For almost a decade, Vincent Lemieux has played an integral role in Montreal’s internationally acclaimed dance-music community. Lemieux is man who wears many different hats: curator, label owner, DJ, producer, taste-maker… this is a man who has done it all and inflected every project in his association with an indelible personal style.
Internationally, Vince is probably best known as one of the curators behind Montreal’s MUTEK Festival. Since 2000, he has helped shape his hometown conception of progressive electronic music through the acts he brings to town. When not programming the festival, Lemieux hosts two of the most cutting-edge techno weeklies in the city. His long-running Tuesday night at Salon Daom, where he DJ’s alongside world-class talent, has become a staple in Montreal’s nightlife. Claude Von Stroke, Ricardo Villalobos, Luciano, Zip, Sammy D, they’ve all graced the decks at Daom courtesy of Vince.
As label owner of Musique Risquee, which he started with Akufen’s Marc Leclair, Lemieux is also responsible for fostering local and international talent. The label has released work by Atom TM, Akufen, Bruno Pronsato, The Mole, Jichael Mackson, Guillaume & the Coutu-Dumonts, Philippe Cam, and others. Musique Risquee tracks have been featured on compilations by Crosstown Rebels, Tigersushi, Fabric, and Freud Am Tanzen. Vince has also spawned the city’s Soiree Risquee nights, now with over 30 incarnations, showcasing the label’s fine roster to enthusiastic fans.
Yet it is his work as a DJ that has caught the ears of the most listeners. Lemieux has toured the world as an ambassador for Montreal’s distinctive brand of micro-house. As the official MUTEK DJ, his sets have been a staple of festival showcase from China to Paris to Berlin and back. His DJing skills have found fervent followers all over the world, at events in Spain (Sonar), Mexico (MUTEK_MX), Chile (MUTEK_CL), and Argentina (MUTEK_AR).
Since 2005, Lemieux has been expanding into music production through collaborations with Guillaume Coutu-Dumont (as Flabbergast) and Stephen Beaupr? (as Brandy Snifter). Currently he’s mixing first mix album of Musique Risquee greatest hits, which is due in 2009/2010. In the next year, focus will shift increasingly to recording music and moving into the one domain of electronic music he has yet to conquer.
More info:
www.musique-risquee.com
www.myspace.com/musiquerisquee
www.mutek.org