Deadbeat – Guest of Reflection

The Reflection series, which dives deeper into the multifaceted world of dub-techno, this time presents a live performance by the Canadian musician Deadbeat on May 22 at Shanti, one of the brightest innovators of the modern techno scene. Scott Monteith, who recently moved from Montreal to Berlin, remarkably combines experiment, dance floor energy, cutting-edge technology, and Caribbean dub traditions in his music. His music cannot be strictly categorized into one genre: techno, glitch, ambient, dub, reggae, even dubstep – all these elements are present to varying degrees in the Canadian's tracks. His compositions are released by top labels ~scape, Echocord, and Wagon Repair, and he collaborates with Monolake and Stefan Betke, developing software to assist him in creating music.

Born in the Canadian countryside, Scott moved to Montreal in 1995, where he successfully worked as a software developer for a large company, Applied Acoustic Systems, which produces professional software for musicians. Alongside his job, Monteith recorded his own compositions. His first release came out in 2000, but the Canadian's name became known to everyone after Montreal producer Mitchell Akiyama signed Scott to his own label, Intr_Version, where Deadbeat's debut album - Primordia was released. Here, the dub element in Deadbeat's music truly emerged. The experimental modern sound design created with his own software intertwined with deep dub grooves, directly rooted in the Jamaican fathers of the genre.

Monteith quickly became one of the key figures in Montreal's experimental scene. His music attracted the attention of not only local publishers (for instance, Deadbeat's dance music was released on Cynosure and Revolver Recordings) but also gained demand across the ocean, primarily in Germany. Stefan Betke, better known as Pole, signed the Canadian to his label ~scape, where Scott released a whole series of records, starting with the acclaimed long-play Wild Life Documentaries. The press was enamored, often searching for influences of Aleister Crowley in 'The Dead Beat'.

Monteith's international reputation was bolstered by frequent appearances at major festivals, from Canada’s Mutek to Spain’s Sonar, as well as regular tours. During live performances, Scott also actively used his own proprietary software, without limiting himself to any genres, moving from techno to IDM experiments through dubstep. At the same time, Monteith got involved in several collaborative projects, including a duo with Stefan Betke (Pole), called D.P.

In 2007, the musician decided to finally leave Canada and move to Berlin, which had become the global center of the dub-techno movement. By this time, music had converted from a hobby to his main profession, and Scott applied his programming skills solely in creating his own sound design tools for internal use. However, connections to his homeland were not cut off. The album Roots and Wire (2008) was released on Wagon Repair under the wing of the famous Matthew Johnson. This record further explored the theme of roots dub: live percussion, brass instruments, and the legendary Paul St. Hilaire, known from Rhythm & Sound, as a guest vocalist. As a confirmation of his successes, in the spring of 2008, Scott took third place in the list of nominees for the Beatport Music Awards, compiled by the largest online store for club music.

May 22, Shanti
Reflection
Special guest: Deadbeat live