Willow AustinContrary to what their logo might suggest, Edmonton-based electronic music collective Night Vision is not affiliated with any organizations bent on bringing about a New World Order. Their illuminati-inspired logo is graphic designer Colin Spence’s attempt to channel the “mystique and flavor” of a secret society without actually being one.
This past Saturday, the Edmonton-based collective of producers, DJs, and artists celebrated it’s third anniversary in high spirits. Night Vision continues to grow in popularity and hold their rightful place on the throne of Edmonton’s underground electronic music scene. When the collective formed back in 2013, their primary focus was to offer Edmonton and its local music scene a new spin on the nightlife experience. After a a steady run of bringing and supporting electronic acts from around the world to Edmonton, the collective have simultaneously jumpstarted their own careers as music producers, DJs and artists.
“Our first two years … we hosted more than 20 shows in an attempt to push a sound we didn’t feel was too present in Edmonton at the time,” says Andrew Williams (also known by his stage name NVS) who is one of the group’s core founders. “We’ve carved our niche out to supporting underground acts on the forefront of electronic music, specifically house music.”
Night Vision has steadily solidified their place in Edmonton’s nightlife culture and electronic music scene, working with organizations such as The Bower, The Common and The Starlite Room. For their shows, the music collective recruits well-known, established names from around the world, such as Bonobo, Dusky and Justin Martin.
Since their humble beginnings in 2013, the collective has significantly expanded their reach, with its own members playing shows and finding exposure on both local and international levels. The group has performed together at festivals such as Astral Harvest, Zion Noiz and Up + Downtown Music Festival. Amidst their initial success, they’ve also launched their own record label and clothing line under Night Vision Music.
Their studio, located in downtown Edmonton, doubles as the location for the Night Vision Music Academy, which the group launched in 2015. Courses are offered and taught by members of the collective themselves, experienced industry professionals who aim to provide students with a platform to learn music production and DJing in a professional setting. They currently offer one-on-one DJ courses, introductory and intermediate level production in Ableton, and will soon be offering studio rentals for musicians who want to use a professional recording space.
“We had all these ideas come together at the exact same time over the course of a year,” explains Adam Johan. “Over the summer, we made the decision to get a space, start doing classes and just really go all in, go legit as far as the business goes.”
Fans can keep up with the group online, through their various social media outlets and official website. DJ duo DMT host Night Vision’s monthly podcast which features hour-long mixes which serve as a useful indicator of the group’s “evolving style and taste”.
Concerning their record label and plans for the future, Williams says fans can look forward to an exciting year to come.
“We have about six releases lined up from a combination of Edmonton and Western Canada-based artists,” says Williams, “Starting in late March, and we’ll have more after the summer and the fall.”
“Along with releasing on our label, we will be releasing on other labels as well,” says Johan. “We want to do what’s best for all our artists, prop each other up and grow our school.”
Along with plans to tour other cities, the collective will continue to throw events in Edmonton — including the second annual Downtown Defrost in Churchill Square — all while continuing to cultivate an inclusive community unified by a shared love of dance music and having fun. Their target demographic is anyone and everyone.
“We get asked demographic details on a lot of our shows, and it’s anywhere from young groups of students to professionals in their 30s and older,” Williams says.
“It’s all about using dance music as a release from your everyday life.”
