Wikkid Records is an independent electronic label releasing cds and vinyls internationally from their offices in France and Montreal, Canada.
"Wikkid exploded onto the international scene in 2001 with the promise of bringing long-deserved recognition to some of Montreal's most talented breaks and d'n'b producers.
"The Wikkid record label had already made a name for itself in Montreal as the former home of both the Urbanauts and Bollywood breakbeat boys Hadji & Lmo. After moderate success and the subsequent breakup of both groups, Wikkid owner Julian M. Paige refocused his efforts internationally and in 2001 signed the French band Aiwa, Capital J from Toronto, the Nuskool Players from the U.K., and Montreal electronic-music pioneer Kristian.
"Since 2001, DJ & remixer RCola has acted as label manager, handling N. American operations, working closely with Paige on A&R, and setting up their online distribution company in Montreal: JungleX
"Over the last 3 years, Paige has consolidated his roster to further his Wikkid intentions. There's David Kristian and his "Music from the Mermaid Room" 10 CD series, 16 12" vinyls from junglists RCola, Capital J & Freaky Flow a few other names on Wikkid's hit list, that merit your attention.
"Wikkid's wickedest score in my book, is Aiwa - two France-based Iraqi brothers, Wamid and Naufalle, whose mashing of jungle, dub and all manner of Arabic sounds breathes new life into the "oriental breakbeat" approach. The band has shared stages with Rachid Taha, Natacha Atlas & Transglobal Underground. Considering how boss their "Yi Yi" and "El Nar" full-length albums turned out, Aiwa is definately one to watch.
"RCola lauds Montreal's growth and standing. "I believe Montreal has been coming up in the music world for years and gained a certain notoriety for electronic music. Due to the success of our festivals and local heroes, many more ears have been tuning in to what's coming out of this city."
"While Misstress Barbara, Akufen, Fred Everything and Tiga have brought acclaim to techno, house and electro here, one is hard pressed to find a label pushing experimental breaks and d'n'b as Wikkid have done.
"We're not so genre-specific as many other small labels," says RCola. "Our scope is broad enough to include many styles and methods. For instance, we've put out a barrage of hard-hitting underground dance records and mix CD's, which mainly focus on the club sound and dancefloors. With Aiwa, which is a nine-piece band fusing organic d'n'b with traditional hand drumming and ethnic rhythms, we required a more methodical approach to capture their live essence in the studio... "
"Our latest projects "Aiwa remixed: Volumes 1 & 2" and the 12" vinyl remix series brought these two sides of the label together. Over 20 different producers remixed songs from the first two Aiwa full-lengths to create an amazing journey into their world and beyond. Jungle, House, Techno, Big beat, Downtempo - almost every style of dance music has been represented and really shows the Wikkidest side of things to come." (Rupert Bottenberg, Montreal Mirror)
DJ Sarcastic
Founder of Montreal-based underground electronic music pantheon Level 4 Productions, DJ, producer, event organizer and professional music critic, Sarcastic Steve has been possessed since childhood with a needling drive to splice together discrete musical compositions, first with cassette decks, microphones, CD players or 8-tracks, and finally with computers, hardware, and the fabled Technics 1200s.
His love for the chugging repetitive nature of techno, acid house and hardcore genres remains informed by an early appreciation for hip-hop, stoner rock, jazz and psychedelia of all sorts.
Considering his broad range of influences, it's not surprising that Sarcastic's productions range from minimal to maximal, incorporating elements from underground electronic music genres as disparate as techno, dubstep, breaks, house and trip hop. A onetime guitarist and songwriter, Sarcastic cuts tracks from the perspective of DJ, audiophile, record collector, philosopher, social critic and artist all at once.
DJ Sarcastic's current discography already displays obvious diversity: his Something Strange is Happening Downtown EP (Phoniq) is melancholy, sparse and experimental minimal techno, while his remix of Aiwa's Pharagonescia (Wikkid) weighs in at the opposite end of the scale: pounding, raw ghetto-tek. Upcoming releases include a remix for live drum 'n bass outfit Hardsteppers, an EP for Quebec City minimal label Pertin_nce and a deranged, sample-based concept EP for local online label Angry Loner.
Equally at home behind two or three decks, Sarcastic's reputation as a DJ has allowed him to perform alongside many of his musical mentors: NYC's Frankie Bones, Detroit ghetto-tech's DJ Assault, Stockholm's Thomas Krome or Slobodan, London breakbeat stars Freestylers or Deekline, dub luminary Deadbeat or minimal techno scientist Algorithm. Lengthy local residencies have seen Sarcastic spinning carefully programmed DJ sets encompassing styles that range from pure tek, minimal and experimental techno, acid, breakbeats, DnB, booty, house and tek-house to classic rock, funk, soul hip hop, trip hop, blues, jazz and bluegrass.
Meanwhile Sarcastic continues to run against the grain, eclipsing expectations and defying conventionality in the ongoing quest for communal and individual expression through sound and music, always attempting to balance the relevance of his two guiding mantras: 'we're all gonna die' and 'one love'.
Level 4 Productions
Level 4 Myspace
TO BUY AIWA CD'S CLICK HERE
FOR AIWA REMIXES ON 12'' VINYL CLICK HERE
JungleX Online vinyl
