Hudson Mohawke let his music do the talking last night (November 13) at Toronto's Mod Club. When the Glaswegian producer approached the stage, silhouetted by light and fog, the crowd roared, but HudMo didn't give even a word to the audience, instead quietly taking his place behind his onstage setup — he was to control the party from behind the scenes, rather than as a larger-than-life celebrity DJ.
The show opened with the glitchy, fluttering minimalist electro of "System," as lights flashed in unison and thudding kick-drums sent vibrations through the floor.
Lantern is an eclectic LP, one that showcases Mohawke's swerve from the rap-leaning sound he became known for since producing for the biggest names in the industry — Drake, Kanye West, Lil Wayne — to honing his own sound.
Trap cut "Scud Books" and the sweet soul-sampling "Ryderz" consumed the audience, but the love was spread out. "Lil Djembe," a speedy, short and rising Eastern inspired electronic hit, hyped many while it lasted. All the while, Mohawke bounced to the groove at the back, as drummer Ben Thompson pounded ferociously along.
With all the fog and flashing lights, it didn't matter that HudMo wasn't all that engaging with the crowd — he was a silent, masterful sound manipulator, transitioning between songs so effectively that the set flowed and felt like one extended song.
The show opened with the glitchy, fluttering minimalist electro of "System," as lights flashed in unison and thudding kick-drums sent vibrations through the floor.
Lantern is an eclectic LP, one that showcases Mohawke's swerve from the rap-leaning sound he became known for since producing for the biggest names in the industry — Drake, Kanye West, Lil Wayne — to honing his own sound.
Trap cut "Scud Books" and the sweet soul-sampling "Ryderz" consumed the audience, but the love was spread out. "Lil Djembe," a speedy, short and rising Eastern inspired electronic hit, hyped many while it lasted. All the while, Mohawke bounced to the groove at the back, as drummer Ben Thompson pounded ferociously along.
With all the fog and flashing lights, it didn't matter that HudMo wasn't all that engaging with the crowd — he was a silent, masterful sound manipulator, transitioning between songs so effectively that the set flowed and felt like one extended song.
