Guillaume Michaud is a Montréal-based choreographer, dancer, producer and DJ. After initially gained recognition as a dancer and choreographer in season 2 of TVA’s Révolution and starring as the lead character in Cirque du Soleil’s Andorra-based 2022 production of MÜV, Michaud’s DJ career gained recognition as he played sets at Piknic Electronik, Igloofest, PY1, Burning Sun, Frontrite and a list of others.

Deriving its name for the Irish Gaelic word for “my heartbeat,” Michaud’s recently released 5 song debut EP, Macushla draws from deep techno, minimal house, house music and the raw energy and drive of the afterhours/rave scene. Sonically, the material sees the Montréal-based artist pairing deep bass grooves, immersive melodies, carefully layered buoyant percussion and catchy vocal hooks. While specifically crafted to make people dance and connect with one another, the material was written with musicality of choreography in mind, informed by the mathematically precise understanding of rhythm he developed as a dancer and choreographer.

EP single “Poison” is a collaboration with rising Montréal-based JOVM mainstay Naomi. They have a professional and personal relationship that goes back to when the pair were both 13. As they both pursued their respective careers in dance, they remained connected and eventually co-founded Audiomatique, an independent collective that organized techno and dance music events. Audiomatique helped to kickstart Michaud’s DJ career and led to building connections with many future collaborators — including DJ’ing for the rising Montréal-based artist.

“Poison” is a seductive, hook-driven club banger, featuring reverb-soaked skittering clang and clatter, trap-like triplets, broodingly atmospheric synths serving as a lush bed for Naomi’s sultry delivery. It’s the perfect song for late-night, hazy, smoke-machine, neon and strobe-lit rooms with sweaty humans dancing the night away.

Directed by Élise Lussier, the accompanying video follows Michaud and Naomi as they head to a neon-lit warehouse with a collection of fierce as fuck dancers.