Ghislain Poirier is known for tearing it up over in the direction of Montreal with regular monster raves under the city's bridges. More fool me I've missed him every time he's hit Toronto, including both the release of his latest album down the Drake Hotel, then on Nuit Blanche - a 24 hour art mad rush around the city, and the only time it feels like there's a night life outside the Orwellian "clubbing district" - when his partners in illegal partying Megazoid played off the same hotel's roof to crowds below.

Poirier's recent "Blazin'" track was a pretty big number, getting the remix treatment from Trouble and Bass' Starkey, Modeselektor and ripped with the vocals of TTC's Telephone. He sounds a bit like a heavily fractured electro dance hall in places or just stonking slap down rhythms poked around some more familiar club voices and rap artists, at least that's my impression of his Bounce Le Gros mix CD.

Recently Pitchfork had him do a pretty short mix poking back and forth between African rap and grimey bass lines. Anyone that liked the templates of exotica opened up by those Maga Bo mixes I linked to before, is sure to like this shit. If you are looking for more along these lines, get yourself a copy of The Rough Guide to African Rap compilation and do check out X Plastaz, their "Msimu Kwa Msimu" number is one of my recent favorites.

Labels: African Rap, Ghislain Poirier, In Me Ears, maga bo, mixes, montreal, Music