It was almost a year ago when I first caught wind of the French pop-star Yelle. The record label I was working for was promoting her new album “Safari Disco Club” and received hundreds of her albums and posters. I was immediately drawn to Yelle because she had a strong style resemblance to one of my favorite female rockers, Karen O. Upon first listen of her album I was sold. I do not speak French and did not understand a single word of what was going on, but I did know: it sounded happen, was impossible to not dance to, and was upbeat. Good enough for me.

The Music Hall of Williamsburg was sold out and filled with an ecstatic audience on December 9^th. Yelle took the stage in her iconic ‘mop’ like body suit that could have come straight out of Christian Joy’s closet. Behind her GrandMarnier and Tepr had started playing their pop-heavy synth lines and warming the crowd up. Yelle burst out into song and the audience went nuts.

That night I was able to appreciate music as a universal language. Though I hear that saying often and it was a core principle in my college curriculum, witnessing the phenomena live brought the saying full circle. The mass majority of the audience didn’t speak French and could not sing along with Yelle. But everyone knew how to dance. Everyone knew how to hum along with the catchy melody lines. That ladies and gentleman is art.

Yelle stripped down to an ‘ode to America’ Budweiser onesie that could have been glued to her body. She yelled out, “My English is not very good and your French is not very good, but I love Brooklyn, and this has been my favorite show of this tour! Thank you!” I can’t tell you which songs were played but I can tell you that they were played well and with emotion.

Tonight, Yelle will be taking over the Music Hall of Williamsburg with Housse De Racket in towe. According to the rave reviews we have been reading left and right, both French pop-duos rocked Webster Hall last night. Yelle is fronted and named by Yelle, nee Julie Budet, a sparky gamine with a deceptively demure schoolgirl voice. Joined by producers GrandMarnier (Jean-Francois Perrier) and Tepr (Tanguy Destable), Yelle first arrived amid a flurry of 80′s inspired pop, with the likes of CSS and New Young Pony Club all revered for their take on brightly colored electro. Unfortunately tonight’s show is sold out, but we strongly suggest checking out Craigslist! Show starts at 9, doors open at at 8, see you there!

Wednesday, November 30th – Tiesto @ Pacha - Advance Tickets
Part 1 of the Pacha NYC 6-Year Anniversary Celebration! Whether it be the 250,000 revelers coming together at Ipanema Beach in Rio De Janeiro, the adoring clubbers who descend upon Privilege in Ibiza on a Monday night every summer, or the 25,000 fans en masse at Victoria Park in London, all are in attendance for the same reason: they have come to see Tiësto, the world’s biggest DJ/Producer! Tiesto is also performing on Thursday, December 1st at Lavo. For more info: click here

Thursday, December 1st – DARKSIDE Debut @ Music Hall of Williamsburg - Advance Tickets
DARKSIDE (Nicolas Jaar + Dave Harrington) began when a converter plug exploded in Nicolas Jaar and Dave Harrington’s Berlin hotel room during their summer tour. When the smoke cleared, they knew their twin, white Genelec speakers were fried. But rather than retire for the night, they both plugged into a computer and merged sounds, forming DARKSIDE. For more info: click here

Thursday, December 1st – BESPOKE + Mano Le Tough @ 4 Vandam St - Free with RSVP
Bespoke launches next Thursday, December 1st at the brand new art gallery, nightclub + lounge located at 34 Vandam St., aka Work in Progress.  Admission is free all night, simply RSVP to be placed on the guestlist. Expect exceptional electronic music-an aural and visual feast featuring some of the most forward-thinking DJs/producers at one of the most interesting and exciting new venues to come to New York in years. For more info: click here

Friday, December 2nd – Verboten Presents Rebel Rave @ Good Units - Advance Tickets
Damian Lazarus and the infamous Rebel Rave Tour descend upon New York for one night only, and Verboten’s got em. Join the Crosstown Rebels head and his gang, including Lee Curtiss (Visionquest), Clive Henry (Circoloco, Peace Division), Culprit’s Droog, and the New York debut of Subb-an, for an incredible throw down of epic proportions. For more info: click here

Friday, December 2nd – BLKMARKET with KOZE & Robag Wruhme @ TBA - Advance Tickets
On Friday 2nd December, we celebrate co-founder and resident DJ Fahad Haider’s Birthday Bash! For this night we have invited some close friends of ours to share the decks for the celebration. DJ Koze and Robag Wruhme have both been invited to play extended sets for the party. Also joining the lineup is Shadi Megallaa with residents Taimur & Fahad. If that’s not enough this event is also DJ Koze’s first record label night in the U.S. Ladies and gentlemen lets get ready for the Pampa records showcase! For more info: click here

Friday, December 2nd – Loco Dice @ Pacha - Advance Tickets
Part 2 of the Pacha NYC 6-Year Anniversary Celebration! Loco Dice is someone who can puzzle together intangible moods with a direct approach. Via his DJ sets or his productions on labels like M_nus, Cadenza, Ovum, Four Twenty and Cocoon, he merges perspectives in his delicate sense for sounds and reflective atmospheres, underpinned with solid, physical grooves inspired by the hip hop that was his early sonic stomping ground in the mid- to late ‘90s. There’s something there for the dreamers, as well as for the 9-to-5ers who just want to lose everything in a moment of abandon on the dancefloor. For more info: click here

Friday, Dember 2nd – Digitalism (Live) @ Webster Hall – Advance Tickets 19+
Digitalism have been responsible for some of the most outstanding tracks of the genre. ‘Zdarlight’, ‘Idealistic’, ‘Digitalism In Cairo’ (an amazing Cure remix), ‘Jupiter Room’, ‘Pogo’ among others, helped Digitalism stand out from the crowd. Recent tracks like ‘Circles’ from their new album ‘I Love You Dude’ just press the point further; these guys are awesome. They will be playing for us this Friday at our Girls and Boys party at Webster Hall with Nadastrom and Data Romance. We are looking forward to this one.

Saturday, December 3rd – Jeff Mills @ LPR - Advance Tickets
The Axis visionary and techno icon JEFF MILLS returns to New York for a very special night at (le) Poisson Rouge! Basic NYC is excited and honored to welcome Jeff to LPR for his long-awaited return set, where he’ll be featuring his latest spellbinding music – his new score of the 60′s Sci-Fi film classic “Fantastic Voyage”, his brand-new double album on his own Axis Records label. We’re bringing in extra sound and visuals for this night, which will feature an extended set from the always-amazing Jeff. Don’t miss out on this intimate performance from one of the world’s most important artists. For more info: click here

Saturday, December 3rd – Octave @ National Underground - Advance Tickets
Dasha Rush [ Fullpanda | Sonic Groove | Berlin ] Mike Parker [ Prologue | Mote Evolver | Buffalo ] Jeff Derringer [ Perc Trax | Chicago ] 11 PM – 6 AM, For more info: click here

Sunday, December 4th – Mark Verbos, Jacques Renault, Walker & Royce @ Brooklyn Terrace -  Advance Tickets
Nurvous Records and Benny Soto present three of the top dj’s in the evolving nu-disco genre. We are giving away two lists spots to anyone who gives us a shout on our Facebook page.

The Brooklyn Electronic Music Festival, now in its fourth year, is just a few weeks away. The two-day festival, taking place Friday and Saturday November 11-12, will be held across more than five Williamsburg venues. A 40-strong lineup is in development; Matthew Dear, Diamond Rings, Four Tet, Hudson Mohawke, Braille, Dubbel Dutch, and Daedelus are among the artists announced.

Compared to last year, production company MeanRed has doubled the capacity. This not only allows for significantly more musical performances, but also for street art projections, installations from local experiential artists, and a food truck lot.

The festival will run from 4pm-4am. Primary venues are Music Hall of Williamsburg, Public Assembly, The Cove, Cameo, and Zablozki’s; all will be 21+, with the exception of Music Hall of Williamsburg (18+). $45 buys a 2-day pass.

In addition, MeanRed will host a pre-BEMF Dark Disco party, which will feature Lvis-1990 and will be held at a secret location in Chinatown on Saturday, November 5. Advanced tickets are $10, or $15 once those sell out. Alternatively, a ticket to both the pre-party and BEMF can be purchased for $50.

Tickets to BEMF and the Dark Disco pre-party are available from Ticketfly. HiFi will continue with festival coverage as information becomes available. See you on North 6th Street!

Sunday, October 2nd, The 37th Annual Atlantic Antic at Atlantic Avenue, Free
The Atlantic Antic is a longstanding tradition in New York City. Spanning four neighborhoods through the heart of brownstone Brooklyn, the Atlantic Antic is the largest and most celebrated street festival in New York City! With over 500 artists, craftspeople, musicians, and food merchants purveying an eclectic variety of goods and services, the Antic is the perfect place to explore everything the city has to offer! More Info

Tuesday & Wednesday, October 4th & 5th, Portishead, Hammerstein Ballroom
Portishead is a band from Bristol, UK, named after a small coastal town twelve miles west of said musical hotbed, in North Somerset. They were initially known for their use of jazz samples and some hip-hop beats along with various synth sounds and the hauntingly beautiful vocals of singer Beth Gibbons. Their current sound drops the samples in favour of a harder, more abrasive edge, but retains Gibbons’ vocals. Their tunes are legendary and hauntingly mesmerizing.  Tickets

Tuesday-Sunday, October 4th-9th, Deadmau5, Roseland Ballroom
Born and raised in Niagara Falls, Canada, Joel Zimmerman (aka “deadmau5”) has become one of the most sought-after artists on the electronic music scene in recent times. He is known for his highly entertaining live gigs, often performing wearing a large cartoon mouse head. ‘Deadmau5’, Zimmermans’ DJ name, originates from an incident where a mouse crawled into his computer and died. He then posted on an internet forum of his shenanigans, and the members began calling him TheDeadMouseGuy. ‘Dead Mouse’ was too long for an IRC login name, so he abbreviated it to “deadmau5”. Tickets

Wednesday & Thursday, October 5th & 6th, James Blake, Webster Hall & Music Hall of Williamsburg
James Blake is a producer, DJ, and live musician based out of the United Kingdom. James Blake first garnered attention through his deep and melodic dubstep productions that began to emerge in 2009. The release of his EP The Bells Sketch in March of 2010, and of CMYK a few months later, represented a maturation of his sound; a movement away from his more dubstep centered production and towards the more stripped down melody that would characterize his first full length album. Released in February of this year, the album falls safely within the realm of the electronic genre, while heavily emphasizing piano and the increased integration of vocal elements, both of which are performed by James himself. This ability has set James apart and caused him to skyrocket to such notoriety at such a young age. Unfortunately both shows are sold out, we suggest trying your luck on Craigslist!

Friday, October 7th, Mickey Avalon, Webster Hall
Mickey Avalon (real name Yeshe Perl) is a rap artist from Hollywood, California. His debut self-titled solo album was released Nov. 7, 2006 on Interscope/Shoot to Kill Records in association with MySpace Records. Avalon blends dark, lewd, and crizzled lyrical hooks with hip-hop beats. Frequent topics of Avalon’s songs are his experiences with substance abuse and prostitution, but don’t let that discourage you- he knows how to deliver an epic performance. $5 til midnight with RSVP, Advance Tickets $15

Saturday, October 8th, Ladytron, Terminal 5
What transpired in the studio as a result of that confidence and freedom enhanced the vision they achieved on Witching Hour, and in doing so, has simultaneously redefined and escaped the genre. Produced by Ladytron with assistance from Vicarious Bliss (Ed Banger Records) and Alessandro Cortini (Nine Inch Nails), VELOCIFERO fully transcends the confines of electro-pop with a fresh wave of distorted soul. Mira and Helen—whose disparate vocal styles already provide considerable depth—have evolved both as musicians and songwriters, lending provocative harmonies to songs like “Runaway” and “I’m Not Scared.” While, rhythmically, there are moments reminiscent of their old favorites Os Mutantes and the Birthday Party. Tickets

New Yorkers. Get excited. Tonight is finally here, Brainfeeder is presenting the long anticipated return of the West Coast’s, Flying Lotus. A recent press release for FlyLo’s newest album Cosmograma stated: It’s impossible to understate what Flying Lotus has created with Cosmogramma, since there is so much to unpack: The effortless musical cohesion of the historical avant-garde and the next chapter of futurism. The conversation at the post-hip-hop crossroads of two urban music traditions, American and British, and at the center of one of the most vibrant sound scenes on the globe today: the beat-and-bass-heavy corner of Los Angeles (of which FlyLo’s Brainfeeder is a mainstay). The uncommonly natural musical communication between the physical world and the spiritual, one made personal and given a cohesive form. Even the funny smells, without the slightest whiff of self-importance.

Playing alongside FlyLo will be Thundercat, Austin Peralta, Teebs, and Strangeloop. Doors open at 8, the show starts at 9. Unfortunately this show is sold out. However, you might have better luck catching these guys this Wednesday night, the 22nd, at the Music Hall of Williamsburg. We’re looking forward to seeing you there.

Click here for more information.

New Flying Lotus Track:
Flying Lotus// BJork//Shiver by Flyinglotus

Touble & Bass and Powerline Productions are teaming up to bring you a basstastic evening June 11^th. The event is being described as “A night of low frequency carnage and dance floor decimation.” Music Hall of Williamsburg will be hosting 5 unforgettable acts: Deathface, Prince Terrence, The Captain, Mexicans with Guns, and Murdertronics. Come join us as we kick off the summer with Trouble & Bass. Doors open at 9 and the show is 18+. We are giving away a pair of tickets to one lucky winner, just fill out the form below to enter. If you want to be on the safe side, advanced tickets for $10 can be purchased here.