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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Creating our CMJ schedule has been no easy task. With over 1000 artists performing in NYC over the next four days, the official schedule of events is enough to make your head spin. Throw in the daily seminars and you’ve got your work cut out for you. Our top picks? The xx is performing at Mercury Lounge on Wednesday and is giving a free show at The Apple Store on Thursday. The Green Owl CMJ Showcase at Le Poisson Rouge on Wednesday also promises to be a great event, with performances by Theophilus London and The Very Best, among others. On Thursday, legendary DJs and hip-hop acts will unite at B.B. King’s to pay tribute to the late Grandmaster Roc Raida, with performances by X-Ecutioners, The Beat Junkies, DJ Craze, A-Trak, Z-Trip, and more. You can view all of the official events and create your own CMJ schedule by clicking here.

And it doesn’t stop there. In addition to the thousands of official events, we have our eyes on several unofficial events that are happening this week. Fool’s Gold Records will celebrate its two-year anniversary with events at 88 Palace on Wednesday and N8 on Thursday. Friday will keep us busy with three great events, all in Brooklyn. The Green Label Sound Bowl Party at the Brooklyn Bowl features live performances by Chromeo, Theophilus London, Amazing Baby and Solid Gold, with a DJ set by Holy Ghost. PopGun Booking is hosting their event at Glasslands, featuring a live performance by Francis and the Lights. The Trouble & Bass Crew rounds out the trifecta with an event at Cameo.

So there you have it. Are you ready for the week ahead? Check out some of the fliers for the unofficial events after the jump, and be sure to check in daily for our coverage of the CMJ Music Marathon.

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On Friday, Chromeo packed not one, but two venues in a single night, with a live performance at Irving Plaza followed by a DJ set at Webster Hall.

CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE PHOTO GALLERY

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This weekend, the Pepsi DJ Collective is kicking things off a little early with a party at Roxy’s Playhouse (a.k.a. BK Space, N8, The Space on 8th, etc.) on Thursday. Diplo, Roxy Cottontail, DJ Drama and Eli Escobar will take turns manning the decks, with a special live performance by Mad Decent’s own Maluca.

In support of his latest album, The Boy Who Knew Too Much, Mika will perform at the United Palace Theater on Friday night. We saw Mika on his last tour, and the boy definitely knows how to put on a show. Also on Friday, Chromeo will be doing double duty, with a live performance at Irvinig Plaza, followed by a DJ set at Webster Hall for the official after party.

Saturday night brings two legends of house music to town: Erick Morillo is back from Ibiza and will be spinning at Pacha, while Jeff Mills and his signature Detroit techno will be at The Sullivan Room.

Be sure to check out photos from Dave 1’s DJ set at Webster Hall last June and Diplo’s appearances at Hard NYC and Flashing Lights last Saturday.

Don’t forget, CMJ’s annual Music Marathon is taking over NYC next week. Click here to customize your own CMJ schedule, or check in with us on Monday for our top picks.

Last Saturday, the Trouble and Bass crew got down and dirty for their epic three-year anniversary celebration at Le Poisson Rouge. The night was off to a great start, with Drop the Lime, AC Slater, Star Eyes and The Captain alternating on the decks for the ultimate tag team set. The party heated up when 77Klash (whom we last saw with Major Lazer in June) jumped on the mic for a live performance, which included a version of Major Lazer’s “Pon De Floor” and a few songs from his upcoming EP, which will be released on T&B’s label.

The club was packed to capacity by the time Skream and Benga came on at 1:30. They kept their energy-packed set decidedly old-school, opting for CDJs and vinyl instead of a laptop. Highlights included Skream’s version of “In For The Kill” by La Roux and his official remix of Chromeo’s “Night by Night”. Ever the rock stars, Skream and Benga capped off the night by jumping into the audience for some crowd surfing.

Click here to check out Oliver Correa’s photos from the night. If you missed out on the party on Saturday, fret not – you can get your fill of dubstep when Caspa takes over Le Poisson Rouge this Wednesday.

Last night at Street Scene, we finally saw Chromeo in all their glory. While we’ve been to several of their DJ sets and seen both Dave 1 and P-Thugg out at different events throughout the year, this was the first time that we actually saw them perform, and to say that they delivered is a vast understatement. Dave 1’s stage personality was the biggest surprise for me – his rockstar persona was reflected not just in his movements, but also in his outfit, which was a rockier version of his usual pants-and-vest combination.

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This fall, Chromeo will join more than two dozen of the world’s best artists, DJs and producers when they release their DJ-Kicks compilation on September 29. Their cover of The Eagles’ “I Can’t Tell You Why” (streamed below), is the only Chromeo track on the compilation.

Chromeo isn’t the only artist on the Street Scene roster to release a DJ-Kicks album. Headliners Thievery Corporation released their own interpretation in 1999. DJ-Kicks was started in 1995 by indie label !K7 records, and was originally created for an in-home audience.

If you can’t get to San Diego to catch Chromeo’s performance on August 28, fear not – they’re coming to NYC on October 16. As for Thievery Corporation, who will hit the Street Scene stage on August 29, they’re playing NYC’s Terminal 5 on Halloween.

Chromeo – “I Can’t Tell You Why”

Check out the full track list of Chromeo’s DJ-Kicks after the jump. Continue Reading

If you’re looking to squeeze in one more massive music event this summer, then we’ve got the party for you. On August 28 and 29, San Diego’s premier music festival is bringing it back to the streets. For the first time since 2003, Street Scene will be held in the heart of San Diego’s East Village, celebrating the festival’s 25th anniversary.

While Outside Lands, happening the same weekend in San Francisco, is also a tempting option, nature festivals are a dime a dozen in the summertime. Street Scene’s urban setting makes it a unique experience you can’t find anywhere else, and the line-up of over 45 artists, including M.I.A., Chromeo, The Dead Weather, Girl Talk, Public Enemy and Modest Mouse, speaks for itself.

At $65 for single-day passes and $122 for a two-day pass, tickets are pretty affordable (I’ve paid more than that to see a single act at Madison Square Garden). On top of that, if you buy your tickets today or tomorrow (August 13th or 14th), the people at Street Scene will waive all service fees, on both single- and two-day passes.

What summer music events are you looking forward to? Sound off in the comments section after the jump…

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Last Wednesday at Cipriani Wall Street, Casio unveiled their new line of G-Shock watches with the help of Kanye West and DJ Enuff as part of their 12-city “Shock the World” 2009 global tour.

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This fall, Chromeo’s P-Thugg and Dave 1 will be bringing their gorgeous gams to NYC for a long-awaited live show. We’ve seen them DJ numerous times this year, but they haven’t performed live in the New York City area since last year at All Points West. Tickets for their October 16 show at Irving Plaza are already on sale. In the meantime, click here to download a cover of the Eagles “I Can’t Tell You Why” from their forthcoming compilations album DJ Kicks, or listen to it below.

And speaking of All Points West, come back next week for a chance to win tickets to this year’s festival, coming to Liberty State Park July 31-August 2.

Chromeo – “I Can’t Tell You Why”