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Music

NORTHMIX: Lambo

The Winnipeg native is stepping out with his crisscrossing of trap and bass infusions.

Growing up in a Francophone area of Winnipeg, John Lambert (aka Lambo) adopted a liking for everything from the Bescherelle to rap culture. Now, he's beginning to shape his own electronic language, one that is heavy in what he classifies as 'club rap'.

In 2013, his fixating trap track, "Ass Everywhere" rose in popularity right around the same time he was opening up a venue in Winnipeg called Union Sound Hall. This venture has helped him nestle within the dance world, put him front and center with international artists like the Bloody Beetroots, and acted as a platform for exploration in music marketing.

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"I haven't been that concerned with touring because I have responsibilities here in Winnipeg. We opened the venue about two years ago and since then it's been awesome to meet other artists and have a place that is our own," he explains.

While his home base is in Winnipeg, Lambo hasn't remained local - trekking through the scenes in Los Angeles, New York, and Toronto. From studio sessions to support slots, he's progressing his reach, but Canada is where he wants to stay.

"Last year I played Webster Hall and spun alongside acts like Benzi and dJ eSenTRiK, and that was incredible. A lot of the guys I work with tend to come from the New York and New Jersey areas, like eSenTRiK. He's a part of my family and has helped me make a lot of contacts. I've had opportunities to move away but I am Canadian and I love this country, this is where I need to be."

Now under new management, Lambo has been structurally learning what music he wants to inject. He admits 2015 is a year for serious sound development.

"I find that EDM sub genres come and go and it's kind of annoying to have to change your opinion on electronic music every six months. I'm concentrating more on putting out originals, or one or two songs, as opposed to mediocre bootlegs just to get SoundCloud listens. I want to put out high quality material and I'm still perfecting that, but I have some good things coming."

"A lot of my friends are so obsessed with social media numbers, but I look at artists like Ryan Hemsworth - he has such a solid fan base, he has really true fans, that's the type of following I want," he says.

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His most recent track, "Butterscotch" was produced with veteran DJ/producer and fellow west coaster, Grandtheft, an artist he not only admires but sincerely respects in an engineering sense.

"Butterscotch" came to fruition after Lambo saw a Noisey interview between A$AP Rocky and Riff Raff. In the interview Riff Raff was asked, "What was his favourite type of lady?" After a bit of pondering the rapper replied, "Butterscotch" and it was then that Lambo knew he needed to sample it.

Enter Grandtheft.

"After seeing that interview I went home and ripped it and then sent it to Grandtheft. I'd always been a fan of him and would see him with Smalltown DJs when he came to Winnipeg. I knew he was the type of person I wanted to work with. He's an incredible engineer too so he made it sound really big," he says. "It's funny because like I said, the music changes. To some, that track might have been more popular last year, but it still feels like people like it. It's a fun club anthem."

Lambo commends artists for knowing how to weed through crap to produce strong tracks, artists like RL Grime, XVII, SNAILS, Jesse Slayter, and Jack Ü. He also learned most of his own production skills by following Dave Pensado's YouTube channel.

"I feel like the average listener can tell the difference between an amazing song and a not so amazing song, but they can't pick out what's wrong or what's the best about it. That's the skill that a strong producer has and something that I think Grandtheft does so well," says Lambo. "Seeing him in action is what motivated me to get better, to work harder, and to release music I'm proud of."

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"I think EDM culture is getting exploited and is less and less about substance. I'm not too happy to be part of that, so I am trying to do my own thing at my own pace. I want to be a pioneer in sound. Don't get me wrong, there are a lot of people making good music. In general, I think it's on an unhealthy path."

While Winnipeg might not necessarily be the biggest hub in Canada for electronic artists, the scene has harnessed its own collective, one that allows artists to freely feed off and support one another.

"The scene in Winnipeg is definitely different than Toronto, for example. When I'm in Toronto I can feel the energy and I think people carry themselves a different way too. In Winnipeg we are all close and it's really humble. Whether we are playing a club or a house party, everyone is supportive and we are there for each other."

Electronic music may the paradigm his resides in now, but to escape the monotonous world of dance he still reverts back to his pure love of rap music.

"I think my favourite rapper has to be Ghostface Killah. I really like rappers that have their own aura and style about them. I also absolutely love Drake too. I think he is intelligent and the way he manipulates social media and stays in everyone's mind, but does it in a classy non-Kardashian way, is amazing. He's really put on for Toronto," he says. "I hope to have my music stand on its own and then rappers to hop onto it, that's one of my goals."

2015 will see the Winnipeg native pushing new workings and continued partnerships with the likes of Mad Decent. For this installment of Northmix, Lambo acquaints us with a taste of his suave sound.

Take in his exclusive mix for THUMP while you ponder if your favourite lady, or man, is "Butterscotch" too.

Lambo is on Facebook // Twitter // SoundCloud

Kathryn Kyte is on Twitter