Palm Tapes

Northern Palms – ‘Volume One’ C54 $5
Northern Palms Volume One is a compilation of Canadian house and electronic music. The start of a series on the North, it features four artists, and begins along the Speed River in Guelph. Here, Brian Schirk, AKA “M. Walter,” rides his bike into flora hugging city limits. There is dystopia in his tracks, but also fresh and airy futurist breeze – elegance with disconcerting sterility beneath. Then, it’s northeast to a peninsula of sea cliffs and ocean expanse. The aural offerings of Halifax’s Nate Doucet, AKA “ADO,” mirror rugged nature’s stubborn force; hypnotic drums are a biofilm slowly coating. Montreal’s Graeme Stewart, AKA “Burn Cycle,” kicks off the reverse side. His celebratory tunes are soft-focus, galaxy-groove, fun. His arrangements, spacious and effective, beam patterns of sunshine to the dance. Lastly, Toronto’s Jordan Pearson, AKA “Motoko,” matches playful melody with vivd mood, creating a transporting beach-side vibe. House nods and Sakamoto-esque synth paint a sea-breeze dream concluding the tour. It’s easy for this tape to make heavy rotation; it’s always a pleasure.

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