j.hjort

Best ELECTRONIC ACT in PORTLAND

Jason Hjort could be nominated for a lot of Bimpies any year — he’s got a techno duo called Secret Weekend, he recently started playing guitar with Hiss & Chambers, and he’s been known to throw a great alt-’80s dance party — but he seemed pretty humbled to have gotten that first plaque under his belt. “Well, I’m thrilled to have won an award, as this was my fourth time being nominated, first time winning,” he said.

Hjort’s versatility is a natural offshoot of his work promoting many types of music in Portland. “We’re continually planning releases and events with our online (and local) electronic music community, wepushbuttons.com. There’s a lot of talented people producing electronic music in Portland and WPB is a way to try and help spotlight them and bring them together,” he says.

You can see a few facets of his craft at work at Empire Dine and Dance on May 16, as j.hjort plays a BMP Festival show with Hiss & Chambers and spins one of a few dance sets to go along with it.

— Christopher Gray + Deirdre Fulton 

Runners-up
1. Dreamosaic
2. Tempera
3. Whitehouse on Trial