SIREN guest dj MADSCIENCE

Guest DJ MADSCIENCE


I'm sorry Miss Jackson, but Jesse - aka MADSCIENCE - is the reverend of sass on the dance floor. If he doesn’t get you dancing, no one will.  Jesse and I have been working together for years and playing off one another’s vibe with absolute ease.  Jesse brings a production background - producing for multiple pop artists - and has catapulted to the top of the most-sought list of DC DJs over the last few years.  And it’s no wonder - he simply kills it every time, mixing the perfect blend of pop, hip-hop and guilty pleasures so well it makes my heart smile and floors erupt.  I have no qualms in saying he’s one of the most talented DJs on the east coast and he will prove it to you in his second SIREN gig.  Here are some of his favorite Girl Group tracks:  

MADSCIENCE'S FAVORITE GIRL GROUP JAMS
BrownStone -  "If You Love Me
3LW - "Baby Ima Do You Right"
Cherish - " Do It To IT"
Total -  "What About Us"
SWV - "Anything",  "I'm so into you"
TLC - "Scrubs",  "What About Your Friends"
En vogue - "En Vogue", "Never Gonna Get It"
Salt N Pepa - "Push it"
Mary Mary - "Praise Him"
Blaque - "Bring IT All To ME", "808"
24K -  "Don't Go There"
Little Mix - "Salute"
Fifth Harmony -  "Bo$$"

SIREN guest dj DELLA VOLLA

Wesley Dolla Volla (DJ Della Volla)

Della Volla and I go way back to ’06 and if anyone loves girl groups more than I do - it’s definitely him.  He has always been had a phenomenal ear for pop music  - whether it’s rounding up new sounds for KickKickSnare or helping spearhead parties like Pop Goes the World and DJing at events with me since ’10.  To say I’m comfortable with him in the DJ booth is beyond an understatement.  Expect his set to be UK GURL GROUPS galore, as there is no bigger fan of acts like the Sugababes, the Saturdays or Girls Aloud.

DELLA VOLLA’s TOP 10 GURL GROUPS
1. Sugababes
2. Destiny's Chid
3. Spice Girls
4. TLC
5. En Vogue
6. Girls Aloud
7. Saturdays
8. 2NE1
9. Danity Kane
10. Little mix

DELLA VOLLA’s TOP 10 GURL GROUP SONGS
1 Sugababes "Push The Button"
2 Destiny's Child "Jumpin' Jumpin'"
3 Spice Girls "Say You'll be There"
4 TLC "Silly Ho"
5 Girls Aloud "Something Kinda Ooh"
6 The Saturdays "If This Is Love"
7 En Vogue: "Never Gonna Get It"
8 All Saints "Never Ever"
9 Little Mix "Wings"
10 Danity Kane "Bad Girl"

SIREN guest DJ JACK RAYBURN

SIREN Guest DJ Jack Rayburn 

Jack’s ear for the eclectic was one of the things that drew me to him when I originally asked him to be a part of a SIREN back in the spring of 2011.  He knows how to decipher what good pop music is and always comes with his A-Game when he DJs at SIREN and other parties.  A must-experience is his periodic VIDEO TIME MACHINE night at NUMBER 9 (this Saturday, invite), where all of these things are on vivid display as he takes us through the decades of quality pop and makes you want to create a bar-side dance floor.  He’s absolutely a doll to work with and is sure to kill it on the downstairs.  Expect a good mix of girl groups from all over the world during his two hours of making you shake it in tight spaces.  


JACK RAYBURN’s TOP 10 GURL GROUPS
  1. Bananarama
  2. Destiny's Child
  3. Dream
  4. Eden's Crush
  5. M2M
  6. Pussycat Dolls
  7. The Spice Girls
  8. TLC
  9. Sugababes
  10. The Veronicas

JACK RAYBURN’s TOP 10 GURL GROUP SONGS
1. C'est La Vie (B*Witched)
2. Damaged (Danity Kane)
3. This is Me (Dream)
4. My Lovin' (En Vogue)
5. Hold On (Wilson Phillips)
6. Not Gonna Get Us (t.A.T.u)
7. Saturday Night Divas (Spice Girls)
8. Red Dress (Sugababes)
9. Shoop (Salt-n-Pepa)
10. Louder (Parade)

"Golden Boy" - KYLIE MINOGUE

Another quality b-side from the Kiss Me Once sessions from the Kween, herself - Miss Kylie Minogue


SIREN welcomes guest dj SAM BLODGETT

SIREN celebrates the old and the new this Friday at its flagship party, the 4th Annual ROBYN RIOT at one of DC's gems of a venue, the Green Lantern.  We celebrate for the fourth time the leading lady in our dancing lives, Robyn, and also welcome a new DJ to the fore - Sam Blodgett.  
A DC resident, Sam has surfaced with a great new party in the District called BUTCH QUEEN that basically focuses on shaking your ass non-stop for hours - and that's just what the doctor ordered for SIREN.  Additionally, his skills are beyond his experience and he brings his A-Game every time he plays.  This boy is definitely one to watch in the scene and worth every sweat stain on the dance floor.
Sam is a welcome addition to the plethora of amazing DJs that've graced the stages of SIREN and MAJRmusic events, including Nacey, Wesley Della Volla (who returns this week), Aaron Riggins, Cale, Vanniety Kills, Matt Bailer, Ca$$idy, Shea Van Horn, Charlie Kordes, The PocketGays and countless others.
He had a few words to say about what Robyn means to him, his favorite Robyn tracks and his own party: 

Robyn is probably my favorite pop star ever. I first heard her on Z95.7, the Bay Area's finest radio station in the 90s -- they had Robyn's early singles on heavy rotation. I have distinct memories of singing along to Show Me Love and Do You Know (What It Takes) with my mom in the car when I was 8. Robyn Is Here was one of my favorite albums growing up. If it were a record, it would be worn through.

Yes, she's great because writes fantastic songs and is an extraordinary performer but (maybe this is my fantasy) she also seems like a top quality human. I'm very drawn to her story: she walked away from a huge record deal after Robyn Is Here's success because she didn't want to compromise her artistic integrity. It took her years to recover that success, but she did it on her own terms, with her own record label. And now she's a household name, at least for the gays. Talk about the power of perseverance.

And then 2012 came along and I found myself front and center at the infamously sweaty U Street Music Hall show. She came on for her encore, and it was Show Me Love (of course). I was blissing out. And then, while she's mid-chorus, she reaches out, touches my hand, and sings the damn song straight into my eyes. After 18 years of living with her music, that was pure magic.

TOP 10
1. Girl and the Robot (Robyn/Royksopp)
2. Hang With Me
3. Show Me Love
4. Dancing On My Own
5. Time Machine
6. None of Dem
7. Do You Know (What It Takes)
8. Indestructible
9. Just Another Girlfriend
10. Konichiwa Bitches

About Butch Queen
Butch Queen started as three friends fooling around with DJ equipment in my living room. The three of us (Kris Sutton, Dioni Rey, and me) share a love for hip hop, house, 90s RnB, Baltimore and Jersey club music, and more, and we weren't hearing a lot of those jams out at bars. Eventually our impromptu in-house dance parties grew big enough that our apartments were too small and we kept running out of booze. So Butch Queen was born.

We're also hoping to create a diverse, inclusive party -- one that is mixed gender and mixed ethnicity (like the three of us). DC's scene lacks that sometimes. But above all else, our top three priorities are loud bass, strong drinks, and low booties. Everything else is just gravy. Really awesome gravy.

"Damage Control" - THE FAINT

The Faint return with a new, self-produced (and it shows) album Doom Abuse that's flush with gritty electroclash and punk energy.  It's an odd album in that it doesn't have the charm of their most mature (best) efforts Danse Macabre or Wet from Birth - it actually feels like a throwback to their early years (even in production).  While the best track might be the insane, balls-to-the-wall Help in the Head, this track (Damage Control) is a departure for them in its controlled, slow and deliberate nature.  It's somewhere between delicate with its synths and angry with the arduous use of them, while giving off an intense feeling of resolution - and even sadness - in its lyricism.  I keep playing it and I'm not sure why - I suppose it's just really interesting.  Like it - GET IT.

Slow Dancing EP - BETTY WHO

Thanks to our friends over at KickKickSnare (namely Wesley), we got the tip-off on the delightful little EP from our favorite amazonian Aussie princess (or band, rather) Jessica Newham (aka BETTY WHO).

Thoughts: 

New MAJR live mixtape: "F***ing Around on a Tuesday"

Recorded live in one sitting this past Tuesday and full of most of the jams I'm LOVING right now:


Good Enough to Keep - TENSNAKE ft. NILE ROGERS & FIORA
Let Go - RAC ft. KELE & MNDR
Les Sex - KYLIE MINOGUE 
Paper Heart - CHLÖE HOWL
Tongues - JOYWAVE ft. KOPPS
Ello Ello - RAC ft. BODY LANGUAGE
Sexy Love - KYLIE MINOGUE 
Jungle Fever - IDA CORR
Gun - CHVRCHES
Ghost (Viceroy remix) - MYSTERY SKULLS
Pumpin’ Blood (Wekeed remix) - NONONO
#1 in Heaven - MNDR
Chase Us Around - VICEROY ft. MADI DIAZ
Miss You Much - JANET JACKSON
Ash Tree Lane (Live City remix) - MS MR
Chocolate (HLM remix) - THE 1975
No Strings - CHLÖE HOWL
Hard Out Here - LILY ALLEN
Just Another Night (DJ Kue remix) - ICONA POP
Team (Panic City remix) - LORDE
Never Will Be Mine (Kat Krazy remix) - RYE RYE ft. ROBYN 
Stand Back (WLDCT remix) - STEVIE NICKS
Dreams (Megaman & Panic City remix) - FLEETWOOD MAC
Somebody Loves You (Jordan Dyck & Ambisoul remix) - BETTY WHO
Mr. President - KYLIE MINOGUE 
Let Go for Tonight (Kat Krazy remix) - FOXES
The One - THE KNOCKS ft. SNEAKY SOUND SYSTEM
Don’t Wanna Dance Alone (Cole Plante remix) - FIFTH HARMONY 
Climbing Walls (Viceroy remix) - STRANGE TALK
The Word is Love (Tommie Sunshine/Live City remix) - STEVE HURLEY/SHARON PASS
Little White Doves - DIRTY VEGAS
Jealous (I Ain’t With It) - CHROMEO 
Friday Night Gurus - STUDIO KILLERS
Invisible Light (DJ ZAX remix) - SCISSOR SISTERS
The NeverEnding Story (MAJR club edit) - LIMAHL
F For You (MAJR club edit) - DISCLOSURE ft. MARY J. BLIGE
The Distance - CAKE

TIMJ! - "Dear in Your Headlights" - BLONDFIRE

This song is the cat's pajamas - especially when I'm wearing my cat pajamas.  So good.  Get it.

Weekenditty: "Summer" - CALVIN HARRIS

Well... this isn't horrible - it's no award winner, but it's not deplorable dance like so many out there.  It sounds just like his last single Under Control, but oh well.  It's Calvin, and if we must embrace a mass-produced sound on the decks, he's at his core the best.  So, Mr. Harris, feel free to phone it in - we'll wait for the good stuff later.  In the mean time - get it

TIMJ!: #tbt edition | "Le Disko" (Tommie Sunshine remix) - SHINY TOY GUNS


This was indeed my jam for almost all of 2006.  
DOWNLOAD and thank me later when it RULES your workout: 



TIMJ!: "Paper Heart" - CHLÖE HOWL

This is definitely MY JAM today.  I think the world of young upstart Chlöe Howl and hopefully you will too.  She's just.... lovely.  Enjoy: 

)

Check out her brand new EP Rumour, which just dropped yesterday in the U.S.

"Ello Ello" - RAC ft. BODY LANGUAGE

This easily is one of my favorite tracks this week - perhaps even the utmost such.  Penned by the brilliant (and now touring) RAC (short for 'remix artist collective') and rising Brooklyn-based stars Body Language, Ello Ello is the second track on the former's brand new EP (it's actually part 1 of a 2-part LP) Strangers, Pt. 1 - a record that also features the equally as phenomenal Let Go (featuring Kele of Bloc Party and MNDR).

TIMJ! - "Good Enough to Keep" & "Feel of Love" - TENSNAKE

The Germans have come up with their response to England's Disclosure - and his name is Tensnake.  
A talented producer with who mixes in soul, disco, funk, electro and magic into his sets, Marco Niemerski is a hell of a DJ and finally has global backing with his release of Glow, which dropped yesterday.  Here are my two favorite tracks off the album - each with iconic collaborators.

The first is Jacques Lu Cont (Stuart Price), the iconic three-time Grammy-winning producer and French house DJ who was the driving force behind Madonna's Confessions... and Kylie Minogue's Aphrodite.  

The second is none other than producer/guitarist extraordinaire and legend Nile Rogers (pictured) - one of the driving forces behind Daft Punk's revival and the emergence of Avicii.  Adding vocals to the track is Fiora (pictured), a rising Berlin star who lends her voice to many of the tracks on Glow and has a soulful resonance ripe for the picking.


MAJR TOP 25 - FEB 27 2014

★ Download (6) New Additions (dropbox):  http://bit.ly/1mJtble 
★ Previous MAJR TOP 25s (w/ downloads):  http://on.fb.me/N9aP0I

Rank. (Last Rank, Highest Rank)  "Song"– ARTIST
01. (04, 01)  "The One" – THE KNOCKS ft. SNEAKY SOUND SYSTEM
AUDIO: https://soundcloud.com/theknocks/the-one-ft-sneaky-sound-system


02. (01, 01)  "Into the Blue" – KYLIE MINOGUE
AUDIO: https://soundcloud.com/loveblonde-edit/kylie-into-the-blue-2014


03.  ***  “Jungle Fever” – IDA CORR
LYRIC VIDEO: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=spTdeSUQqD0


04. (02, 02)  "F for You" (MAJR club edit) – DISCLOSURE ft. MARY J. BLIGE
AUDIO: https://soundcloud.com/mikey-adolphson/f-for-you-majr-club-edit


05. (05, 05)  "Climbing Walls" (Viceroy remix) – STRANGE TALK
AUDIO: https://soundcloud.com/viceroymusic/strange-talk-climbing-walls-1


06. (07, 06)  "Voices" (Le Youth remix) – DISCLOSURE
AUDIO: https://soundcloud.com/leyouth/disclosure-voices-le-youth


07.  ***  “Just Another Night” (DJ Kue remix) – ICONA POP
AUDIO/DL: http://bit.ly/1hmNcwK


08.  ***  “Young Hearts” (The Chainsmokers remix) –STRANGE TALK
AUDIO: https://soundcloud.com/thechainsmokers/young-hearts-the-chainsmokers


09. (03, 02)  "Ash Tree Lane" (Live City remix) - MS MR
AUDIO: https://soundcloud.com/livecityofficial/ash-tree-lane-live-city-remix


10.  ***  “Ghost” (Viceroy remix) – MYSTERY SKULLS
AUDIO: https://soundcloud.com/viceroymusic/mystery-skulls-ghost-viceroy

11. (06, 05)  "Let Go for Tonight" (Fred Falke remix) – FOXES

AUDIO: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=StpCmAfY9Pw

12. (13, 11)  "Team" (Panic City remix) – LORDE

AUDIO: https://soundcloud.com/swedensfinestmusicblog/lorde-team-panic-city-remix

13. (10, 01)  "Hard Out Here" – LILY ALLEN

VIDEO: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E0CazRHB0so

14. (09, 01)  "SuperLove"- CHARLI XCX

VIDEO: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pPWcX-16A9Y

15. (25, 15)  "MacArthur Park" (Fries & Shine remix) – DONNA SUMMER

AUDIO: https://soundcloud.com/william-gordon-2/donna-summer-macarthur-park

16. (17, 13)  "Bug A Boo" (Borneland v. MAJR edit) – DESTINY’S CHILD

AUDIO/DL: http://bit.ly/1i00azf

17. (08, 08)  "Chase Us Around" – VICEROY

AUDIO: https://soundcloud.com/viceroymusic/chaseusaround

18.  ***  “Midnight” (Marcus Schossow remix) –COLDPLAY

AUDIO: https://soundcloud.com/marcusschossow/midnight-marcus-schossow-remix

19. (19, 19)  "#SELFIE" – THE CHAINSMOKERS

VIDEO: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kdemFfbS5H0

20. (11, 11)  "I Want It All" – KARMIN

VIDEO: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P3SbIJI8sqk

21. (12, 01)  "We Sink" –CHVRCHES

AUDIO: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H7xyOqRl5gs

22. (14, 14)  "In Love" – GRUM

AUDIO: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gHjVFhLAppk

23. (15, 04)  "XO" –BEYONCÉ

VIDEO: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3xUfCUFPL-8

24. (24, 18)  "Jerk Ribs" – KELIS

VIDEO: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wQgppPHXJSs

25.  ***  
“Chocolate” (HLM remix) – THE 1975
AUDIO: https://soundcloud.com/dj_hlm/the-1975-chocolate-hlm-remix 


CASUALITIES + CLOSE-CALLS (in rank)

"Blue Eyes" - KATY B
“Heartbreak Dream” – BETTY WHO
“Gun” - CHVRCHES
(16, 12)  "Goodness Gracious"(The Chainsmokers remix) – ELLIE GOULDING
“Aerosol Can” – MAJOR LAZER ft. PHARRELLWILLIAMS
(22, 19)  "Happy" (DannyDove remix) – PHARRELL WILLIAMS
(21, 06)  "Somebody Loves You" (Jordan Dyck& Ambisoul remix) – BETTY WHO
(20, 16)  "Like a Lie" – JETSKI SAFARI ft. HELEN CORRY
(23, 21)  "Air Balloon"– LILY ALLEN
(18, 10) "Feed MeDiamonds" (Karl G remix) – MNDR
“Cut the Kid” – MADEON
“Need U (100%)” – DUKE DUMONT ft. A*M*E

NEW FAINT NEW FAINT NEW FAINT (video and song)

Sweet Jesus.  
Isn't it nice when a sound reminds you of what you really love in music?
If you know me, you know that few bands (actually only one: Radiohead) mean more to me than The Faint.  The Omaha-based band epitomizes all that developed me as a music-obsessed individual: punk, electronica, progressiveness, aggression, finesse and somehow almost always danceable.  The band that signified my favorite music movement, electroclash, is back and all signs point to phenomenal.  The distortion-meets-danceability is back.  The aggression-meets-intellect is alive and well.  The Faint now flourish.

Check out their new track and video, below.  Their new album Doom Abuse comes out April 8.  Pre-order (for only $7.99 right now) on iTunes here.

PS: the video, per usual, is great.

KYLIE's Most Iconic Music Videos - MY TOP 20


20. All I See

19. Some Kind of Bliss
18. Locomotion
17. In Your Eyes
16. Wow
15. Spinning Around
14. Get Outta My Way
13. Love at First Sight
12. I Should Be So Lucky
11. Timebomb
10. In My Arms
09. On a Night Like This
08. Red Blooded Woman
07. Your Disco Needs You
06. Better the Devil You Know
05. Come into My World
04. The One
03. All the Lovers
02. Can't Get You Out of My Head
01. Slow

Top 13 KYLIE Kountdown: Should've Been Singles

A little countdown of the best Kylie Minogue singles that never were.  It's all simply... too much.  Enjoy: 

13.  HEART BEAT ROCK (X - 2007)
Produced by a young Calvin Harris, this track was overshadowed by the other Harris track "In My Arms" - arguably her best song ever - on the same record.  This did, however, foreshadow some of the sounds about to come from Harris and to music as a whole.

12.  I MISS YOU (Kylie - 1988)
This quintessential 80's brilliant pop track was lost in the glitterstorm that was Kylie's first LP release - an album that saw seven of its 10 tracks released as singles.  


11.  YOU MAKE ME FEEL  (Body Language - 2003)
Slinky, beautiful and time appropriate, this track still ranks among the sexiest on KM's most sensual LP.  Perhaps I love it most because it reminds me most of one of the biggest influences on the album, Prince.  

10.  MAGNETIC ELECTRIC  (X B-side - 2007)
Why this was not on the 'X' album (still my favorite LP) still boggles my mind.  It's just wonderful.  No - it's just awesome.  It's provocative, well produced and contagious as all hell.  It's - quite simply -  both magnetic and electric and should be in everyone's pop libraries.

09.  ILLUSION  (Aphrodite - 2010)
Kylie showed a new angle with this one.  It was as if she took influences from Enya, early 80s Minneapolis new jack swing and the emerging trend of gritty electro all at once.  It is quite a complex track that never gets its due.  Fucking lovely.

08.  PASSWORD  (Light Years B-side - 2000) 
Kylie has always had the ability to be funky, fun and infectious simultaneously.  This is the perfect example of such.  This is definitely one of my favorite choruses and gets me jumping like I belong in a padded room.

07.  FEVER  (Fever - 2001)
One of KM's most identifiable tracks from the outset and the title of the LP itself, yet it was never technically a single.  

06.  APHRODITE  (Aphrodite - 2010)
There isn't much I can say about this one that I didn't say about #7. Both tracks are a testament to how strong their albums were, but I still believe they both should have replaced a track which was released, respectively.  Actually, there is one thing I will say about this one - it is probably her most honest track.  She truly is Aphrodite and she SHUTS IT DOWN, here.

05.  MORE MORE MORE  (Fever - 2001)
Straight up dance disco deliciousness dropped in the early 00's that opens up what is still her highest selling LP, 'Fever'.  This song is still brilliant and one of my favorites to play at clubs.  Produced by the iconic TommyD, this track deserved more, more, more respect.

04.  CUPID BOY  (Aphrodite - 2010)
This is a rare dive into minor key tonalities for KM that has a beautiful bridge and a dance edge that never fails to captivate dance floors.  'Aphrodite' was a great album and this is one of the best on it.

03.  TIME WILL PASS YOU BY  (Kylie Minogue - 1994)
People have completely forgotten about this one.  This is one of her most uplifting, danceable and complex songs and it came out in the first flush of her career.  Do yourself a favor, and enjoy the early 90's vibrance that is this little gem.  ::dances around::

02.  TOO MUCH  (Aphrodite - 2010)
This is one of those songs that makes you want to punch whoever chose 'Better than Today' as a single in the face.  When the 'Aphrodite' LP dropped, many predicted this one would be a second or third single - alas we were all disappointed.  This is the Calvin Harris, once more, at his best and a nice callback from 'In My Arms' that so many fans had craved.  

01.  LIKE A DRUG  (X - 2007)
This is - simply - one of her best songs, period.  It's sass, dance, production brilliance and lyrical infectiousness all wrapped up in a song that for some reason didn't make the single 'cut' from the powers that be.  Every time she says 'DAMN RIGHT' in the second verse, I remember how much I love her.  And - let's not forget when she came out on the giant metallic red skull 30 ft in the air during the 'X-2008 Tour'.  This is simple proof that she is THE KWEEN.

OFFICIAL VIDEO: "Into the Blue" - KYLIE MINOGUE


The Kween has returned.  Her first official music video in two years.  The newest single from the third-highest single-selling female artist in music history.  Revel, y'all - it's KYLIE MINOGUE


In the empress' own words:
"Hi everyone! I'm so excited to finally share the 'Into The Blue' video with you all. It is directed by Dawn Shadforth who also did 'Spinning Around', 'In Your Eyes', 'Chocolate', 'Can't Get You Out Of My Head' and '2 Hearts'! So, we go back a long way and this time we were able to do something different again. 
Both Dawn and I were thrilled to have the wonderful French actor, Clement Sibony join us. Check out one of his many films or his next releases coming later this year, 'Les Nuits d'Été' from Mario Fanfani and "The Hundred Foot Journey" by Lasse Hallström. Clement is writing his first film, hoping to direct it at the beginning of 2015.  So, enjoy the video #Lovers!!"