This past Friday’s installment of GBH’s Girls & Boys party at Webster Hall featured JFK of MSTRKRFT, 12th Planet and St. Mandrew, along with Girls & Boys residents Alex English and Rekles. These jockeys came well prepared, playing to a packed house and owning the tracks they spun. Having covered many shows at Webster Hall, a venue with a rich history that has catered to artists like Bjork, Mick Jagger, Frank Sinatra, Tony Bennett, Ray Charles, Harry Belafonte and even Elvis Presley, I always imagine moments of fervor in accordance to our electronic preferences and performances due to periodic tastes in terms of music, and JFK of MSTRKFT captured this essence.

When I think of MSTRKFT, I think of the Ontario duo who curated a platform that blends electro house, dance pop, electro punk and even rap with hard beats. In light of the famed and historical hallmark, Jesse F. Keeler  (aka JFK) delivered behind the decks, with highlights that included crowd control as he weaved in and out of mixes like a maze. On guard behind the decks, his fingers never left the knobs. As if he were curing a constant itch, he caressed the decks with the right touch, and every seamless beat and transition that followed erupted out of the speakers like an explosion with rhythm. A madman behind the table, he was the cleric in charge of an audience that wanted to move and dance, and surely, there wasn’t a still body in the crowd. He played a heavy French house set, but added infusions among the mix that included MSTRKFT’s mixes of “Heartbreaker” featuring John Legend and “Bounce” featuring N.O.R.E.. Overall, the high-energy set involved tracks that heightened the dramatic sense of the space – to the glee of the audience. The result was a well cultivated set and session that served as a contemporary representation of the historical venue, and we were glad to catch this one.

CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE FULL ALBUM

For kicks and sample of what the night felt like, click through for the video of Bounce by MSTRKRFT featuring. N.O.R.E. and ISIS
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This New Year’s Eve, there’s so much going on that we have to break it down for you in a more organized fashion. So without further ado, we present The HiFi Cartel’s Official Guide to New Year’s Eve… after the jump.

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After taking on CMJ, The Electric Zoo, Street Scene, All Points West, and the Winter Music Conference in 2009, it seems only natural to add South by Southwest to our growing itinerary for 2010.

Last year, the festival drew 12,000 participants and showcased nearly 2,000 musical acts on 88 stages. The 2009 line-up included AC Slater, Amanda Blank, Buraka Som Sistema, Deadmau5, The Golden Filter, Grizzly Bear, Ben Harper & Relentless7, Jack Beats, MSTRKRFT and The Twelves, among others.

Now in its 24th year, the annual SXSW Music Conference and Festival will be held in Austin from March 17-21. The initial line-up of 450+ artists is likely to quadruple by March, and already includes Treasure Fingers, Kidz in the Hall, HEARTSREVOLUTION, Team Facelift, Adam Tensta and The Postelles. Chauffeur is also rumored to make a rare appearance at the festival, but is yet to be confirmed.

Music badges cost $675 if you register by January 12, and will allow you to participate in all of the official SXSW music parties, panels, and courses. Click here for a full list of badge levels, rates and details about the programs that the badges include. While the price tag might seem a little steep, it includes five full days of music with nearly 2,000 acts (which, if you do the math, breaks down to less than five cents per artist).

Don’t forget, the Winter Music Conference kicks off the following week in Miami (March 23-27), so plan accordingly. But more on that later…

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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