Last week, New Yorkers flocked to the Diesel store in Union Square to pick up a coveted wristband from the mysterious “Baron” for the Diesel “Flash for Fun” party. The wristbands, which promised a secret location, special guest DJ and open bar, were selling on Craigslist for upwards of $100 apiece on the day of the event.

“Flash for Fun” is also the name of Diesel’s line of glow-in-the-dark apparel, which includes jeans, t-shirts, sneakers and underwear. The line was conceived for “those who play hard day & night, 24 hours non-stop, without taking time to change in between”.

Given the theme, Club Love – the aforementioned “secret location” – was the perfect backdrop for the party. Neon decorations and party favors, including balloons, glow sticks, glow necklaces, and light-up sunglasses, adorned the club and partygoers alike, while a make-up artist was on hand to decorate guests’ faces, complete with neon false eyelashes.

Spank Rock, the special guest DJ, did a great job with his selection of electro remixes. We have to admit, we were a little disappointed that he was selected as the “special guest”, only because he’s a local act that often makes appearances in New York City, and past Diesel events have featured performances by M.I.A., N.E.R.D., Passion Pit, Hot Chip, Lykke Li and The Roots. No matter, Spank Rock kept the dance floor alive during his entire set.

Diesel has always been known for their innovative approach to fashion and their fun and creative parties, two things that they’ve once again proven go hand in hand.

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Now that it has happened, it was pretty much inevitable. Hip-hop’s rock star, Weezy (aka Lil Wayne) takes on partying with Weezer, in the style of a mash-up. With the release of “Can’t Stop Partying”, imaginable as a cross between Weezer’s “Beverly Hills” and Kevin Rudolf’s “Let It Rock”, this catchy tune may be fit for a few replays – like the  memory of a good party… or rather the good remnants of it. Check out the track below.

Weezer’s upcoming album Raditude, which hits stores on November 3rd, includes the Jermaine Dupri-produced track, ”Can’t Stop Partying”, one of many catchy songs on the band’s seventh studio album. The alternative rock (and sometimes emo) band continues to capture youthful spirit and frivolity in their music. While a bit more mainstream than their trademark style, this album delivers the fun that is synonymous with Weezer’s six prior albums.

Meanwhile, Lil Wayne just released another mixtape, No Ceilings. The guy churns these things out like he’s got an assembly line system. Borrowing from Jay-Z, Rihanna, Kanye West and others, Wayne freestyles with a barrage of lyrics to familiar tunes (without remuneration, since the album is free). His mixes are also where he unveils up-and-coming artists in the works. Typically, a Lil Wayne mixtape release is only the beginning of others to unfold, including collaborations. After all, his delayed rock album, Rebirth is set for release in December. Click here to download the mixtape (via usershare).

Weezer featuring Lil Wayne – “Cant Stop Partying”

Click here to download this track

Lil Wayne – “I Gotta Feeling”

As co-creator and weekly resident DJ of Girls & Boys, Webster Hall’s acclaimed Friday party, Alex English has shared the stage with some of the biggest names in the DJ world. In the past year alone, Girls & Boys has played host to Xavier de Rosnay, A-Trak, Boys Noize, Crookers, Steve Aoki, The Bloody Beetroots, MSTRKRFT, Deadmau5 and Chromeo, among others.

With over 20 years of DJ experience under his belt, Alex English has become a fixture in the electro scene in New York City. Apart from his residencies at Thom Bar on Thursdays, Webster Hall on Fridays, and the Tribeca Grand Hotel on Saturdays, Alex also deals with booking the all-star DJ line-up for GBH parties at Webster Hall, Tribeca Grand, and North 8th in Williamsburg.

Tonight, Alex English and Dan Physics will make their debut as Disko Dali when they open for Justice’s sold-out DJ set at Webster Hall. Though Alex came up with Disko Dali back in 2001, he and Dan didn’t start working together until this past summer. The duo writes and produces original dance music and has done remixes of artists like the Yeah Yeah Yeah’s, Dragonette, and Depeche Mode (check out some of their remixes on their MySpace page, or listen to their remix of “Plastic Caramelo” below).

Over the last few weeks, we traded emails with Alex to discuss his DJ career, influences, and upcoming projects. After the jump, read an excerpt of the interview that transpired.

We compiled photos documenting some of Alex’s exploits around New York City to celebrate The HiFi Cartel’s 100th Photo Gallery… click here to check it out. Be sure to listen to the Disko Dali remix of Plastic Caramelo’s self-titled track, streamed below, and check back soon for the Alex English edition of HiFi Essentials.

Plastic Caramelo – “Plastic Caramelo” (Disko Dali Mix)

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by Richie Adomako and Marjana Jaidi

At Sullivan Hall, Break Science scored early points when they started their set with dubstep; Rusko’s remix of “Pro Nails” (Kid Sister) was an early highlight. Over the course of an hour, duo showcased their wide breadth of both musical styles and talent. Adam Deitch’s sharp drumming was complimented by Borahm Lee, who played the keyboard and dropped samples from his laptop. They played all styles of music, with influences from hip-hop, rock, jazz, latin, and even Indian music. Popular songs included MGMT’s “Electric Feel” and Michael Jackson’s “Don’t Stop Till You Get Enough”. Towards the end of the set, Deitch busted out some funky beats, playing over Public Enemy’s “Bring the Noise” before transitioning into latin and jazz. Many bands relegate the drummer to the back of the stage, so it was refreshing to see an act where the drummer is the main focus.

From there, we headed to B.B. King’s Blues Club & Grill for the Grandmaster Roc Raida Tribute. We weren’t sure what to expect – live performances? DJ sets? Scratch legends the X-Ecutioners/X-Men, Beat Junkies, and DJ Craze were all on the bill, along with electro staples Z-Trip and A-Trak (who, at the age of 15, was the youngest person to ever win the DMC World Championship).

Three pairs of turntables lined the stage, where the DJs took turns recreating one of Roc Raida’s original turntable routines. Despite the sad occasion that brought everyone together, there was so much love in the room, both from the audience and from the performers, who were clearly having a blast on stage. Host Kinetic NRG put things aptly when he equated the event to a high school reunion, and admitted he was “a little star struck”. It was a rare and momentous occasion to witness those scratch legends together on stage and such a fitting way to pay tribute to the late Grandmaster.

Meanwhile at Rebel, we arrived just in time for the enjoyably conventional sounds of Tina Brown and the peculiar, Pimp Ninja. Hunter Valentine followed with some punk attitude on the stage. These girls know how to rock out. With the voice of Kiyomi McCloskey taking charge, she  showed a presence with her belching screams, stopping occasionally for words and taking the audience along for the ride. The Fire and Reason took the stage with a solid performance and later unveiled their new single, perfect boy – which was met with good reception. Among some of their known tracks, the group included some Portuguese renditions in the mix.

Click here for photos by Kenroy George and Oliver Correa

Planning your Halloween can be quite daunting – with so many great events to choose from, where do you begin? Fear not, The HiFi Cartel is here to help you narrow down your options. We’ve already told you about Above & Beyond at Roseland Ballroom, Danny Tenaglia at Pacha and Paco Osuna at Love. Here are some of the other happenings you might want to check out:

We’ll be at the FIXED Halloween Bash at Santos Party House, where German DJ sensation Boys Noize will be gracing the speakers with his signature funky electro. Fixed’s own JDH and Dave P will also be spinning. Boys Noize recently dropped a BBC Essential Mix, which you can check out here to gear up for this weekend’s festivities.

Fool’s Gold and Trouble & Bass are teaming up for what is sure to an epic night at Europa in Brooklyn. Kingdom, XXXChange and Nick Catchdubs from Fool’s Gold will face off against the Trouble & Bass Crew, Supra 1 and 77 Klash. Make sure you RSVP for reduced admission at the door.

After passport issues forced The Very Best to cancel their CMJ appearances, they will surely redeem themselves with a live performance at the Gods and Heroes Party presented by FlavorPill and MeanRed. The party will be held at a secret Brooklyn location. Tickets are well worth the $35 price tag, considering they include an open bar all night. 100% of the proceeds will go to Charity: Water to help bring clean drinking water to a school in Ethiopia.

The Park is also hosting quite the soiree, with a line-up that’s too long to list in its entirety. Headlined by Paul Sevigny, the event will also feature music by The Chainsmokers and B-Roc. Get advance tickets here, and be sure to arrive early to capitalize on the open bar from 9:00 – 10:30 PM.

Finally, Girls & Boys residents Gavin Royce and Stephen Pandolfi (a.k.a. Kids with Snakes) will spin at Dokebi’s Fourth Annual Halloween Party in Brooklyn, which promises to be “an excellent dark and sweaty dance experience”. If you love music but are short on cash, this is a great option since there’s no cover. As an added bonus, they’ll be serving Tacos to help you keep your energy going all night long. In preparation for the revelry, be sure to check out the Futureshock Mix Tape that Gavin Royce and Stephen Pandolfi did for Nicky Digital.

Halloween can be pretty hectic, so we highly recommend that you get advance tickets where available. And if you’re looking to get the party started early, Webster Hall has you covered, with a DJ Set by Justice on Thursday (with Jackson and Disko Dali) and live performances by Simian Mobile Disco and Phenomenal Handclap Band on Friday.

Rest up – it’s going to be a long weekend.

Check out the fliers for the events after the jump…

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This Halloween, there is no shortage of parties, and as HiFi Cartel readers, you can win tickets to three of the best events of the night:

Made Event is bringing Above & Beyond and Fedde Le Grand to Roseland Ballroom for what is sure to be a night of mayhem. The event also celebrates the release of Above & Beyond’s compilation album Anjunabeats Volume 7 and Fedde Le Grand’s debut artist album Output.

New York City native Danny Tenaglia will headline the annual Boo Yourself! Halloween extravaganza at Pacha NYC. Tenaglia will ignite Pacha with his “modern yet classic” grooves, putting a thrilling twist on his legendary “Be Yourself” weekly parties.

At Love, Barcelona’s own Paco Osuna will bring his breathtaking mixdowns to life with a special extended Halloween set. His newest EP, Lemon Juice, will be released on October 26th.

Find out how you can triple your chances of winning after the jump…

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The next queen of Electro music and my new guilty pleasure has hit the airwaves. Though not known by many in the mainstream, Ke$ha is no virgin to the music scene. Ke$ha has collaborated with the likes of the Veronicas on their single, “This Love” and with Flo Rida on his track, “Right Round”. Shortly thereafter, she was signed to RCA and released her first single with Diddy, “Tik Tok”, a crunk electro treat with major electro synths and dancefloor beats.

Ke$ha’s sound is a perfect example of how electro can transition into the main stream music scene. Her sound and catchy lyrics are gritty and push the edge. She is the definition of the liberal urban party girl. Keep an eye out for Ke$ha – her sound is right on the mark and should have exciting things to offer in the future .

Ke$ha – “Tik Tok”

On Wednesday night, Fool’s Gold Records celebrated their two-year anniversary with a CMJ Showcase at 88 Palace. MeanRed put on quite the soirée, which featured live performances by The Suzan, Trackademicks, Vega and Donnis, and DJ sets by Treasure Fingers, Kingdom, and Sammy Bananas. Founders A-Trak and Nick Catchdubs were the hosts and MCs for the night, keeping the party going and giving away t-shirts, stickers, and other Fool’s Gold goodies.

We arrived in time to see Treasure Fingers dominate the decks with his electro set. Next up, Vega took the stage for their live performance. Fortunately for us, they blew a fuse during the first song, and we got to chat with the bassist about their future endeavors. The Austin-based band will move to New York in early 2010 to work with Chromeo on their upcoming album. When Vega finally resumed their set, it was clear that this is a match made in heaven. Their funk-infused baselines and electro-synth grooves will definitely flourish under Chromeo’s guidance.

Atlanta native Donnis, the newest member of the Fool’s Gold family, delivered a high-energy performance off songs off his summer mixtape, Diary of an ATL Brave. Pill joined him on stage for a few songs, adding a dynamic element to the set.

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After the jump, check out a few photos from the Fool’s Gold one-year anniversary party at Webster Hall last year.

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Starting the evening with two local bands from Brooklyn, we made our way to Cake Shop for the experimental pop/rock of The Depreciation Guild, then Hank and Cupcakes at The Delancey. Hank and Cupcakes took electronic beats and added the nice touch of bass by Hank, drums and vocals by Cupcakes – who showed the many facets of her voice along with her versatility on the drums.

At the Bowery Ballroom, Fanfarlo (from London) played with posture – executing simple good music without any complications in their act. With six members on the acoustic guitar, bass, electric guitar, violin and exchanging places between the horns and strings – the group has a great harmony on the stage.

The catch of the night goes to The Golden Silvers from London and South East, UK. The winners of Glastonbury’s 2008 New Talent competition perform with a warmth of fervent melodies, overlaid with poetry and uplifting lyrics – perfectly fitting for the Bowery Poetry Club. With romantically enticing sounds – it would have been a sore to have missed these guys. They will perform their last scheduled show in the States at the Bowery Electric on October 24^th.

At Le Poisson Rouge we took in the musical fusions of Ninjasonik. Wu-Tang had the shaolin, Ninjasonik has “Sonik Ninjas.” Now, whether that means really fast ninjas or ninjas killing with sounds as a weapon, or something completely left field, we have no idea. If one thing is for sure about these guys, they certainly know how to entertain. From crowd surfing, humping girls on the stage, chugging beers, starting mosh-pits, and admitting they love Devo and listen to Morrissey when they are sad, Ninjasonik is a mash of punk and rap infused with elements of crunk-music and pop – get it? With samples from the Lion King,  a live acoustic guitar and drums take on Major Lazer’s Hold the Line, and with lines like “we fuck girls, do drugs…” we pretty much got the idea that the unabashed, geeky and raunchy attitude of Ninjasonik can fuel any party, anywhere.  As one  may  suspect, it is probably what “Sonik” Ninjas do.

Click here for photos by Oliver Correa and Kenroy George

We just got wind of a couple more parties you might want to check out this week…

Our friends at MeanRed are taking over 88 Palace this week with their Shanghai’d event series. Tonight is the Fool’s Showcase, featuring Kingdom and Sammy Bananas, with live performances by Vega and Donnis. Fool’s Gold founders A-Trak and Nick Catchdubs will be around to host the festivities. On Thursday, the Noise Problem Showcase features Designer Drugs, Lauren Flax, and NROTB; on Friday, Adam Tensta, VDRK and Free Magic are on the roster for MeanRed’s own showcase. As an added bonus, they’ll be passing around dim sum dishes throughout each night. Click here for the full line-ups and to RSVP.

If you’re looking for some daytime action on Saturday, Levi’s and The Fader have you covered. With continuous music from 2-10 PM, The Ace Hotel is the place to be on Saturday. We’re particularly looking forward to Chauffeur’s performance, which will feature Mark Ronson, Theophilus London and Sam Sparrow. Flashing Lights founders Nick Catchdubs and Jubilee will also be spinning at the event. Click here to RSVP.