There are few things that speak to the depths of an artist's passion like their music collection. While sitting comfortably in the studio of Montreal DJ and producer Bowly, surrounded on all sides by massive bookshelves nearly overflowing with records, I came to realize just how much this man truly loves music. With a record collection that he's been growing almost non-stop his entire life, it's clear that Bowly's passion for music runs deep. With records that range from the soulful house of Moodyman to the funky rhythms of Geiom, his collection is notably unmarked by the trappings of genre limitations that can be the downfall of so many DJs, and by sheer volume alone makes a strong case for this DJs dedication to his music and his craft.

Electric Daisy Carnival saw a total of 200,000 patrons over the July weekend.

"A brief history of electronic music's place in popular culture"

How did a style of music, once exclusive to the seedy underbellies of international metropolises and pale audiophiles futzing with their university's hardware, evolve into a Bill Board-topping, Grammy-nominated, Bieber-endorsed genre? After decades of sub-culture prominence, electronic music has emerged as a force within the mainstream. Thanks to globalization, the beeps and clicks of yesterday are now the tunes stuck in the heads of fifth grader's, young adults, and baby boomers alike.

So what exactly is everybody listening to? They are listening to music generated electromechanically or produced using electronic technology. Trust me, they are.

Oh Montreal, hippest of all Canadian cities, bursting at the seams with culture, excitement, energy, and music; I'd like to ask a few simple questions. Why is it so difficult for a band to get a break in a place so well known for its impressive music scene? Why does no one really care to support the local act, the struggling artist? And furthermore, why isn't this great city a larger dot on the musical map of North America? My experience in a band has allowed me to see just how difficult it is to break out in a city like Montreal, and while these may seem like the incoherent rants of a frustrated musician, think of them merely as the concerns of a person who genuinely loves music and feels like the odds in this town are stacked particularly high against budding local talent. Here are some of the reasons why.

Upon entering the home of 17-year-old Brandon Mignacca, one of the first things you're likely to notice is the soothing sound of classical piano, serenading you as you approach the music room in which he spends hours a day practicing. That is, unless he's out unleashing a sonic hurricane with his band, Chair Warriors.