•TAMERA RUSSELL•SAFE SPACES•COLE MENDEZ•BLACK GRAMMYS•MUSIC CODING•& MORE•FEB 2017• CONTENTS 04. 12. 26. 34. Staff Letters Looking Back Hand Over the Black Grammys Microphone 07. 13. 36. What Are You Life Under the 28. Weathering the Listening To? 6ix God Cole Mendez Modern Typhoon 08. 16. 29. 38. Educate, Create, Bizzarh Being South Asian Boy Better Know Cultivate Is A Blessing About Grime 22. 09. “Indie music is not 30. 40. New Sounds ‘white music’” Code Generation Best Albums of on Campus 2016 32. 24. Critiquing the 10. Thnks Fr Th 42. Spaces of Music Contributors Made of Soul: Msgny Criticism 02 Tamera Russell 03 masthead letters Melissa Vincent Stuart Oakes Editor-in-Chief Editor-in-Chief I remember my introduction to demo vividly. After a chance meeting with this year’s In first year, four (and a half million) years ago (yes, I am old, and yes, I fear death), music coordinator, Aviva, in my first year, she did everything but drag me by the arm one of my professors narrativized that the graphic novel had blossomed as an artform to the first meeting, and I have had my feet firmly planted in thedemo community ever because no one paid any attention to it. If no one is paying attention, there are few since. Reminiscing on my experience has made me wonder not only how our writers rules. Demo can be read in much the same way: perched a little precariously on campus, stumbled into demo but exactly which of the magazine’s qualities keep them coming without the prestige of a literary journal but not quite cool enough to sit with the back. Aside from being an ever-growing community that is endlessly supportive and art publications either. Instead, it occupies a less visible space; somewhere without freewheelin’ in its playfulness, I think much of it has to do with an unfettered freedom the crushing weight of all those readers. Hidden in the back of the garden with the that is surprisingly rare in campus spaces. Both intensely personal and capable of overlooked weeds and the little clusters of mushrooms,demo has bloomed. capturing board opinions, demo remains a platform where our writers not only have space to experiment with their prose but with their ideas. Is this reading entirely accurate? No, but there is at least some truth to it. In the space, the time, and the freedom demo has been given, it has grown significantly. Of course, Demo is not just a subversive music publication with a penchant for hot takes but also a hopefully, it will continue to do so. Attention is no more than what these insightful, landing site for poignant commentary on the new and ongoing challenges facing music dedicated, wonderful writers and artists deserve. However, I also hope that demo will scenes on a larger scale. The tone of this year’s issue continues our tradition of pushing stay a misfit, even after it becomes bewilderingly famous and influential (do not hold the envelope in order to capture student responses to an increasingly precarious social your breath; your uncle’s punk zine has a larger circulation). Those qualities have paradigm. Our articles this year are poignant, direct, and, above all, gutsy as hell. attracted a really wonderful community, and I am grateful to have been a part of it. As I anticipate that they will pry open a conversation, with good reason; the time for such, thank you to everyone who has been involved here, online, and at the hangouts complacency is past and our writers are pushing for direct action. You should probably and meetings. It has been an honour and a pleasure. take notes. Thanks to everyone that’s joined us on this journey, you are forever in our hearts (and you should probably take notes as well). I first learned about demo amid the chaos of Frosh week, before I had even stepped foot I cannot imagine my time at the University of Toronto without demo. This is super into any of my classes. My contributions to the print issue started off small: I contributed to cheesy and definitely not something clever where I drop a bunch of Kanye lines about layout first year, wrote an article second year, and now I have been given the opportunity how awesome I am but seriously, demo shaped my University of Toronto experience. to make an even greater contribution as Design Editor. Getting this position taught me In high school I always wanted a reliable concert buddy. Throughdemo , I have found many a thing, but most importantly it taught me the beauty in having people believe a community of concert buddies who have introduced me to amazing music and the and trust in you and your abilities. So I wanted this issue to be a thank you: to all the coolest venues in Toronto (RIP S.H.I.B.G.B’s ). is everything I wanted in ❤ Demo incredible writers who dedicated so much of themselves and their time to bring to light my squad goals: hangouts, dynamic effort and talent, and everyone letting me freak the issues within the music scene; to everyone who helped with design; and to the truly out about how much I adore St. Vincent. Being a part of the masthead this year was inspirational people with whom I share a masthead position. And to you, for reading this a privilege I never expected, and it has been a heck of a ride. Thank you, for demo, and picking up our issue. I hope it serves you well. keepin’ it 3 hunna; thanks to you, I have never felt alone in the Toronto music scene. Ayla Shiblaq Yasmine El Sanyoura Managing Online Editor Design Editor 04 05 John Monahan Hart House Warden Welcome to the Spring 2017 issue of demo. With the University WH0 ARE YOU February 2017•Issue 13 of Toronto devoting significant resources to determining how Editors-in-Chief Melissa Vincent it will respond to the calls to action from Canada’s Truth and Stuart Oakes Reconciliation Commission, this issue’s theme of Representation LISTENING TO? and Reclaiming Space is perhaps more pertinent and pressing than Contributing Arman Adel Writers Daven Boparai ever. Demo checks in with U of T students to see what music Samantha Capaldi Hart House has recently completed a new five-year Strategic Paul Ciurea Plan highlighting the key themes of Diversity, Exploration and they have been feeling lately. Rachel Evangeline Chiong Engagement. Hart House is committed to becoming an even more inclusive, welcoming and Isaac Fox respectful space where students of all communities, backgrounds, identities, and abilities see ARMAN ADEL Grace Guimond Savana James themselves reflected; where they come together to learn about themselves, one another and the Emma Kelly world beyond U of T in an atmosphere of collaboration, common interest and community. Yiqi Luo Student publications like this magazine are essential to that undertaking. Demo provides an Daphne Wang Nadira Barre Angelo Gio Mateo important way of establishing connection between students and the broader community beyond Harry Myles Lorde 2pac Kalina Nedelcheva Hart House’s walls. The arts and arts-related journalism can play a powerful role in reclaiming Stuart Oakes space, providing a platform to previously-unheard voices, and creating new communities-of- Christian Schoug interest that are equitable and inclusive. The arts do not merely reflect the world as it is; rather, Shaquilla Singh they are fundamentally creational, and help to point out new ways of understanding and relating to our world both as it is and as it could be. Photography Rachel Evangeline Chiong Yannis Guibinga Since becoming Warden last year I have had the extraordinary privilege of meeting and working Jennifer Hyc with countless dedicated and engaged students from all across the University who have made Kalina Nedelcheva Hart House their home. Those whose connection to the House is primarily defined by their love of Chuyue Zhan music in one form or another infuse our community with a particular energy and vitality. I would Cover Photo Yannis Guibinga like to extend a special thanks to the team who put together this most recent issue of demo, and to the rest of the Music Committee who do such important work to ensure that Hart House pulsates Design Editor Yasmine El Sanyoura with as wide a variety of musical sounds and rhythms as there are members of the House. Layout Design Anu Tanya Dushatska Edgar Vargas Anita Abedini Mubashir Baweja Bomb the Music Early Mercy Savana James Will Goldie Zoë Dille Industry Phat Le Andrea Macanovic Music Committee Staff Advisor Querobin Mendoza When I asked the co-editors of demo to describe the focus of Shaquilla Singh this issue I was told it was about two things: Representation and Staff Advisor Zoë Dilles Reclaiming Space. On the surface these might not sound like areas that intersect smoothly with music but upon closer inspection, Published by Hart House they couldn’t be better aligned if they tried. What is music after 7 Hart House Circle all but a representation of multiple identities, a space that allows Toronto, ON M5S 3H3 people to be who they are; to be larger than themselves, or to be Printed by Datahome Publishing Co. Ltd. perceived and experienced differently. Music presents a platform where artists from one identity can champion another and where musicians can stake a claim as Colophon Demo is the Hart House messengers of social justice, peace, love and life. Lana El Sanyoura Rania Mansour music magazine, a division Hart House is also interested in representation, as a site of Debate and Dialogue, Art and Culture of the Hart House Music Billy Joel Mozart Committee.