Ma Dukes, Roger Linn, Salvador Dali, Bomb Squad, Kazushi "The Gracie Hunter" Sakuraba, Ced Gee, John Cage, the Yakuza Papers, RZA, Hermitism, Karlheinz Stockhausen, Randy Couture, Angst, Jona Hex, Pete Rock, Syl Johnson, Beat Tapes, Pain, Philippines, Ramellzee, Surrealism, Chess, Jay Dilla, Death, Vigilante, Thinking, Brian Eno, David Axelrod, Pain Killers, Primo, Transformer Scratch, Pause Tapes, Marley Marl, 12-Bit Sampling MonoMan, Fancy Words with 3 Syllables, Prog & Psyche, Albator, Raven, Heartcore Rules, Tough Nerds, Akai, Extra P, Erik Satie, Halfy Babies, The Illy Epoques, Dusties & Ghetto Coffee, Pixies, Low Budget Environments, 3rd Bass, Diving Knives, Perception, B+, Ian Cook, Dukey Ropes, The Cure, Dimples D, Ocean Pacific Hats, 4 Fingered Ring, Bobbito, Pharoah Monch, Pierre Henry, Stan Smith, John Zorn, Renato Babalu Sobral, Ghostface, Pansit & Adoboe 4a.m. Snacktimes With A Spoon, Busted Speakers, Lifeline Deadlines, BDK, Siddhartha, James Ling Concerts (80's-90's), Cubism, Cold Chillin, Rypdal, Marvel and DC, Gemini 8-Second Sampler, Breakin' and Stealin', Dollar Bin Records, Hunger, Intrigue, Hard Drums, Art of Chopping, B&W Photography, 45's, Dr.Dre, Ronnie Garvin, Alchemist, Choose Your Own Adventure Books,The Smiths, Twilight 22, Mistakes, GSP, Beatnuts, Willie Hutch, Suicidal Tendencies, Limitations, Just Blaze, Word Up Magazine, Thinking Backwards and Lopsided, Wolverine Series, Jimmy Spicer, Rubix Cube, Hate, Rakim, Shutting Up and Analyzing, Galaxian, EPMD, Raw Shit, Jean Baudrillard, American Me, Scars, DITC, Wild Style, MMA, Creative Writing, Not Sleeping in Years.
SIMAHLAK became immersed in the hiphop culture at a very young age, when ma dukes gave him his first record, "Adventures of Super Rhymes" by Jimmy Spicer. He began to DJ in '87 with DJ mobiles, doing high school parties and bar mitzvahs. Around that time, he got into doing pause tapes which eventually lead to his love for making beats/music production. He worked as a radio DJ for three years at Vanier College (Montreal, Canada), breaking in records which he felt were overlooked and deserved to be heard. Continuing in his taste maker tradition, SIMAHLAK has since been a hiphop buyer/manager for several major hiphop record stores in Montreal including: Tabou, Science, Noize and Disques Zulu. SIMAHLAK released his first official mixed cd, "Who's Your Daddy Vol.1", through Audio Research/Fat Beats - making him the first and only Canadian DJ to have his mixed CD distributed by world reknown Fat Beats Distribution. As part of the Brass Knuckles Crew, he premiered the first original breaks/hiphop night in Montreal running for five years strong, making it the longest ongoing club nights/residencies in the city. From 1997-2004, SIMAHLAK was a resident DJ and in-house producer for Audio Research Records (home of the freshest), a Montreal based label founded by Dave 1 (Chromeo), A-Trak (Kanye West) and Willo (Eskimo Design).
SIMAHLAK has DJ'ed alongside such acts as Kool Herc, ?uestlove of The Roots, Grandmaster Flash, Devin The Dude, Little Brother, Masta Ace, Kid Koala, Madlib, Cut Chemist, Buck 65, The Lootpack, Beat Junkies, Mr.Complex, X-Ecutioners, Peanut Butter Wolf, J-Live, K-os, Souls Of Mischief, Lucy Pearl, Non Phixion and Blackalicious, just to name a few. Simahlak's production portfolio includes working with DJ A-Trak, Obscure Disorder, Moka Only, Sixtoo, Eternia, 4th Pyramid, Troy Dunnit, Muzion, Sans Pression, D-Shade, Theology 3 and many more. SIMAHLAK has contributed his emotionally driven, sonic backdrops with the relentless focus on being a house hold name. His Audio Research family has also been merited as being the "Next 100" according to URB magazine. SIMAHLAK also won a Felix Award (Quebec version of the Grammy's) for his production on Muzion's single/video "C'est Pas Un Hasard", another for his work with Sans Pression "Souverain Dans Le Sousterain" and has been nominated by "Le Gala Hiphop Montreal Underground" in the category of "2005 Best Producer". SIMAHLAK has done extensive UK and Euro Touring with Audio Research alongside DJ A-Trak (Kanye West) and labelmate DJ Serious. He has also occupied the role of A’n’R in projects for an all Cancon Compilation on Audio Research/Universal Canada/Under Pressure in which he will also score an accompanying 45 minute DVD Soundtrack as well as contribute tracks. SIMAHLAK has also taken on duties as an in-house producer at Bully Records (distributed by Ninjatune). SIMAHLAK's EP "Son Of Sakuraba" released on Bully Records, marked his instrumental debut, indicative of much more material to come in the near future. SIMAHLAK has been in worldwide publications such as: The Source Magazine, Blaze, URB, Mass Appeal, Vice, Big Daddy, Elemental Magazine, Exclaim, The Montreal Gazette, The Montreal Mirror, Pound Magazine, Capital magazine, Eye, Now Toronto, Vinyl Magazine, La Presse, Le Devoir, The Hour, Under Pressure Magazine, Wired
SIMAHLAK (Creator and Founder of GUMBO) has always considered himself as a recluse who, when given the opportunity brings a unique, eclectic blend of the past, present and future musical stylings that have made him an underground ambassador. He follows in the truest tradition of actually "breaking" in records that others are reluctant to touch or scared to embellish upon. It's this type of bravery and deep crate diving excursions that create indelible sound moments that set trails of excitement within the community. GUMBO's focus on the differences in genres, eras, styles, communities and taste making traditions takes it into an un-blurring, "hot pot" of flavors, audio and visual mixtures and doing so with the most passionate of seamless measures, delectable portions leaving audiences full only to come back for another unpredictable plate of treats and non formulaic methods only SIMAHLAK can cook up.
New Monthly.
Get Heavy.
GUMBO.
Contact, Beats, DJ Bookings: info@simahlak.com
Website/URL: www.simahlak.com
UPCOMING PROJECTS
SIMAHLAK & TROY DUNNIT "SIMCITY: THE WHODUNNIT FILES"
(Entire Production)
4TH PYRAMID "TWICE AS STRONG"
(Entire Production)
hey my man! sorry cant make it to ur event, gon be in tremblant! but ill see ya soon! check out random recipe2 mange ta ville man! u might like.its our clip that was on ART.TV fab
i cant even describe what you do, its awesome though. inspiring, makes me feel creative. im hoping to find you on itunes, im a little inventive in finding a music source. no good stores where i live. thanks and hope to hear stuff from you.