CMW 2013 Preview: Electronic

By Chris Dart

In the past few years, Canadian Music Week has done a good job of bolstering its electronic music offerings. By partnering with events like Bassweek and Foundry, the festival has managed to offer a wide range of electronic sounds, embracing everything from drum and bass to synthpop.

CHVRCHES

When: Wednesday, March 20, 10 p.m.
Where: Mod Club Theatre (722 College Street)

CHVRCHES has only released a handful of singles, but has still managed to find its way onto several British best-of-2012 lists. The band has been compared to acts like Robyn and the Knife. If you’re looking for this year’s “I saw them before they were big” act, this one would be a pretty reasonable bet.

Martyn

When: Friday, March 22, doors at 9:30 p.m.
Where: Black Box Theatre at The Great Hall (1087 Queen Street West)

It’s kind of weird to think that dubstep already has traditionalists, since the genre is only about a decade old, but there’s no other way to describe Martyn. The Dutch-born, DC-based DJ and producer has been critical of dubstep’s devolution into a bombastic orgy of bowel-liquifying sub-bass and roaring mid-range, and has been trying to take it back to its trippier, spacier origins.

Andy C

When: Friday, March 22, Doors at 10 p.m.
Where: The Guvernment (132 Queen’s Quay East)

Andy C has been moving crowds and creating anthems for a generation. While he’s probably best known for his remixes of pop and hip-hop tracks, he’s also a drum-and-bass forefather, responsible for creating some of the best-known songs in the genre. He has also managed to launch the careers of many younger artists—most notably Noisia and Chase & Status—through his RAM Records label. C is a legend in his genre, and an absolute must see for anyone with even a passing interest in drum and bass.

Diamond Rings

When: Friday, March 22, 10 p.m.
Where: Kool Haus (132 Queen’s Quay East)

Locally speaking, Diamond Rings is rapidly approaching must-see territory. Former D’Urbervilles frontman John O’Reagan’s legend has been growing pretty steadily ever since 2009, when he relaunched himself as a glammed-out synthpop star. He’s already reached headliner status, and crossover-pop-star appeal is by no means out of the question. See him now, before he’s playing Sound Academy.

Light Asylum

When: Saturday, March 23, 1 a.m.
Where: Wrongbar (1279 Queen Street West)

When: Sunday, March 24, 9 p.m.
Where: The Garrison (1197 Dundas Street West)

Brooklyn-based darkwave act Light Asylum is one of the buzzier electronic acts at this year’s CMW. The duo borrow equally from Frankie Knuckles and Nitzer Ebb, and have been praised by everyone from the Guardian to Pitchfork. The band was considered one of the breakout acts of last year’s SXSW.