The WEPUSHBUTTONS AWARDS, celebrating the best in Portland electronic music, were distributed this past Saturday with a show at SPACE. Big winners include DJ NICOTINE and MOSHE, who tied to take home the Maine Legend award (awards were voted on online by www.wepushbuttons.com visitors); BRZOWSKI, who took home the Best Artist award; SONTIAGO, who garnered Best Hip-Hop Act honors; and SYN THE SHAMAN, who was namedBest MC. With 25 categories, it’s possible some hairs were split along the way, but it was all for the good cause of shining a spotlight on local electronic music makers. Certain “Sibilance” staffers were also happy to see DJ SHADEZILLA — the former DJ shAde, who picked up his moniker at one 54 Clark Street, if we recall correctly — pick up the Best Hip-Hop DJ tribute. You can leave us your record collection anytime, shAde.
Speaking of MOSHE once again, look for his MILLED PAVEMENT RECORDS to release another compilation, Goose Bumps, sometime this month or next. It will have more than 30 artists featured and will be distributed digitally.
Turning to the metal front, OGRE report that they’ll be recording their third full-length this December, getting ready for their second release on Japan’s LEAF HOUND RECORDS. Word is the new album will consist of one 35-minute multi-part epic suite, described as the “answer to that age-old question, posed by no one, yet pondered by all: What if Black Sabbath had recorded 2112 [note: the best album Rush ever recorded]?” The band will record with MARC BARTHOLOMEW at ACADIA RECORDING COMPANY and are hoping for a March 2008 release, with accompanying tour of Japan with Tokyo’s CHURCHOF MISERY and NYC’s BLOOD FARMERS.
Remember that Prague trip we told you DREADNAUGHT’S BOB LORD was on? Check out the results at www.myspace.com/dreadnaughtrock, with “James Thresher Industries, Est. 2007,” performed by the MORAVIAN PHILHARMONIC with conductor VIT MICKA. Lord did the composing and orchestration and Dreadnaught originally recorded the track.
The coolest Maine band you’ve probably never heard of play November 17 at the White Heart. RURAL ELECTRIC, sounding like a mix of Soltero and Fables-era R.E.M., are supporting their 2006 disc, The Road to Hell Is Paved, are just off being the “band” for indie darling the CAPSTAN SHAFTS, and it would be worth showing them we here in Portland know more about alt-country/indie pop than those poseurs in NYC.
