On the verge of unleashing his highly anticipated 'Absolute Monster' EP on Ram Records, Rene LaVice touches down with Kmag to fill us in on the bits that continue to shape the Toronto-based artist's inimitable sound.  

THE PRODIGY – BREATHE – XL RECORDINGS (1996)
The first time I heard this tune I was completely addicted to it. I don't think I even knew what breakbeats were yet, but being a kid who was obsessed with drum kits, graffiti and breakdancing, this tune really spoke to me. Unlike most energetic music I'd heard, this tune was high energy, yet there was something enigmatic about it that never got boring. When I was a young kid I would wake up every morning and play this on loop over and over and over.

 

 

 

ORIGIN UNKNOWN – TRULY ONE – RAM RECORDS (1995)
I heard this record at a time when I was first learning about what drum & bass was and I was fascinated by the breakbeats and experimental sounds. Naturally I didn't have speakers with any bass at all on them so hearing this on a big system for the first time blew my mind. The bassline just spiralled down deeper and deeper and shook the entire building! I then understood why drum & bass as a genre has the name that it does and why these two elements made for such fascinating music.

 

 

 

AIR - MODULAR MIX – VIRGIN (1999)
I first heard Modular Mix as the backing track for Tom Penny's part in a skate video called Menikmati. As soon as I saw Penny's segment he was instantly my favourite skateboarder. The fluidity of the grooves in this track matched seamlessly with Penny's effortless style. Penny doesn't skate, he floats, and whenever I hear this track I get that same feeling of weightlessness that comes naturally with masterfully crafted music.

 

 

 

DILLINJA - I TOLD YOU HOW TO ROCK – VALVE (2001)
I can't count the times a track by Dillinja has made an impact on my life, but I'm featuring this one today because ten years later it still makes any crowd go nuts! The first time I heard this tune it hit me like a sneak attack. The shadowy intro leads you down the dark alleyways of a post-apocalyptic future only to spin around and slap you in the face on the drop! This tune will have everyone from your kid to your granddad bouncing off the walls... In a good way.

 

 

 

RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE - WAKE UP – EPIC (1992)
When I was younger the energy of this song electrified me. It's a feeling often drew from in the music I've made ever since. It's a jolt of raw energy that makes you feel totally alive. I think the way the band infused their sound with a blend of different genres is part of what makes it so captivating. The politically charged lyrics started to mean more to me as I grew older and began to understand how society worked and how you're only free up until the split second before some asshole decides to wave a baton in your face.

 

 

AS TOLD TO: CHRIS MUNIZ

Let the neighbours know things are going to get a bit hectic when Rene's 'Absolute Monster' EP hits the streets via Ram Records on the 23rd July 2012.

 

Related Links:

• Rene LaVice Guest Mix
• Podcast 34
• John Rolodex Guest Mix
• Podcast 23
• Podcast 28

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