Re:Conceive 2 Montreal electronic producers review
Music, Sounds

Various Artists, Re:Conceive 2: REVIEW

by Dave MacIntyre

“A dizzying 26-track compilation showcasing Montreal electronic producers, with net profits being donated to the Native Women’s Shelter and refugee legal clinic Just Solutions.”

Various Artists, Re:Conceive 2 (independent)

Raving by itself is fun, but raving for a good cause? Even better. A sequel to the first Re:Conceive compilation released in 2020, Re:Conceive 2 is a dizzying 26-track compilation of tracks by Montreal (and Montreal-adjacent) electronic producers, among them Ouri, M. Bootyspoon, RAMZi, and Priori. The compilation will be donating its net profits to The Native Women’s Shelter of Montréal, as well as to Just Solutions, a legal clinic for refugees. Kicking things off with the string-heavy “Orris” by Racine, the project can definitely feel more designed for lounges or blissed-out basement parties than the dancefloor, but it’s nonetheless a vibrant collection of tracks by established and up-and-coming local talent.

Jungle, drum n’ bass, hardcore techno (e.g. hardstyle or happy hardcore), breakbeat, trance and IDM are just some of the electronic subgenres on show here. RAMZi and Ouri in particular, along with Victor Bongiovanni and Anderson Midnite, have the compilation’s strongest four-track run. Though the sequencing is definitely chaotic (and shouldn’t be treated as a front-to-back album, given it’s a 26-song compilation), there’s plenty to enjoy here for fans of those genres.

The compilation, being released on June 15, covers all kinds of stylistic bases, though it’s unlikely to convert outsiders and casual listeners too much –  probably not helped by the ear-splitting gunshot effects on DEIDRE’s “Terminatrix” and the ominous, almost psychedelic sci-fi horror sounds heard on Jesse Osborne-Lanthier’s 15-minute closer “NO AGE, KNOW AGE, NEWS AGE MUSIC”. A bare-bones acoustic number, rollingunrolling’s “A Light Step” also feels a bit out of place here. Despite this, Re:Conceive 2 should be a thrilling listen for those who are already enthusiasts of more left-of-centre electronic sounds, and reaffirms how much future-forward talent Montreal continues to boast in that genre.

7.5/10 Trial Track: Victor Bongiovanni “Rinse & Repeat”

For more on Conceive2, please visit the compilation’s Bandcamp page.

This review was originally published in the June 2023 issue of Cult MTL.

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Posted in Music, Sounds

by Dave MacIntyre

Contributing editor for Music
Dave MacIntyre is a Montreal-based freelance journalist. His primary topic of interest is music, but is equally comfortable writing about sports, current events, and Montreal-related initiatives. Outside of Cult MTL, his bylines can be found in publications like BeatRoute and Northern Transmissions. And no, he is not related to Reba, nor to the WWE wrestler Drew, nor to Joey from New Kids on the Block.