Nathan Fake
The second evening of Mutek programming progressed much like the first, with experimental fare early and the more danceable material later. It provided a wonderful opportunity to explore Montreal before being overwhelmed by the evening’s programming.
The experimental showcase largely lacked the levity of the pior night, testing the patience of many, giving others time for a quick nap. The festivities kicked off with Freida Abtan, whose blurred visuals of elaborately costumed people making exagerrated motions suited her dreamy soundscape.
The Caretaker looked to be having a grand time on stage, drinking whiskey throughout his performance. His visuals, a video collage of his travels, properly evoked the stated theme of memory, with barely discernable faces and situations. This perfectly complemented the only occasionally noisy layered samples providing the soundtrack. To close out his set, The Caretaker removed his blazer to reveal a glittery shirt, taking the microphone in hand to sing a heavily distorted version of Barbra Streisand’s “The Way We Were.” Weird and hilarious.
Nurse With Wound set the tone early more with their unsettling visuals (from an Irish filmmaker) than with their “music.” Initial video included a stoic group sitting in a house with bleeding walls and the occasional dump of organ meat from the ceiling. It was thoroughly disgusting footage but also completely captivating. Next was a burning house, including a man setting a sleeping girl’s bed on fire, before moving to more neutral slo-mo video of falling objects. The video got less intense as the band grew increasingly dissonant, with all manner of guitar and bass effects adding to the din. It was an interesting bait and switch of the senses that left one relieved when it was all said and done.
The more danceable fare was only partially easier to handle. In one room of Metropolis, Mouse on Mars built up to a banging set that bludgeoned across the entire frequency range. The effect was compounded by the unceasing strobe lights and the bright wall of LEDs behind them, creating a deafening and blinding experience. Nathan Fake was similarly massive, with the lights at a slightly less retina-searing level, throwing in the occasional glitch to keep his abstract techno interesting. Despite the sensory overload, the room still never gained full momentum.
The Mole & Chris Hreno
The real action was found in Metropolis’ other room. Kept mostly dark other than the visuals (watch out for those steps!), the room was full of dancers as The Mole was the surprise guest during Chris Hreno’s set. The Mole added live synths to Hreno’s set, the music working the crowd (and the performers) into a happy early sweat.
Complot label head Mossa closed out the night, bringing along label partner Dafluke and Qzen for the ride. After a short set by Mossa, the three tagged for most of the evening, bringing the funk to counter the other room’s more sterile vibe. Even Qzen spent much of the night out in the audience dancing. After starting the night with such abrasive textures, the trio’s warmth was just the antidote to leave the crowd happy and smiling as they slowly spilled out into the city.
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