Marc (DJ Oxide) LaCasse
sHIFT Radio 101.5 UMFM Fridays 9pm-11pm CST Winnipeg Manitoba
Since October 4, 2001 Oxide and André Bisseck have delved into the deep, the funky and the minimal. Explore the space between house & techno every Friday evening. In conjunction with sporadic artist interviews as well as local event information, sHIFT Radio is the audio gateway to start your weekend off.
Marc is also a regular contributar to !earshot and has published dozens of reviews
2011 in Review
We've asked artists and programmers look back at the year in music and give their picks for the Best of 2011
Artists
The Pack A.D.
Romi Mayes
Jason Raso
Joshua Hyslop
The Bombox Saints
My Son the Hurricane
Writers & Programmers
Marc "Oxide' LaCasse
Chris Hibbard
Andy Gronberg
Bruno Mazzotta
The Best of 2011 with Oxide
Even though every year there is a stream of new offerings from the majors and independents crossing my desk, Early in 2011, I was drawn in by Adam Kesher's Challenging Nature although it was released in August 2010. For genuine 2011 records there was lots of great listening but only a few life altering albums.
Austra in particular caught my ear just before the summer and after a recent stop in Winnipeg I was more than ecstatic. It wasn't until their show I was converted into an actual 'fan'. Their performance at the WECC drew me in closer with an enigmatic emotion I haven't felt since seeing Metric live.
On the electronic dance front Shades of Gray topped the list easily with an articulated mass of funky techouse rhythms and a heaping side of soulful melodies. More amazing vocal performances came from Adele & Calgary's Jaidene Veda.
Credit go to the duo of Rise Ashen & Flying Down Thunder for their new found sound of Aboriginal and dance culture mixed together cohesively for a wide spanning audience. Art Department seems more of a hidden gem amongst all the independent releases but it still has a powerful message that keeps you locked in.
Cinemascopique from Frivolous was an amazing song melding 4/4 techno with warm atmospheric soundscapes making it a great body vibe track.
With the Compact Disc disappearing from store shelves who is to know what the next media format will be favoured by music lovers and collectors alike - although vinyl will always be the correct answer.
Here is my full top 10 for 2011. Check them out. They are all worth the effort.
1 Austra � Sparkle � Paper Bag
2 Shades of Gray � Soul Machine � Beef Records
3 Adele � 21 - Columbia
4 Cut Copy � Zonoscope - Modular Records
5 Frivolous � Meteorology � Cadenza Records
6 Rise Ashen & Flying Down Thunder � One Nation � Balanced Records
7 Young Galaxy - Versus (Remixes) � Paper Bag Records
8 Blue In Green � The Break Of Dawn � Cold Busted
9 Art Department � The Drawing Board - Crosstown Rebels
10 Phil Weeks - Love Affair - Robsoul Recordings
