NEW YEAR A'COMIN!

Depeche Mode - Enjoy the Silence

Depeche Mode updated their classic song "Enjoy the Silence" in 2004. I actually like the new one better... Enjoy!

Midnight Juggernauts - Into the Galaxy

The Midnight Juggernauts are one of the newer bands emerging from the synthpop-dance trend of Australia. The 2007 album Dystopia provides a very indie spin on 1980's synthpop music. The resulting sound is danceable, yet still retains an un-accesible element much of indie music provides. Enjoy!

Old School - Michael Jackson - Billie Jean

Posting a classic. Enjoy!

Kei$ha - Tik Tok

Just a warning, Kei$ha's single "Tik Tok" is starting to gain popularity and play time. You have been warned.

Lily Allen - Not Fair

Lily Allen is one of my new favorite artists. Off of her 2009 album It's Not Me, It's You the majority of songs focus on the demise and torture relationships can bring. "It's not fair" is a prime example. "22" provides a social commentary of the predicament modern women face about rejecting the whole ideal of a man "completing" her while still maintaining healthy relationships. Finally, my favorite song is "Fuck You". The GLBT community has taken this song as an anthem because of the lyrics:

So you say it's not okay to be gay
Well I think you're just evil
You're just some racist who can't tie my laces
Your point of view is medieval

Fuck you, fuck you very, very much,
'Cause we hate what you do
And we hate your whole crew
So please don't stay in touch.

Awesome, simply awesome. No matter your sexuality, I think the message is pretty clear: be f*cking tolerant. Look for the clip here. (Embedding disabled, sadly). Enjoy!

Timbaland - Morning After Dark

Timbaland assembles quite the cast for his 2009 "Morning After Dark." SoShy and Nelly Furtado assist in providing a oddly danceable hit. In promoting the single, Timbaland stated that the song was inspired by the insurgence of vampire based entertainment, think True Blood and the Twilight series. So, vampiresque has made it into hip hop now. Enjoy!

Beyonce - Single Ladies

Off of her 2009 album Sasha Fierce. Enough said. Enjoy!

The Killers - All These Things That I've Done

Heh. Since I posted the Bravery, had to post one from the Killers on the same day. I love when bands get into petty feuds. But I have to agree with Flowers from the Killers, the two bands sound very similar. At least the lyrical genre is different. The Killers construct the imagery of the middle-west of the United States while the Bravery have a much more urban East Coast club sound. Either way, they both are entertaining.

The Bravery - Slow Poison

The British sounding, NYC band has been a staple of my playlist since 2006. Aside from their continual feud with the Killers, they produce a very danceable music. Above is "Slow Poison" from their 2009 album Stir the Blood. I believe "Red Hands and White Knuckles" and "Song for Jacob" are the two standout songs from the album. Below is "Time Won't Let Me Go" from their 2007 album The Sun and the Moon. Enjoy!

Merry Christmas - White Stripes

It's going to be a Jack White Christmas.

Merry Christmas - John Lennon

John Lennon always delivers a strong message.

Merry Christmas.

Merry Christmas - David Bowie and Bing Crosby

Bowie actually sings "Peace on Earth" because he hates the song little drummer boy.

Do They Know It's Christmas?

1980's in a nutshell.

Merry Christmas Eve!

One of the songs that I have had stuck in my head since September. Thought I would share it with you!

Haddaway - What is Love?

Classic 1990s dance hit. Also, SNL sketch favorite.

Rihanna - Russian Roulette

Rihanna provides a well constructed ballad "Russian Roulette" off of her new 2009 album Rated R. Still parsing the album myself, and with holiday travels, I'll have to make my full (brief) comments under a different video. Still, enjoy!

Ladytron - Runaway

Ladytron often verges on shoegaze dance-rock. The beats are often a little too slow to dance to, but a little too fast and defined to allow the listener to fall asleep (no insult, just a unique sound). However, a few of the songs like "Destroy Everything You Touch" provides a good club sound, especially for an energizing "get a drink and throb with the music" track. I posted "Runaway" from the 2008 album Velocifero because it actually has a music video to it, but I prefer to play "Deep Blue" in DJ settings because of the better constructed beat and progression of the music. Still, enjoy this complex electro band.

Passion Pit - Sleepyhead

The indie-electro-dance seemingly exploded in 2009 as the once sideline occupiers decided to hop on the dance floor and cut loose. Along with the popularity of MGMT, Passion Pit busted onto the scene with the 2009 album Manners. Many accessible songs are on the track, so accessible that "Sleepyhead" has appeared in several Palm commercials. Either way, the unification of indie and dance provides a very unique element to the modern dance floor. Enjoy!

Dirty Vegas - Days Go By

A classic, made famous by a car commercial, Dirty Vegas' Days Go By represents a classic early 2000's club dance hit. I also really like the premise of the music video, because if you know me, I am a hopeless romantic at times. Enjoy!

Simian Mobile Disco - Audacity of Huge

This song initially caught my interest because of the play on "Audacity of Hope." Overall, the danceable beats provided by Simian Mobile Disco transforms the minimalistic "Audacity of Huge" from the 2009 album Temporary Pleasure into a very danceable outing.

Jay Z, Rihanna, and Kanye West - Run This Town

A collaboration between Jay Z, Rihanna, and Kanye West is a recipe for providing a hip-hop dance hit. These three didn't miss with Run This Town.

Paul Oakenfold and Brittany Murphy - Faster Kill Pussycat

In tribute to Brittany Murphy's passing today, I am posting her collaboration with Paul Oakenfold.

EDIT: Glah! The video was removed, sorry guys!

She Wants Revenge - Tear You Apart

I must admit, the first time I heard She Wants Revenge, I confused this California based Indie Rock band with Interpol. If you listen to "Tear You Apart" from the 2006 debut album She Wants Revenge, I think you will understand my confusion. However, the sound that the band puts out is a great counterbalance to the bright pop that is heard on the radio and provides a darker element to a dance club. Enjoy

MGMT - Kids

MGMT's 2007 "Oracular Spectacular" heralded in the new age of indie dance. Throbbing beats, bare synths, driving lyrics, in short, MGMT delivers. Kids is probably the most widely recognized song from the album and possibly one of the most recognized chord/beat deliveries of the past decade. The music video is appropriately indie / creepy. Enjoy!

Not an actual music video...

...but still kickass.

The Ting Tings - That's Not My Name

Leave it to the British. The Ting Tings hail from across the pond and this simple duo packs a punch of music. The 2008 We Started Nothing leaked such hits at "That's Not My Name" and "Shut Up and Let Me Go." After seeing these two live at the All Points West Festival this summer, I am pumped for their next album scheduled to be released in 2010. Enjoy!

Gear - Current Mixer Numark5000fx

My current mixer is the Numark 5000fx. I kinda like this one as an advanced introductory DJ mixer, as it contains five channels (instead of the normal two) and some FX settings to play around with on your vinyl. Kinda pricey to start off with, when I got it it was near $500, but I think overall it was worth it. I enjoy playing around on it!

Indie Beat = Grizzly Bear - Two Weeks

Simply awesome video, alls I have to say on this one.

Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Heads Will Roll

Another great hit from the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Heads Will Roll from their new-ish album "It's Blitz" presents another danceable outing from this NYC band. The song contains similarities to Goldfrapp's earlier work and the video displays a major Michael Jackson "Thriller" influence. Overall, a very entertaining outing and possibly a good indie addition to the playlist.

Fatboy Slim - Weapon of Choice

Fatboy Slim + Christopher Walken, enough said.

Major Lazer - Keep it Goin Louder

Major Lazer has conquered the hip-hop/indie fusion. Slowly, they are beginning to teach the indie kids to dance again by presenting easily accessible and well crafted dance music. A prime example is Keep it Goin Louder off of the 2009 album "Guns Don't Kill People... Lazers Do." I am slowly adding songs from their albums to my normal rotation, the crowds seem to respond. Enjoy!

Indie Beat = Yeasayer - Ampling Alp

Yeasayer is quickly becoming one of the cutting edge indie bands combining slightly danceable music with complex melodies and rhythms. Ampling Alp is actually from the 2010 album "Old Blood." The album leaked on the internet early in December of 2009, the whole thing is an enjoyable listen (so I have read...). Look out for the album early 2010, but for now, enjoy this Brooklyn based beats.

Gear - Novation Launchpad

To kick of the DJ Gear section, I am actually posting something that I want and do not have at this point. All my observations are pretty anecdotal then. However, the Novation Launchpad looks like a really cool MIDI controller. A simple USB connection to your laptop and you are all set to go. With each button lighting up, the overall look is also appealing. I may have to save up and snag me one of these. See it in operation in the video below.

N.A.S.A. - Gifted

The DJ duo N.A.S.A. invites major acts such as David Byrne, Kanye West, Lykke Li, and Santogold to perform in studio hip-hop mixes. Rather than simply mixing the finished products, N.A.S.A. produces music that sounds premixed. Their 2009 album Spirit of Apollo packs many surprises, my favorite being Kanye West's contribution on Gifted. Overall, great indie-hiphop.

Indie Beat = Charlotte Gainsbourg - Heaven Can Wait

Any compilation with Beck is awesome. The music video is as disjointed and trippy as the song. Way to go indiehood! Heaven Can Wait is off of her new album "IRM" which Beck helped out on. And hey, as a man, I am forced to like it. If I said anything bad about it, she will do to me what she did to Willem Dafoe in Antichrist. (Bad joke, but I am slightly horrified by the premise of that movie...)

Lady Gaga - Bad Romance

I have been resisting posting about Lady Gaga's new album "The Fame Monster". However, she is quickly becoming the queen of dance for a new generation. The song Bad Romance from her 2009 album seems to surpass the previous songs on her debut album "The Fame". Additionally, the song Dance in the Dark brings a deeper and almost Depeche Mode element to the entire album. Additionally, she is also achieving groundbreaking collaborations such as Telephone, a musical phone tag between Beyonce and Lady Gaga. Overall, if this is the level of Lady Gaga's sophomore release, she is going to be a mainstay on dance-floors for years to come.

Little Boots - Stuck on Repeat

Little Boots (Victoria Christina Hesketh) is delivering the pure British electropop sound on her 2008 album Hands. Stuck on Repeat exemplifies the sound she is able to create with her voice and a synthesizer. A very processed sound is created, but with the repetitive beats and lyrics, the music becomes very danceable. Enjoy!

David Guetta - Love is Gone

David Guetta is becoming a staple of dance music these days. He collaborates with major names in the industry like Chris Willis and Akon to give each of his albums and songs an unique feel. Love is Gone is one of my personal favorites from the 2007 album Pop Life. The 2009 album One Love also provides major hits like When Love Takes Over. Overall, very danceable, entertaining, and distracting.

Ladyhawke - My Delirium

Ladyhawke provides a very laid back approach at times to danceable rock. My Delirium is a prime example of her technique. Note, the video is also very simple (prior to the cartoon that is...). Enjoy.

The Presets - If I Know You

The Presets produce an interesting sound, merging electronic dance with indie rock. On their previous album (Beams), I enjoyed the track "Girl and the Sea". It provided an interesting story with a progressive beat and harmony. Now, they are gaining attention with dark and danceable music like "If I Know You." The music video was awarded 2009's best dance music video at the UK Music Video Awards. As we all know, the British are often ahead of Americans on musical taste, so expect to see the Presets to catch on a little more.

Chanty Loft Decades Dance Party

On December 5th, 2009 I made my way back behind the turntables for our first annual Decades Dance Party. My Co-Hosts, P and M, made sure that my transition to DJing went smoothly. Advertising and organization were handled perfectly leading to the packed mayhem seen below.

All in all it was a great experience. The bartenders at the Chanty claimed that this was the largest crowd that they have seen since the New Year's Party. Yay us! My own personal high point was playing "Living on a Prayer" by Bon Jovi as my final song. Gotta say, the crowd responded. Thanks to all those in attendence and especially to all those who helped tear down and set up.