Recently in Forever 21, I heard a curious electro-pop song come onto the store's music mix. It was reminiscent of Miss Kittin and Felix da Housecat's "Madame Hollywood," their funny collaboration on the glitz and glamour of nightlife, almost a decade old now. But instead of glorifying nicotine and limousines, the song I heard in this cheap-chic mecca was talking up techno itself. The female vocalist deadpanned: "I hope they have new records from Detroit at the store."
Courtesy of Mary Anne Hobbs
Mary Anne Hobbs, Sunday on the Broad Street Stage.
Timothy Saccenti
Flying Lotus, Thursday at Neumos.
Details
Decibel Festival dbfestival.com. Individual showcases $5–$35; all-access pass $157. Wed., Sept. 22–Sun., Sept. 26.
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True enough, the Detroit Electronic Music Festival has celebrated that city as the "birthplace of techno" since 2000. Every Memorial Day weekend, scores of Seattle-based DJs, producers, and music enthusiasts head there—often stopping off at Montreal's Mutek festival—to absorb the most cutting-edge sounds. They bring that energy, and frequently those artists, back to Seattle.
Now in its seventh year, Seattle's own Decibel Festival doesn't draw six-digit crowds (thanks to its relatively isolated location), but has begun to attract attendees from around the world. Despite a lagging economy, Decibel drew more than 15,000 people last year, with noticeably fuller venues (primarily Capitol Hill clubs) and more involvement and crossover from Seattle's various dance-music scenes.
"I think more people are getting hip to it—I think Burning Man has [had] a lot to do with exposing people to dubstep, glitch, and bass-oriented types of music," says Decibel founding director and curator Sean Horton. "I'm hoping next year we can work with Bumbershoot, and do more events at Seattle Center and downtown. I love the small-club scene, but it's important in growing a large festival program."
This year, more artists than ever—pushing forward more exciting music than I've heard in a long time—are appearing for five days of aural abandonment, visual stimulation, music-industry education, and a lesson in booty-shakin'. To help make the most of your experience, here's a quick Virgin's Guide to Decibel. Even if it's your second or sixth time attending, why not push your boundaries and try something new? Be open, and you could be blown away.
Picks
Wednesday Drum-&-bass-heads pining for the Baltic Room's old weekly (circa 2005 and before) will be pleased to see London's Klute, L.A.'s Gridlok, and a host of Seattle's best d&b DJs return to the venue tonight in a big salute to the black-sheep genre (8 p.m.). Klute has proven an imaginative and prolific producer, with releases like 2005's double album No One's Listening Anymore.
Alternatively, the Ghostly International showcase at Neumos (9:30 p.m.) kicks off the fest with a warm, mellow program of hip-hop, downtempo, and minimal sounds from label artists Mux Mool, Gold Panda, and Lusine. The latter's A Certain Distance was a great achievement for the Seattle artist, and one of 2009's best electronic albums. Pantha du Prince, who indie fans may know through his work with Animal Collective and Cold Cave, is a special headlining guest. His shimmering, melodic techno album Black Noise is high on many lists for 2010.
Thursday What is the sound of a Flying Lotus? Listen and try to describe it yourself. The Los Angeles artist's recent album, Cosmogramma (a "space opera" on venerable Warp Records) has gotten rave reviews. The FlyLo & Friends showcase at Neumos (9 p.m.) is up against an exciting party across the street at Sole Repair (9 p.m.) for local collective Made Like a Tree. DJs Struggle, Energy Flash, and Lioncub are known for their left-field sounds, including "stripped-down dub and techno, rare oldies, psychedelia, and ethereal house." Headlining is "analog house savant" Disco Nihilist, from Austin.
Friday Every year, the Optical showcases give ambient fans a chance to sit down and zone out to sounds that can be equally meditative and complex. Case in point: returning artist Murcof, who performs his celestial, classically inclined vibrations at tonight's Optical 1 (6 p.m.). Joining him are Robert Henke (Monolake) and Mark Van Hoen, whose work as Locust back in the '90s appeals to shoegaze and Seefeel fans alike.
"We are severely spoiled when it comes to shows in Seattle, and we take it for granted sometimes," says ambient artist Rafael Irisarri, whose cover as Ghostly International's The Sight Below was recently blown. He has helped Decibel acquire some of the best like-minded talent for the Optical programming. Scott Sunn, who has made pitch-perfect backdrops for artists like Loscil at similar showcases, will provide live visuals.
Later in the evening, Modeselektor's utterly unclassifiable beats (9 p.m.) are one of the more unique sounds to come back around to Seattle. If you've seen that duo already, two other major showcases are tied for best bet. The Trust showcase (at Sole Repair, 9 p.m.) matches local party-throwers Sun Tzu Sound with young Manchester artist Trus'me. "His first record was based on samples and loops from old soul-disco records. It was in my top-three albums of the year," says Sun Tzu's Jason Justice.
And you'll find Shawn Kralicek (DJ Struggle) enjoying the sounds of the Planet Mu label (at the Baltic Room, 9 p.m.): "FaltyDL has made some incredible stuff in the last year. His All in the Place EP on Rush Hour Recordings is a favorite. It's the direction I'd always hoped dubstep would go: drawing from all types of sounds to create something fresh."
