“This long-running series has been breathing new life into the party scene for years and proved itself to be as cosmopolitan and international in its audience as its music selection. So if you feel like bumping and grinding with the world, this is the place.”
—Stuart Derdeyn, The Province
ELECTROPICAL is the dynamic DJ duo of Marc Fournier and Michael Laycock. It’s also the name of the globetrotting worldbeat dance party they host in Vancouver, Canada.
Since 2004, the pair has packed dance floors with an eclectic mix of urban sounds with a tropical edge. They serve up a sexy sonic cocktail of African rhythms, Caribbean grooves, Arabian waves, Brazilian beats, and Indian chills.
While every Electropical night is different, an evening’s playlist might include tracks by Afro-Latin supergroup Africando, Washington DC’s Thievery Corporation, Arabesque singer Natacha Atlas, Barcelona flamenco-electronica group Ojos de Brujo, Mexican-American electronica act Charanga Cakewalk, Brazilian singer Seu Jorge, Venezuelan disco-funksters Los Amigos Invisibles, or Bollywood legend Asha Bhosle.
The DJs aren’t afraid to do a little time travel, either, as they slip in classic or remixed tracks by artists such as the late James Brown, Brazilian legend Jorge Ben, mambo king Tito Puente, and Nigeria’s father of Afrobeat, Fela Kuti.
Electropical is a mix of music, people, and ambience that you won’t find anywhere else. Think of it as a transglobal musical tour, with no passport required.
About the DJs
Dubbed a “cultural ambassador of master sound-weaving,” DJ Marc Fournier has been spinning global beats and soulful vibes since 1989. For seven years, his monthly AFRODISIA dance party at the ANZA Club explored some of the world’s grooviest sounds. Marc also works as a radio producer and host.
DJ Michael Laycock hosted a groundbreaking worldbeat dance party called GLOBALICIOUS in 2003-2004 at the Media Club. Since then, he has played at the Alcan Dragon Boat Festival, the Richmond Winter Festival, and numerous private gigs. In his other life, Michael works as a technical writer and editor.