Gerald Belanger
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Biografía
- There are many quotes about electronic music industry pioneer Gerald Belanger. He's been called a "mad scientist," "Toronto's keeper of the electronic music flame," and an inciter of "dance frenzies." One recurring topic when Belanger's name is brought..There are many quotes about electronic music industry pioneer Gerald Belanger. He's been called a "mad scientist," "Toronto's keeper of the electronic music flame," and an inciter of "dance frenzies." One recurring topic when Belanger's name is brought up is "the future," and how he seems to have his finger on its pulse and "cleverly predicts the healthy future of music.” Through his many activites with record labels, recording acts, radio stations, and music think tanks Gerald Belanger has proved himself an electronic music soothsayer, one whose next move is always fascinating and worth following. Belanger's beginnings as radio DJ and contributing editor to the beloved music magazine Option easily prepared him for his first label venture, DOVentertainment (Death Of Vinyl). This company acted not only as a label, releasing 37 titles before 1995, but also as one of the first North American distributors of electronic music, working with classic labels like Tresor and NinjaTune. The success of this operation lead to DOV branches in Germany and the UK, the latter even going against its namesake by pressing vinyl 12" releases. Not content with all this activity, Belanger found the time to open Modulations, the first retail store in Toronto to focus on techno and electronic music. The store soon developed into an online record shop, one of the first in existence and, again, showing Belanger's knack for getting the jump on future trends. By 1996 the always-in-motion Gerald Belanger focused his attention on a new endeavor, a recording studio and post-production facility named nice+smooth. A primary activity in this studio was recording with close friends Christopher Drost and Heiki Sillaste under the band name Kinder Atom. This project, as well as the music of other acts being recorded at nice+smooth, reignited the label bug within Belanger, inspiring the creation of his nice+smooth ultramedia imprint. By 2001 the label had released sixteen CDs and records through an arrangement with Los Angeles' Hypnotic (at the time the US home to Kraftwerk and Future Sound Of London) before becoming a fully independent label. nice+smooth also became an outlet for Belanger to once again predict the future, as the label started offering sales of its releases on MP3 through its site in 1999. It was one of the first labels to do so, even predating the introduction of the iPod by two years. nice+smooth ultramedia has proven extremely successful and is still releasing music to this day, presently working with a diverse range of artists such as Roy Davis Jr. ,, SolaZul, ICR, Stephane Vera and many more. Meanwhile, Kinder Atom went from strength to strength with six album releases to date and a number of accolades and acclaimed singles. The group's biggest success was their track "Illegal," a collaboration with Grammy award winning reggae vocalist Michael Rose. This song became an international success, and was licensed to Germany's Basswerk Records with a remix by The Green Man which was also a global hit. It was this version of "Illegal" that ended up featured in an episode of CSI:Miami. Kinder Atom have also collaborated with Jamaican via London singer Musical Sniper (from UB40 ‘s Oracabessa Records) and chanteuse Genvieve Marchessau (formerly with BMG). They've co-written and produced groundbreaking 'chill-out' albums with Vancouver's Dead Voices On Air and England's Rapoon. Further displaying their diversity, Kinder Atom also remixed the track "Boom Boom Boogie" for Canadian rap star Snow which was released by Warner Bros. in the United States and Japan, topping many dance charts. Gerald Belanger's solo activities have also been noteworthy. As a DJ, he held a spot on Toronto's CKLN 88.1 FM since 1990 with his influential radio show Unfortunate Sonic Casualties. This program lasted for 21 years, finally ending when the station unfortunately ceased its operations. Belanger has also DJ'ed at clubs and festivals worldwide, touching down throughout North America, Europe, and Japan. His DJ sound is eclecitc and unique, a beguiling mash of futuristic house, bass, and eclectic freestyle grooves all touched upon by an experimental mischievousness. Finally, as a proponent of all things futuristic, it's natural that Belanger draws upon his experience and opinions to speak at numerous seminars and serve on various think tanks. He's been a guest speaker at the Amsterdam Dance Conference and the Oberlin College Independent Media conference, a panelist at the Toronto Urban Music Conference Independent Labels Seminar, and a consultant for the highly influential Marshall McLuhan Centre On Global Communications think tank. Belanger also had the honor of programming and curating the Canadian Music Week electronic music showcase for three straight years. Ready to approach the brave new world of this decade's music industry at full throttle, nice+smooth ultramedia is now a digital-only label ready to issue a steady and exciting flow of releases which Belanger refers to as "bizarre and lovely." Belanger is also back in the studio recording with Kinder Atom and a new musical project christened Star Safari. After producing, compiling, licensing, and overseeing nearly 200 releases in the electronic music world it's no surprise that Belanger continues to be a major force on the scene, almost 25 years on down the line. After all this predicting, influencing, and dreaming, Gerald Belanger will undoubtedly continue to play a part in what the future has in store.̸Left Leg Kinder Atom - MMM! (2xCD, Album) Hypnotic 2001 Instruments & Performance Signal 30 - Thee History Of Bionics. Part One (Cass) Kaka Tapes 1995 Ral Bag Various - Drug Test Two (2xCD, Comp) Invisible 1997 Lazer Caps - Rubber Jazz / Harmony (12") Hypnotic 1998 Lazer Caps - Asskicker (CD, Album) Hypnotic 1998 Rapoon vs. Kinder Atom - Rapoon vs. Kinder Atom (CD, Album, Ltd) Klanggalerie 2000 Kinder Atom - MMM! (2xCD, Album) Hypnotic 2001 Lazer Caps - Rubber Jazz (CD) Nice+Smooth 2004 Kinder Atom - Soft Hand Feel (CD, Album + DVD-D, PAL) Nice+Smooth 2006 Kinder Atom - Eagle Sprouts (12") Nice+Smooth 2006 Writing & Arrangement Illegal (Tgm's Basswerk Remix) (as Belanger) Tgm* - You Decide (CD, Album) Combination Records 2001 Monkeys DJ Shine - Thinque (CD, Album) Nice+Smooth, Nice+Smooth, Nice+Smooth, Nice+Smooth 2001 Featuring & Presenting Dead Voices On Air - How Hollow Heart... (CD, Album) Invisible 1997 Production Various - Death Of Vinyl (CD, Comp) DOVe 1991 Various - Death Of Vinyl Revolutions Vol. 1 (CD, Comp) DOVe, DOVe 1993 Various - Ambient Rituals 2 - Trip Into Dub (CD, Comp) Hypnotic, Hypnotic 1995 Various - Ambient Rituals: Exercise One - Music For Soul Braiding (CD, Comp) Hypnotic 1995 Lazer Caps - Rubber Jazz / Harmony (12") Hypnotic 1998 Lazer Caps - Asskicker (CD, Album) Hypnotic 1998 Various - Metro Breaks 99: Deeper Drum & Bass From Darkest Toronto (2x12") Nice+Smooth 1999 Kinder Atom - MMM! (2xCD, Album) Hypnotic 2001 Lazer Caps - Rubber Jazz (CD) Nice+Smooth 2004 Kinder Atom - Soft Hand Feel (CD, Album + DVD-D, PAL) Nice+Smooth 2006 Kinder Atom - Eagle Sprouts (12") Nice+Smooth 2006 DJ Mix Various - Oscillate: The Best In Drum And Bass (CD) Nice+Smooth 2002 Technical Drumme+Basse III Various - Drug Test Two (2xCD, Comp) Invisible 1997 Digital Poodle - Combat! (CD, MiniAlbum) Cleopatra, Cleopatra 1997 Dead Voices On Air - How Hollow Heart... (CD, Album) Invisible 1997
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