The mood was set to a sexy vibe by Mark Kloud and Perceptor's back-to-back opening set at Soundlab on April 19, for a show put on by MNM Presents.  Bass with air of dream-like qualities, it was a relatively mellow warm up.  Tiny neon green dots of light moved across the floor like lightening bugs, crawling then converging and exploding like a firework in a repetitive patterned sequence.  The venue slowly filled until there was hardly room to move freely as everyone awaited impatiently for Los Angeles native Jennifer Lee to take the stage, known by her DJ moniker, TOKiMONSTA.  

Her set was beautifully executed and the room became quite in tune with her sounds.  By perfectly blending future bass, electronic, and hip-hop elements the crowd never wavered.  It would be untrue to say that female DJs do not succeed in the EDM scene, however, it is apparent that a majority of well-known DJs are men.  Watching TOKiMONSTA flawlessly break the unspoken gender barrier was refreshing to see.  It was clear that as she performed, her personality shone through her track selection and transitions and her femininity was neither a factor nor a concern during her set.  One tune that stuck with me was a remix of "Bass" by A$AP Rocky.  From what I could tell the remix was along the same BPM as the original track which fit perfectly with the rest of her set.  Mid-way through her performance was a piano interlude.  For those aware that her musical background included playing piano, this was an impressive move on her part.  For those that did not, maybe it was unexpectedly pleasant.  This became clear when the group on the small dance floor at Soundlab slowed down and became mesmerized, waiting to see what she was going to do next.  At the end of the ditty, the room applauded and TOKiMONSTA clapped along joyfully and smiled widely at the audience.

http://www.tokimonsta.com/
TOKiMONSTA on Facebook
TOKiMONSTA on Twitter

Ranked #1 female DJ in LA Weekly, TOKiMONSTA, will be in Buffalo tonight thanks to MNM Presents. She is also the first female to join the Brainfeeder crew, a highly-esteemed record label in Los Angeles. She tours worldwide and has such talent that she has been recognized by major publications and radio stations such as DJ Mag, Pitchfork, LA Times, SPIN, BBC Radio 1, and KCRW - and that's just to name a few.

Her musical background as a pianist influenced and created the distinct sound that she has become so recognized for. Her creation of "vast textural soundscapes through the utilization of live instruments, percussion, digital manipulation, and dusty noise" is what has made her name so established in the ever-changing music world. Marrying her passion for hip-hop and EDM, she produces and performs an energetic and wavy sound. TOKiMONSTA also does not let the fact that she is a female in a predominately male environment stand in the way of blowing the minds of her listeners. Her powerful persistence to achieve has proven she's a bad-ass lady with no fear of going head-to-head with "the big boys."

Tonight at Soundlab, doors open at 9 pm and the show goes from 10 pm to 2:30 am.
Openers include Ay Fast and also a back-to-back performance by Perceptor and Mark Kloud.
Tickets are $15 at the door. +18
Check the Facebook event page for more information.

Don't miss this.

Have a listen to her original tunes and remixes on her Soundcloud.

Is Buffalo weather starting to wear on you? Find yourself wanting to scream obscenities at one too many cars that have driven by and splashed murky slush onto your jeans? I know I rely on popping Vitamin D pills daily to curb the dreaded seasonal depression. Thank goodness this winter has been the best spring Buffalo has ever had, but regardless, the dreary skies and lack of sunlight may be coming to an irritating point.

"Breathe" by Télépopmusik is a throwback tune that I have consistently listened to and not gotten sick of. For those who have known about this, you may agree with me. For those who have never heard it, you can cross this off your 'songs-I-need-to-hear' list. It's one of those all encompassing mood satisfying tracks; when you're miserable, alienated, ecstatic or enraged this song can cure it, at least in my opinion.

The French electronic trio, Télépopmusik, released "Breathe" on their 2001 album Genetic World. Their sound is minimal house with a hypnotic downtemp. This song has that powerful way of bringing an inexplicable feeling to the surface. It brings you to a place you can't quite describe.

The music video captures the essence of the song perfectly while also creatively incorporating poetic and deep themes. The scene is mellow but shot in a light that leaves a bizarre taste in your mouth. There are juxtaposing concepts represented throughout the three minute video. There is uniting love, life, death and the perspective of loneliness. If you're the type to analyze videos, you may discover there is an argument of innocence versus cynicism and that the destruction of something beautiful doesn't go unpunished. By the end, you may be longing for the literal summer sun or the metaphorical need for a better state of mind, but the lyrics will keep you grounded and still intact with hope.

"Another day, just believe, just breathe..."



Also, check out this remix I stumbled across by Los Angeles female producer, TOKiMONSTA, entitled "Breathe on my Contacts".