Reggae vocalist and guitarist Paul St. Hilaire, aka Tikiman, is best known as the smooth, poetic voice on Rhythm&Sound productions from the mid-90s. Tikiman runs the Basic Chanel sub-label False Tuned, has released two full-length albums and has collaborated with a wide range of artists including Modeselektor and Stereotyp and UK dubstep/ragga/dancehall innovator The Bug, Tarwater, and, more recently, Deadbeat.
 
After meeting Moritz von Oswald and Mark Ernestus in Berlin’s mid 90s Reggae and dub milleau, Tikiman started working with Rhythm & Sound in around 1995. The earliest recordings to appear that featured Tikiman were Rhythm & Sound w/ Tikiman – 'Never Tell You' (10”, Burial Mix, 1996) and Round Three Feat. Tikiman – 'Acting Crazy' (Mainstreet, 1996).
 
The trio continued collaborating on Main Street and Burial mix releases through to the end of the decade, and then less frequently through the 00s. Tikiman has performed live extensively with Oswald and Ernestus as Rhythm&Sound, as well as with von Ozwald alone. More recently, Tikiman made an appearance accompanying the Moritz von Oswald Trio on guitar for a CTM-Concerts performance at Berlin’s Berghain.
 
In 2000, Hilaire set up the False Tuned imprint as a sub of Basic Channel and produced the inaugural release, Dub It Witaattitude (12") under the moniker Tikiman. There was a legal challenge to his use of the name soon after, and he had to drop the alias in 2003. All subsequent have been under his given name, Paul St. Hilaire. Two self-produced albums followed, Unspecified in 2003 and Adsom – A Divine State of Mind, in 2006.
 
Tikiman was, however, already well-known in German reggae and dub circles apart from his association with Basic Channel. He played with the reggae band 'Livin’ Spirits' as lead guitarist and singer, and their packed concert schedule made Tikiman a reggae celebrity across Germany. Hilaire recorded two albums with the band: Rain and Promotion, both recorded in 1996. The Dominica-born Tikiman arrived in Europe in the early 90s after being invited to be the guitarist for a friend’s band in Hanover. He ended up in Berlin and with friend and roots reggae singer, Ras Donovan, after a few months.
 
Donovan and Hilaire had grown up together on the Carribean Island of Dominica in the 70s and had a band called 'Radication Squad' with Tikiman on lead guitar and Donovan on bass. Donovan moved to Berlin in 1988; Hilaire played in bands with his brother Raz Perez, and recorded his first album the Carribean Island Martinique in 1993 with the band Golden Squad, which was released only in French speaking countries.
 
› www.false-tuned.com
 
Appearances:
› CTM.11 › CINECHAMBER LIVE NIGHT
› CTM.10 › CONTINUAL REAL-TIME