tobin, Keys N Krates, Internet Daughter and Robotaki. Yet another episode for the books, so get your Wednesday dancing socks ready and join Bump In The Hump on Radio Humber, live from 6-8 PM EST here or catch it via Mixcloud after the fact, here.

A November To Remember

I've spoken/written about it being club season ad nauseam lately, so I'm here put an end to that with one fell swoop. This November is going to be one to remember; as you can see above, there are at least a dozen artists I'll be making my way to the clubs to see. So read along below as I do a quick detailing of the 5 Ws, setting up the massive month of music ahead. I'll include links to tickets, Facebook event pages and most importantly, music to whet your appetite. Hope to see you out!

NOV 3 - Trippy Turtle w/ Henrik The Artist @ Velvet Underground
November starts off with a bang, with perhaps my most anticipated show of the whole month. I've been waiting for Trippy Turtle to come for years and even more so for Henrik The Artist, who I've gushed over several times on this blog. In my eyes there is no better Jersey Club bootleg artist than Trippy Turtle nor is there a more kawaii chiptune composer than Henrik. Over the past while, I've found my feet more glued to the floor than ever, but I'm confident the craziness that these two will conjure from the speakers will have me back bouncing up and down like I were a teenager again. The Velvet Underground is perhaps the perfect venue for such a wild and wacky show (RSVP/Tickets).

NOV 4 - Great Good Fine OK @ The Garrison
To be honest I can't remember where/when I first heard GGFO, but I do know that the song I first heard, "By My Side," immediately gripped me. Jon Sandler's falsetto vocals are stunningly beautiful and play perfectly with the sublime synth pop construction of their songs. They're funky and groovy and I can't wait for their vibes to wash over me in the comfy confines of The Garrison (RSVP/Tickets).

NOV 11 - RL Grime w/ graves & Kittens @ Danforth Music Hall
Trap titan RL Grime brings his Nova Tour to the big stage, with support from graves and Kittens. Other than TNGHT, no one has made a bigger or longer lasting effect on trap than RL. All evidence (his most recent releases "Era" and Halloween VI) suggests this is going to be absolute madness. Add to the bill rising stars and badasses in their own right, graves and Kittens, and you can see why this is a can't miss event for those that demand the best booty and brain shaking bass (RSVP/Tickets).

NOV 17 - Pete Tong @ UNIUN
Now most people know Pete Tong as the inimitable voice behind BBC Radio One's Essential Mix, but less know about his mixing and production abilities. While he skews more towards baleric, which doesn't really suit Toronto mid-November, he is of course incredibly versatile, dabbling in all things electronic and dance. Even if he breaks out just one of his Classic House orchestral pieces, the trip to UNIUN is well warranted. Expect the atmosphere to be warm, friendly and fun (RSVP/Tickets).

NOV 18 - Mura Masa w/ Lunice @ Danforth Music Hall
Both of these amazing artists dropped their debut albums this year, and both are incredibly well respected in the music sphere, just take a look at the long list of features on either album. While both craft incredibly infectious club tunes, the mix of dirty dusters from Lunice and clean crisp cuts from Mura Masa makes for one of the most magical nights in recent memory. Even though this will be the 3rd time seeing Mura Masa in around a year, this is without a doubt one of my most anticipated shows in that same time frame. These a truly two legends, and an absolute can't miss event (RSVP/Tickets).

NOV 23 - Ekali w/ josh pan & Y2K @ Velvet Underground
This month of madness gets capped off with perhaps the most mayhem one bill can handle. By now you better know about Ekali, and to be fair, I've covered just as much josh pan and Y2K as Ekali on this blog. It is however Ekali's Babylon tour and he's got his own stage production set up, although it will likely have to be scaled back to fit Velvet's smaller stage. And while it's a shame (visually), the intimate atmosphere will only improve the onslaught of energy. Each of these three have dabbled in a diverse range of sounds/styles, so I'm not sure what to expect, except the unexpected (RSVP/Tickets).

As above, I'm aiming to attend each of these six shows (health permitting, as my body often fights me following back to back late nights), and as usual I'll likely be live tweeting. Follow me @OggieJames, catch coverage here and on Bump In The Hump, and perhaps I'll see you in the clubs!

Bump In The Hump Sneak Peek: Van She - Idea Of Happiness (Robotaki Remix)

The Weekend Warm-up returns to Bump In The Hump tonight. Each week I'll feature a variety of tracks from shows happening in and around the area the coming weekend. This episode features Robotaki, who brings his double billing tour with Manila Killa to Velvet Underground tomorrow, Oct. 19 (RSVP/Tickets). We've had new Robotaki tracks the past two weeks, so I figured I'd go for the trifecta with his beyond beautiful take on Van She's "Idea Of Happiness." The early release is genre tagged as "excitement" and it is just that. It's jump for joy dance quality and some kind of incredible radiance, as big as the sun, and just as warm. And if it's not the best tease for a weekend, I don't know what is.This weekend also has Chris Lake coming to CODA (RSVP/Tickets), with support from Dombresky, who you'll also hear from in tonight's episode. The two hours of new Canadian electronic music includes the usual fire finale with trap, dubstep, DnB and is capped by a fresh remix of a Deadmau5 classic. There's also techno, house, future bass, RnB and just a touch of everything in between. Listen live here from 6-8 PM EDT on Radio Humber or anytime after the fact via Mixcloud here.

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Bump In The Hump Sneak Peek: Wraz - Spin

There's just something about Canadians and dark bass tracks. Whether it's a result of the weather, lack of sunlight or something entirely different, there's no shortage of sinister sounds being produced by Canucks. Of course there's the queen of darkness herself, Rezz, and No Neon don, Hunter Siegel, but equally ominous and infernal is Sherbrooke's Wraz. We've heard him twice here on Bump In The Hump, but this week he's back with his most inventive and ingenious production to date. "Spin" was created entirely through his recordings of a fidget spinner. All the elements: kicks, bass, snare; everything is the sound of a fidget spinner, not one single synth. This is an incredible achievement, very much so in line with the ethos of electronic music; it's about experimentation and the manipulation of atypical sounds and instruments into a more typical track. Wraz's passion for producing is clear, not just in "Spin," but the relentless rate at which new tracks are released. Stream it below and follow him here.As you might expect, there's a hearty helping of heinous and all around dark tracks on Bump In The Hump tonight. But fear not, there's a sizable serving of sublime and soulful disco and funky feels. Big names include Pat Lok, Tennyson, Daphni, Ramzoid, Snails, CRaymak and Botnek. Plus we look forward to a couple incredible shows with a remix of Sinjn Hawke, and a killer beat from Eytan Tobin, who joins the Fractal Fantasy bill Friday night. In addition I've got a remix of Keys N Krates who join the star studded lineup for RELIEF, tonight at Velvet Underground. As always you won't want to miss the epic amount of new music from our great, albeit aphotic, Canadians. Bump In The Hump runs live from 6-8 PM EDT on Radio Humber, stream here, or after the fact via Mixcloud, here.

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TroyBoi w/ Louis Futon & Slumberjack at Danforth Music Hall

After the unseasonably warm weather the last week or so, the fall shift has finally come. It's even rained for the first time in what seems like all of September (not a complaint). That being said, festival season and the excellent outdoor events that accompany it are all but over (although I'm sure there's several events for Nuit Blanche tomorrow).  And this can only mean one thing, IT'S CLUB SEASON!

It'll be the first fall without our beloved Hoxton, but that just means more and more people will be turning to Velvet Underground and Danforth Music Hall to fill that gaping hole in our hearts. The first of seemingly dozens of can't miss autumn events comes tomorrow night when TroyBoi is set to tear down The Danforth as a part of his Left Is Right tour, in support of his debut album of the same name. Joining him on this stop are Philadelphian Louis Futon and Aussie duo Slumberjack.

Now you'll certainly be aware of Slumberjack if you follow this blog at all, as is the case with TroyBoi, who I've covered a couple times here, but Louis Futon is someone who's yet to find his way onto EFYE. But boy, is he quality and a fantastic fit for this lineup. Just a quick scan of his Soundcloud page shows serious success with powerful poppy productions like "Rewind" which just broke a million. Then there's his alarmingly awesome flip of THEY.'s "U RITE." But if big is what you desire, look no further than the phantasmagorical and feels ridden, future bass track "Wasted On You." First two are available free.While this is a TroyBoi headlining show, I'm actually most excited to see Slumberjack, who I've been waiting to see for several years, each time missing them for some stupid reason or another. After first discovering them through their brilliant bootleg of What So Not "Touched," I then became even more infatuated as they combined with Sable for "Sprinter," before dropping their sensational self-titled EP. And holy crap is "Horus" still hellaciously good. Then they got deliriously deep and emotional with "Open Fire" (as covered here), while still showing some brain battering bass abilities with their "Scary" good remix of Stormzy (once again covered here). Since then they've really taken off with the fiery EP Fracture. So while I'm not sure what to expect from their set, I cannot wait to take it all in.Now for the main course. As if the 11 tracks above weren't enough, how about an epic 20 track album? Yes, that's right. TroyBoi's debut is that big. I mean the man was able to get Ice Cube on a track, so yeah, it's pretty clear this man is making waves. The lead track even puts it more explicitly, as "Bitch I'm Awesome." So if bass bangin', booty swangin' beats are what you desire then TroyBoi is just for you. And you know what? I could list a dozen or more remixes and originals that would solidify this sentiment, but you might as well just start with the single release that is succinctly his style.At last look, tickets were still available, but are said to be in short supply. There's usually some saved up at the box office for those keeners that show up early, but don't take my word as gospel. I'm just a fan, I serve no official capacity. So if you want to see a spectacular show, and why wouldn't you after all the awesome tunage above, check out the Facebook event here, and get direct link to tickets here.

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Trippy Turtle Drops 2 Tracks and Announces Tour

Trippy Turtle (the Jersey Club moniker of choice for Lido) has made quite the splash in the last week, dropping original "Animal" last Wednesday, and a collab called "Lettuce" with Soulja Boy, yesterday. Adding to that he's just announced that he'll be heading on what he's calling the "Lettuce Turnip Tour." Starting August 1st in his homeland, he'll head through the UK, Germany, all across the states and end up in Toronto and Montreal, the first weekend of November. Expect the tour to be an explosion of energy, naughty bed-squeaks and fire FoFoFadi tracks. Tickets go on sale tomorrow, so don't sleep! FOLLOW TRIPPY TURTLE: FACEBOOK SOUNDCLOUD TWITTER

Bump In The Hump Sneak Peek: Somna - My Shelter (ft. Matthew Steeper)

While it seems the majority of electronic music coming out of Canada is darker, deeper and more bass oriented there's also some strong trance tracks from the likes of Soundprank, Yang and Somna. The latter, Benjamin Leung, has become a staple on Bump In The Hump, usually used to lead off each episode with his epic, joyous soundscapes. His latest of that variety, "My Shelter" a collab with vocalist Matthew Steeper, will once again launch the hour of new Canadian electronic music. In fact the second track in tonight's episode of Bump In The Hump, while not directly from Somna, is indeed inspired by the man himself. Because I follow him on twitter I received a DM offering a free download of fellow AVA artist Memory Loss and her track "Maybe Tomorrow." Of course I couldn't turn down that offer and proceeded to find out that Memory Loss is also Canadian. I don't know what it is about Vancouver that inspires so much great trance music, but I'm glad it's a thing.

Joining Somna and Memory Loss tonight, there's another new Dom Dias bootleg, a stunner from Vincent, some hard and heavy stuff from Black Tiger Sex Machine and Exclusion, and an aptly timed remix from Jacques Greene who is set to play Velvet Underground this Saturday (details here). Finally, since Friday is a holiday there will be no episode of My Mixtape, however it'll return next week. Catch tonight's episode of Bump In The Hump live on Radio Humber from 6-7 PM EDT, here.

Bump In The Hump Sneak Peek: Jacques Greene - To Say

This past Friday Jacques Greene released his much anticipated album Feel Infinite on LuckyMe Records. The veteran DJ and producer is no stranger to incredible original productions, with tracks like "These Days" garnering strong support from Annie Mac and others. And while he's been relatively quiet release-wise, it's almost assuredly a result of an intense focus on Feel Infinite. A focus that shines bright throughout the cohesive and emotive album, as each track has been clearly polished beyond compare, playing its role perfectly in the opus that is Feel Infinite. While you can call his tracks house, I find it hard to accept it as just that. Ever since I first heard, the Will Ferrell from Old School aided track, "I Like You" I've had a hard time quantifying Greene's releases. They are quite simply quality, thoughtful and supremely designed electronic productions. Just damn good music, regardless of genre.After having already heard both "You Can't Deny" and "Afterglow" on Bump In The Hump, it's my pleasure to be able to play yet another cut from Feel Infinite tonight, "To Say." You can also see Jacques Greene as he returns home to Toronto at the tail end of his tour, April 15th at Velvet Underground (RSVP and Tickets). "To Say" isn't the only Friday release that gets a spin on Bump In The Hump tonight, I've also got a track from BADLQQK's RQQKIES 2. Nor is Feel Infinite the only new album represented, as I've got a track from Honey Beard's debut Dreamless Sleep, out this Friday. Finally we enjoy an onslaught of house from Cosella, Smalltown DJs, Pat Lok and birthday boy Frustra, who is playing tonight at Edenhall and Saturday at The Beaver. Hear all this and more live on Radio Humber from 6-7 PM EDT, here.

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G Jones - Pull Up

There's no other way to describe G Jones' latest track "Pull Up," as anything other than bass. With riddim, dubstep and trap influences throughout, "Pull Up" is a confluence of the all the best, bass-focused genres has to offer. It's menacing, rattling the very core of the listener, with sound design reminiscent of the best bass producers known to this world. Somehow he's channeled Flux Pavilion, Excision, Bassnectar, Rusko and RL Grime, and combined them all, in a cohesive and killer fashion.
I cannot help but envision an interstellar space battle, as ships careen through explosions, with lasers and rockets blasting all around. In fact I think it should be the soundtrack for the latest installment of Call Of Duty: Infinite Warfare. The real magic and guiding force behind "Pull Up" is the percussion; resisting it is futile as G Jones grabs listeners by the scruff of the neck, dunking our heads in toilet bowls, brazenly bullying us with his bombastic bass throbs. From its ravey beginnings through its domineering and derelict devolution of dance sentimentalities, G Jones succeeds in delivering his vision for bass tracks of the future. "Pull Up" is the lead single from his forthcoming EP, Visions, set to be released "early 2017," for which he is also touring North America from December 30th through April 22nd. He makes a stop at Toronto's Velvet Underground February 1st, tickets at gjonesbass.com

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Ryan Hemsworth - Absolut Night at Velvet Underground

Feels like I talk about Ryan Hemsworth all the time, so it should come as no surprise that I had such a great time last night at Velvet Underground for their special Absolut party. This event had been on my radar since mid September, when the call for RSVP's went out. Oddly the RSVP's didn't seem to play in at all, other than allow Absolut to email us. The initial online list only asked for first names, which they didn't confirm on the way in. This is all fine because it was free entry, which we were reminded of multiple times. "Arrive early to avoid disappointment." And early did people arrive, I've never seen such a long line (in proportion to the venue) 45 minutes after doors. Unfortunately I got there as the same time as everyone else; the line wasn't half as long any other time during the night. Once getting in I was treated to the wonderful surprise of two free drinks. Despite the long wait due to the complexity of the four different Absolut branded drinks, they were well worth it. Velvet was specially made up with installations by Adam Hummell & Shadi Assadin, creating VIP vibes. People were more dressed up than normal, drinking nifty drinks from crafty cups, listening to the coolest mix of music. On the floor the constantly flashing lights in our cups were joined by one of many little artsy touches that made the night so special, some kind of headgear covered in LED lights - a mix of deadmau5 and Rezz.

While I always really enjoy the crowd vibe at Velvet, last night's was extra enticing. People were talking to each other more, having freer fun, all while being warm and respectful. It took me back to the 'good old days,' filled me with nostalgia, and members as though this were South Park. Whether it was the free booze, the extra attention to the visual aesthetic, the incredible curation of the DJs sets, or a combination of all of those, it certainly felt like a night I'll remember fondly. The highlight for me is, as you would have guessed, Ryan Hemsworth's inimitable 'live' mixing style. While technically what he does probably isn't unique, Ryan's multi-track live mashup approach is tremendously enjoyable and well conceived. The constant mixing together of bright, happy, at times kawaii, beats with rap vocals creates an incredible, uplifting cacophony of sounds that shouldn't work, but always does. His sets dart back and forth between solo elements of the two, including many of his own productions, which, if you're like me hits you right in the heart. He mixes so quickly from element to element, you don't have time to get bored let alone shazam it. Not that it'd matter, shazam wouldn't be able to identify much anyway, due to the constant mashing up. Nevertheless, here's a few tracks I did identify last night. FOLLOW RYAN HEMSWORTH: FACEBOOK SOUNDCLOUD TWITTER

The Magic of Machinedrum's Human Energy Live

Last night Travis Stewart, aka Machinedrum took to the stage at Velvet Underground for a special live performance of his album, Human Energy. I'll be honest, up until a month ago I wasn't even aware of Machinedrum, but when I stumbled across his album I was immediately taken. The bright computer driven sounds, fantastical flourishes and streamlined approach at storytelling is exactly what I look for in an album. The continually playful and progressive style of his effect-driven tracks and their multitude of tempos make Human Energy a wild white-knuckled ride. The composition of the album is such that it lends itself to a live performance, allowing fluid movement between tracks.

He began with "Ocean of Thought." Waves of emotion washed over the sea of faces, as the incredible over arching progression of the track reached its high water mark, breaking the levy, setting in motion a series of events that could not be stopped. The following track "Spectrum Sequence" brought beams of light as the crowd bounced along with the wobbly synth strides. Each climbing chord catches the ear, burrowing into the brain, taking command of our corporeal being, slipping into our souls.

The composition of each euphonic sound and symphonic stride is key to the quality of each track. There's a clear road-map for Machinedrum to follow, he just has to fill in the blanks with his finger drumming and machine manipulations. It was interesting to note that he didn't follow Human Energy's tracklist, opting to take us on a unique journey. Moving from the more anthemic arches to fast flying tracks and resplendent reprieves, the emotional roller-coaster that is his album and his performance of it, kept the floor of revelers on their toes. "Morphogene" is perhaps the best example of this. Nothing stays the same, "the only guarantees come with changes." The movement in each track is simply spellbinding.

It's impossible not to get whisked away by flourishes of "Isometrix" or the impressive intensity of "White Crown." Then again the stoic strength of "Colour Communicator" and its palpable perfection is enough to inspire even the most insipid listener. That's the beauty of Machinedrum's live performance and album. Despite relying entirely on computer based, digital sounds which obviously lack humanity and emotion, he is able to inject it chalk full of feeling and (human) energy. The albeit limited lyrical content succeeds in adding an emotional element and story we can sink our teeth into. Whether it's "Tell U," "Do It 4 U" or "Celestial Levels" the theme Human Energy stands strong throughout. The final track of the night "Angel Speak" had me feeling all kinds of awesome, simply stunned by the potent performance I had just witnessed.

As I tweeted last night, Human Energy is likely my favourite album of the year, Machinedrum's set may also be my favourite of the year, and he definitely deserves some sort of Grammy consideration, both for the album itself and what I believe to be the standout track (among others), "Colour Communicator." If you get the chance to check out a Machinedrum show, DO IT! And be sure to stream Human Energy so you too can feel "sad, elated, wistful, petrified" and ready to explode. FOLLOW MACHINEDRUM: FACEBOOK SOUNDCLOUD TWITTER

Bump In The Hump Sneak Peek: Weekend Warmup

This week on Bump In The Hump, I take the Weekend Warmup from a single track preparing you for a single event, and triple it in size. The final three tracks of the night will get your ready for Frustra, Hudson Alexander and RYME all performing this weekend. First I've got the pleasure to premiere a brand new Frustra track featuring frequent collaborator Nahte. The new track "Body" is set to drop November 1st via OKNF alongside a number of remixes. I'll be playing it in support of a new party called CRUEL CLUB, which will see Frustra performing live alongside Mavis and Nahte, Thursday at The Steady Cafe & Bar. It's a free event so no need for tickets, but if you're interested you can find out more details via the Facebook event. Hear the premiere of "Body" live tonight on Bump In The Hump. Friday night Hudson Alexander will join fellow Bedroomer, Eytan Tobin at the Velvet Underground in support of Machinedrum's live tour. You'll hear his above track tonight in support of that event, and you can grab it alongside the two other free tracks he dropped Sunday for his titled mastered release. RSVP and get tickets for Friday here, and stream Machinedrum's new album Human Energy here. Rounding out this week's Bump In The Hump is the latest RYME production, a remix of M.in & Riven's "Connect." The duo of Rynecologist and Meech will be performing alongside yet another Bedroomer, Burglar, Saturday at The Hoxton in support of Boys Noize. Tickets are scarce but always come available last minute as people try to get rid of them. Best chance is to check the facebook event, here.

These three tracks will get you ready for particular parts of the weekend, while the rest of the hour of new music that is Bump In The Hump will get you ready for the weekend at large. I've got a new track from Zeds Dead ahead of their album Northern Lights which drops Friday, new remixes from Dom Dias, Future Magic, Young Bombs and Dropwizz as well as originals from Eekkoo, and Kayliox & A-SHO. It's as jam packed a show as the weekend. Listen to Bump In The Hump tonight, live from 6-7 PM EDT and join me at one of the above mentioned venues, Thursday, Friday and/or Saturday.

Harrison, Allie and Clairmont The Second at Velvet Underground

From Indoor Recess twitter

Last night locals, Harrison, Allie and Clairmont The Second all took the stage at Queen Street's Velvet Underground. The party follows the release of Harrison's debut album, Checkpoint Titanium which features both Allie and Clairmont The Second as guest vocalists. Both openers took advantage of The Velvet Underground's small space, injecting the audience with incredible energy. Much like the last time I saw Clairmont The Second (with Tennyson at The Great Hall basement), the energetic performer took to the crowd, literally bringing his vivacity to them first hand. This was one of the themes of the night, the local, community and family feel that was ever present.

It was a special night for Clairmont who was celebrating his 19th birthday, with his crew/family there documenting the whole night, which was also the last of his tour (which saw him play 5 cities in as many nights). Many of the attendees were well versed in Clairmont's songs, singing along while riding along his dynamic delivery and flow. By the time Harrison took the stage, the crowd's energy hit a boiling point as the headliner was joined by a guitarist for a dreamy, illusory intro, at once grabbing the audience's attention and energy. He then proceeded to bring up both Allie and Clairmont for their respective tracks, "Vertigo" and "It's Okay I Promise."

By this time the crowd's energy (and perhaps inebriation) was absolutely overflowing. Dance battles were breaking out with Harrison's tracks making people faint into their friends arms. There was one particular patron whose signature move was miming a trust fall not just into his friends but into random, unsuspecting guests. This boisterous bumping was perhaps commanded by Harrison who at one point took to the mic to tell us "If you're looking at me, you're doing it wrong. Dance! Dance with yourself." This was really taken to heart by the crowd who were absolutely eating up everything Harrison brought to the table.

The who's who of Toronto electronic artists were there in support of these three fast rising talents. Sighted in the crowd were Pusher, Chet Porter, Grandtheft and Ryan Hemsworth, who also took the stage alongside Harrison, first to play their collaborative effort "Vanilla." After that success, the two played what seemed to be an impromptu B2B set which lasted a good 15 minutes until Harrison took the decks back for himself, playing popular tracks such as his remix of Nelly Furtado's "Turn Off The Light," "Right Hook" and album title track "Checkpoint Titanium." Just before the clock struck 2AM, Harrison once again invited Hemsworth to join him on stage where they declared their desire to play until security kicked them off. Despite the now dwindling numbers, the two continued to command the crowds attention dropping the likes of Shiba San's "Okay," Riton's "Rinse & Repeat," and new Mr. Oizo and Siriusmo, "All Wet."

From Ryan Hemsworth's twitter

Overall the night had the distinct feel that these young artists are the future of the Toronto scene. Harrison's combination of sound and style, new and old, and live performance are clearly forward thinking and provide a truly enjoyable experience. Even twitter account @HungoverFromFun addressed this fact, calling the three performers "the future of Toronto." Expect your friends to become familiar with the names Harrison, Allie and Clairmont The Second as the three continue to strengthen their stranglehold on the Toronto scene and expand into the mainstream consciousness.

FOLLOW HARRISON: FACEBOOK SOUNDCLOUD TWITTER
FOLLOW ALLIE: FACEBOOK SOUNDCLOUD TWITTER
FOLLOW CLAIRMONT THE SECOND: FACEBOOK SOUNDCLOUD TWITTER