DJ Velvet

What is your favourite album of 2023 and why?

My favourite album of 2023 has to be Fridayy by Fridayy. He provided such a heartfelt project with his deep and soulful voice. Being of Haitian descent myself, I was able to relate to his project from a personal point of view. His choices on production + the different featured artists really made for an incredible album. I have not stopped listening to this album since it came out.

What was your best live music experience in 2023? 

My best live music experience was probably seeing Daniel Caesar in concert, and I’d say performing at SXSW.

What is your favourite memory of 2023?

My favourite 2023 memory was by far being part of and performing at the RANGE Magazine showcase at SXSW in Austin back in March, truly an unforgettable experience.

 

DJ Shub

What is your favourite album of 2023 and why?

Mac DeMarco’s One Wayne G. This album has 199 tracks! Apparently it’s a dump of all the songs that never made it onto previous records. So many great songs, literally too many to mention. A close second would be that Turnstile x BADBADNOTGOOD EP, New Heart Designs. That one hits on so many feelings. 

What was your best live music experience in 2023?

Winnipeg Folk Fest hands down! One I will never forget, the energy and love I felt from the crowd was pure magic. 

What is your favourite memory of 2023?

New Orleans Jazz Fest was such a great time. I was honoured to play on the Heritage Stage alongside New Orleans’ own Cha Wa Band. 

 

Joanna Magik

What is your favourite album of 2023 and why?

This question gave me far too much anxiety. It’s like picking a favourite star in the sky. There’s so much beautiful music out there that even reviewing my most frequently played tracks did not help. Canadians Keys N Krates, Kiinjo and Smalltown DJs released incredible music this year (and I’m so happy with how our collaboration, Energy, featuring Techno Tupac, was received). I love the new Chemical Brothers album. Dom Dolla, Dombresky, Taylor Pierce, Kyle Watson, JWorra, Black V Neck, Sally C, and Max Styler were in each of my sets this year. This is impossible to answer.

What was your best live music experience in 2023?

Small events and underground festivals nurture the soul, cultivate scenes and bubble up new sounds. They are such a joy. That being said, experiencing a mass rave such as Insomniac’s EDC is a thrill. This beast of a production deserves applause for its attention to detail (surprise and delight around every corner, hidden stages, fantastically costumed performers), premium production at scale and no visible corporate presence. Founded by old-school raver/promoter Pasquale Rotella (and friends), the spirit trickles down from the top. Runner-up is the iconic Space Miami terrace. From starlight to sunburn, it’s a grooving paradise.

What is your favourite memory of 2023?

My favourite music memory of 2023 is being included in the 2023 Future of Dance by 1001Tracklists. Very grateful and extra motivated. 

 

Donna Dada

What is your favourite album of 2023 and why?

I have always been a big fan of Shall Not Fade’s sublabel, Time Is Now, and the Forlorn EP (TIN041) release was one of my favourites of 2023. The artist, Sage Introspekt, is one of the only American producers that I can think of that properly reps the UKG sound (outside of the UK). She’s the baddest! The release is hot, and you’ll hear the third song on the EP, “Style so Hot,” in most of my sets.

What was your best live music experience in 2023?

Hands down Interplanetary Criminal’s Bass Coast set. I’ve been waiting to see him perform since 2020. Since then, he was nominated for a Brit Award, and the song he produced, “B.O.T.A,” hit the mainstream charts. Well, dreams do come true, and I was right on stage when he performed. The energy was amazing! He just kept topping his last track, even when you didn’t think it was possible. Pretty sure I pulled some unhinged fan shit at the end of that set. Definitely glad I got to experience it!

What is your favourite memory of 2023?

Despite some ups and downs it’s actually been a pretty good year. I’d say that two stuck out the most—I had the awesome opportunity to open for K+Lab at Meow Wolf in Denver—a pretty stupendously impressive artistic venue and concept.

 

Handsome Tiger

What is your favourite album of 2023 and why? 

James Blake’s Playing Robots Into Heaven. It’s been quite a while since a whole album captivated me front to back. James Blake really leans into his electronic music past with this record while still very much showcasing the singer and songwriter he is.

What was your best live music experience in 2023?

Playing Main Stage at Bass Coast 2023! Have played there for years but this was definitely my biggest set there yet. Got to share my Indigenized beats & plan a super cool stage show with other contemporary and traditional Indigenous dancers. Was also pretty neat to see a mob of people show up in their best camo & orange fits, which has become a Handsome Tiger staple.

What is your favourite memory of 2023?

Getting to tour to lots of new places and playing the most shows I ever have this year, while spending lots of special times on the dancefloor with friends and making great connections. 

 

The Librarian

What is your favourite album of 2023 and why? 

Overmono – Good Lies. This album was teased over the first half of 2023 with a single dropping every few weeks, which meant that I would listen to each song on repeat, really letting it become the soundtrack for that portion of the year.  The album is as much a listening album as it is a club album, and it speaks to my love for melody and storytelling with just enough unexpected twists and turns in each track to keep me fully engaged.

What was your best live music experience in 2023? 

Bass Coast 2023 was full of incredible sets this year, but one really stands out in my memory. Batu played Sunday night on Slay Bay stage and the energy had been very high all night. He started by immediately stripping back the music and building a tension that drew everyone in.  I was in the centre of the dance floor from beginning to end, surrounded by friends, and we were all wrapped up in his set. Batu built layer upon layer with textures and polyrhythms. He has mastered the art of tension and release. It was complex but also approachable and the dance floor was an explosion of energy while he stood there stoic and composed, focused on building an experience that took us all in. I am so happy to have been there beginning to end.

What is your favourite memory of 2023? 

Playing Red Rocks in CO has been one of the best experiences of my life. I was invited by Of the Trees to play earlier this month and it was incredible. Entering the venue through the back door and walking by pictures of Sting, Jimi Hendrix, and a wall of icons who have played there impressed a sense of awe. I didn’t actually see the rocks until walking out on stage to play, and then it hit me. A century of incredible performances have taken place between these rocks, and I could feel the energy and music radiating from the natural amphitheatre.  The show was really special and I tried to soak up every second of it. 

 

Cloverdale

What is your favourite album of 2023 and why?

Though it was released at the end of 2022, I’m going to have to say Fred Again..’s Actual Life 3 stood out as my album of the year for 2023. For me, it represented so much. Not only was the music so well thought out, so beautifully constructed – it also was super fresh. It was a unique, creative, modern take on such a classic nostalgic sound. It was a breath of fresh air to see something so forward thinking getting the praise and recognition of the masses. All of that, coupled with the true humbleness of Fred himself, really impacted and inspired the work I’ve done over the past year. Allowing myself to take more creative risks and use my platform for good. Gone are the days of superstar DJs being arrogant divas. This new future is one I’m happy to represent.

What was your best live music experience in 2023? 

Hosting Vibrancy Festival in downtown Halifax in August. Talk about a surreal moment! Having only launched our record label Vibrancy in 2020, here we were for the second year in a row hosting some of House & Techno’s biggest names outside of City Hall for a two-day festival. We couldn’t be more proud of the city, the scene and everyone involved in making this event such a success. A festival of this kind and at this scale was unheard of prior to this, and is the culmination of years of work building a strong and healthy dance music scene here on the east coast. To see all the smiles on everyone’s faces, the genuine excitement to see their favourite artists, the packed dance floors, it was unlike anything I’ve ever experienced and by far my favourite live music experience (okay, I might be biased but I had the best time ever!)

What is your favourite memory of 2023? 

Getting to perform at EDC Las Vegas. It was truly a dream come true. As a dance music DJ/Producer, gracing the decks at this festival has been the ultimate goal for many. It’s the biggest of its kind and unlike anything in the world. Being given the opportunity to showcase my art and sound on such a world class stage was unbelievable. To represent Canada, and all the people who’ve helped me along the way. To have my whole team, family and friends watching… it will forever be ingrained in my memory.