Photo by Negar Nakhai
The electronic music scene in Montreal claims the crown for the Epic Tune Breeding Ground title. We get tons of headliners with confetti everywhere and huge flame blasting-right-in-your-face type shows, but we are also home to more experimental sounds. This city accommodates some of the world’s brightest up-and-coming producers, many of whom push the boundaries and trends of music to where they’ll be tomorrow . For real. Today, an art promulgating initiative called Artbeat Montreal started off as a bunch of music-loving producer friends, who get together on a regular basis to share the beats they’ve cooked up over the weeks. Laval beatmaker supreme Kaytranada (previously, Kaytradamus) made his debut through the collective. Since then he’s become one of the most coveted prospects in the post Dilla/Nujabes beatmaking era. Nowadays, Artbeat events bring together the most innovative movers and shakers of the entertainment industry under one roof, with the ultimate goal of promoting and reaching out to cultural enrichment through its influence.
About three years ago, at an Artbeat performance, a dj by the name of Vlooper (a producer for local hip-hop collective Alaclair Ensemble) greeted the crowd to his set with “Bonjour, mon nom est Vlooper and I’ll play some Piu Piu music.” Somewhat coining the term (Piu Piu! A spaceship interjection—you get the idea), the name stuck and is now tying itself to many electronic producers. Other local producers like High Klassified, Phil Sparkz, Kenlo CraqNuques, and Charlez Cozy rep Montreal’s Piu Piu community, and their tracks really embody what the music is all about. The movement is also affiliated with Los Angeles’ rowdy artists Shlohmo and LOL Boys, Seattle-based producer Sango and Toronto native Elaquent among other international producers who have given into the hype in one way or another.
Piu Piu is evolving from Vlooper’s joke and community of artists into something of a mindset. Do what you love and craft your imagination into something real—something to be proud of. Kaytranada went from performing at ArtBeat with friends as audience to this year’s Igloofest main stage and a raving crowd of eleven thousand people. For its ambassadors—the many Artbeat craftsmen, Piu Piu represents a community of individuals that combine the technological tools and innovations available today as part of their creative process, incorporating the ever-evolving elements of electronic beatmaking into their final products and delivering the best punch they can.
A piu-piumentary is also in the works, led by Aisha Vertus and Philippe Sawicki. You can check that out on their facebook page along with some tracks under “Piu Piu Beat Tapes” on their bandcamp.
Keep checking in with us: We promise to keep you up to date with what’s good in and with MTL.
-Etienne Delaune
