Electronic · CA · Active since 1976

Ghislain Poirier

Heavy, urban-focused electronic beats that collide Montreal hip-hop with global bass pressure. Gritty, rhythmic, and built for late-night city movement.

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Intro

Poirier creates a sonic landscape that feels like a high-speed chase through a rain-slicked metropolis. His music is defined by a restless, propulsive energy that draws equally from the cold precision of IDM and the physical heat of dancehall and global bass. It is music that demands movement, characterized by heavy, syncopated percussion and sub-bass frequencies that feel like they are pushing against your chest.

What truly sets him apart is his ability to bridge the gap between experimental electronic textures and the raw charisma of street-level hip-hop. Whether he is working with Montreal MCs or remixing indie rock anthems, there is a consistent 'Poirier' signature: a certain metallic crunch to the drums and a minimalist approach to melody that leaves maximum room for the rhythm to breathe. It is sophisticated but never polite.

To get a sense of his evolution, start with 'Beats as Politics' for his more abstract, socially-charged foundations, then move into 'Breakupdown' to hear his mastery of the dancefloor-ready 'tropical bass' sound that would come to define his later career and his tenure on Ninja Tune.

Ghislain Poirier, often known simply as Poirier, is a Canadian DJ/producer from Montreal who is signed to the Ninja Tune record label. He has, however, also worked with other labels such as Chocolate Industries, Rebondir, Shockout, Musique Large, Intr_version and 12k. His work mainly consists of original instrumental mixes and mixes featuring Montreal hip hop MCs including Omnikrom, Face-T and Séba. He also has collaborated with Beans, TTC, Lotek HiFi and Nik Myo. He is noted for popular remixes of tracks of rock and hip hop artists such as Les Georges Leningrad, Clipse, Editors, Bonde do Rolê, Kid Sister, Pierre Lapointe, DJ Champion and Lady Sovereign. Though he has worked in many different genres of electronic music, he is known for his eclectic taste in music and appreciation of tropical bass sounds.
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Our Catalog9 Albums · 2001 · 2024
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