Ghislain Poirier |
Beat Research, the Monday-night beat-scholar fest at Enormous Room, is going large this Friday with Bouncement, a party of extreme bass sound and huge beats with an experimental touch. Here’s the surprise — it’s at the Linwood Grill. “They got in touch with us and asked if we wanted to do something there,” says DJ FLACK (a/k/a Anthony Flackett) while on break from his teaching duties at MassArt. “And that was right when Ghislain got in touch, so we’re going to give it a shot.” Ghislain is GHISLAIN POIRIER, a glitch and hip-hop producer and DJ from Montreal who’s joining the festivities along with DJ C (a/k/a Jake Trussell) and ZEBBLER and SEAN STEVENS doing visuals.
“This is the first time we’ve taken Beat Research out of the Monday-night context.” Flackett continues. “We thought it would be fun to make a big ol’ slammin’ dance party.” And slam it will. Poirier is a world-class producer who’s remixed Lady Sovereign and made beats for Parisian hip-hop act TTC; DJ C is Boston’s own legend, having made tracks for M.I.A. among others. Zebbler and Sean you might have heard of. “We’ve known Peter [Zebbler] a long time through MassArt,” Flackett pounts out, “and he DJ’d with DJ Krush, so he’s got chops.”
Poirier chimes in via e-mail: “I like both sides of DJ C, the production and the DJing. I feel really close to what he’s doing and I like the bounce in his riddims.” Both DJ C and DJ Flack have visited Montreal and played at Poirier’s Bounce Le Gros party, a jam-packed crazy night of French- and English-speaking Canadians under one roof. “His night brings everyone out,” says Flackett, “and that’s what we’re all about too, bringing people together.”
The common thread of the music Beat Research plays is bass, and Poirier is no different. “I like to play lots of different music. It’s not a secret, but the common link is bass. So all the combinations between raggae, electronic, and hip-hop are welcome. I also play a bit of dubstep and soca.” And he’s liking our Basstown more and more. “I’ve played a couple of times in Boston, and it seems like there is a scene evolving there. I’m starting to see some familiar faces when I’m DJing, which is always nice, and I’m starting to push things a bit further musically when I play there.” Flackett is excited by the possibilities of the new venue. “We mostly wanted a big open space where people can really dance.” The party starts at 9 pm and is only $5.
All three of the players at Bouncement have new CDs to pimp as well. Poirier has just released his Bounce Le Remix Vol. 2 project on his Web site, an 11-track compilation of new beats with killer reworks of Clipse, Busta, and Ciara. (Circuits’ favorite has to be the Daft Punk/Spank Rock mash-up/edit on track #4 — brilliant.) DJ Flack is dropping his Strictly Scientific album on Providence’s Cozy Music this spring; included is “KlezmaTone,” a wild blend of reggaetón and klezmer. Not to be outdone, DJ C will bring out Sonic Weapons on Wimm Recordings June 6. It includes contributions from MC Zulu and Boston’s WAYNE MARSHALL and remixes from Poirier himself. “It was a pleasure to remix that track he did with MC Zulu,” Poirier says. “I’m pretty sure you’ll hear him remixing one of my tracks in the future.” What goes around comes around.
Speaking of going around: the Student Council has announced its guest for the next Boston Roller Boogie party. Best DJ in Boston 7L takes on the Chez Vous roller rink alongside DJ KNIFE and resident COLBOURNE. It’s the first time 7L will have played at the venue in at least a decade. “Umm, we actually were in a few local hip-hop talent showcases there in like ’94,” he says via e-mail. “I am glad people are getting together to help the place out. I was never much of a skater, but in the ’80s the music was always top-notch — a nice balance of R&B, which is light years better than today’s R&B. You know, Al B Sure, Black Flames, that stuff mixed with a healthy amount of hip-hop, it was a good time.” The party — dubbed “Spring Rolls” — is next Thursday, April 5, and the $8 admission includes skate rental. “Looking forward to the Pepsi and microwave pizza,” 7L signs off.
There’s more hip-hop activism this Saturday when ACT Roxbury, Critical Breakdown, and Berklee College throw down at the Hibernian Hall in Roxbury. The five-hour event is free and starts at noon. Two cool panels will take place, one on “Women in Hip-Hop” and a “Demo Derby” where experts will critique songs submitted that day and break down what makes a hip-hop classic. Panelists will include PRINCE CHARLES ALEXANDER and WBUR critic RENEE GRAHAM.
On the Web
Ghislain Poirier: //www.ghislainpoirier.com/
