This Friday I’m DJing on The Queen Mary (a GIANT boat docked in Long Beach). The event is aptly called the “I’M ON A BOAT MUSIC FESTIVAL.”

I’m combining DJ forces with DJ CPYAY to create SANSEGO. Tickets are going fast, and you can get them here (only $16!)

This Thursday, I’m back in Santa Monica – DJing at the weekly DANCEiSM vs. Gotta Dance Dirty VERSUS party at The Central: Social Aide & Pleasure Club.

Click the flyer for the Facebook event page:

This is a cross-post from a guest blog that I wrote on Stoney Roads, an awesome dance music blog in Australia.

Akai is best known for their classic Music Production Center (MPC) line of drum machines, MIDI sequencers, samplers, and disk recorders. You can hear the MPC at work in many records from the past 23 years – starting with the MPC60 – including hits by Dr. Dre, Zombie Nation, Lady Gaga, Christina Aguilera, and many more. Recently, Akai has experienced a new resurgence from their line of Ableton Performance Controllers (APC) – most notably the APC40. Now that competition is heating up even more in the USB/MIDI controller arena, where companies are integrating both hardware and software (read: Native Instruments’ MASCHINE), Akai has stepped their game up with the release of the APC Renaissance. Akai is dubbing their new machine as “the instrument for music production”, which is a bold claim.

The Renaissance should look familiar to those who already use Akai products. It includes an integrated USB soundcard, lots of I/O, MIDI, and even a dedicated turntable input. The Renaissance features Akai’s legendary touch-sensitive drum pads and their modern encoders from the APC line. Where the new machine really shines however, is in its bundled software and digital connection. The software runs either standalone, or as a VST, AU, or RTAS plugin in your favorite digital audio workstation (DAW) and allows seamless integration with the controller for both studio production and live performance.

If all this new technology doesn’t impress you, then you might like the “vintage” mode that recreates the sound of the legendary MPC3000/60 crunch. Don’t worry, you don’t need to hook the Renaissance up to a computer; it works just fine as a standalone unit.

While the competition for hardware/software music production solutions is hotter than ever, Akai seems to have killed it with the new MPC Renaissance. I will be most interested to watch how musicians use the device in the coming months; whether they will use the standalone hardware by itself, use the fully integrated software, or use the software as a VST inside Ableton Live perhaps?

Happy New Years!! I hope you had a fun weekend, I know I did! Saturday night I saw Fedde Le Grand at the Music Box in Hollywood, then Sunday I went to White Wonderland in Anaheim to see Thomas Gold, AN21 & Max Vangeli, and Steve Angello. Needless to say, today I’m in RECOVERY MODE!

Here are my overall top 10 tracks for 2011. It was so hard to narrow it down, 2011 was a great year for house music!

10. Calvin Harris feat. Rihanna – We Found Love
Over the past year, I heard this song on the radio possibly more than any other song in the history of the universe. That being said, it’s so catchy and it always goes off on the dance floor!

9. Adam K feat. Naan – Wake Up (Morgan Page Remix)
This is an amazing progressive house remix by Mr. Page (who should have a great 2012) – it even inspired me to make a mashup with Mr. Kuby.

8. Chris Brown feat. Benny Benassi – Beautiful People
Ok so maybe I first heard this song at the end of 2010, but it was officially released in 2011, and is really a great example of what we will see even more of in the near future – a fusion of hip-hop/r&b with electro house music (a la Benassi, Guetta, Calvin Harris).

7. Mord Fustang – The Electric Dream
Mord Fustang is my #1 new artist for 2011. If you haven’t heard of him, check out his funky rhythms and usually rich harmonies.

6. BT & Adam K – Tomahawk
I don’t know what genre this song is. I don’t think anybody does! Somewhere between progressive house, trance, and dubstep, this masterpiece is expertly blended together and always blows up the room.

5. Felguk – Jack It
Felguk is one of my favorite artists – two crazy Brazilians that combine epic electro with obvious musical talent – these guys are the real deal. “Jack It” is their track of the year.

4. Manufactured Superstars feat. Scarlett Quinn – Take Me Over (Bingo Players Remix)
You’ve probably heard this song but didn’t know who it was. Look out for both Manufactured Superstars (the owners of Beatport) and Bingo Players in the coming year.

3. Chris Lake – Sundown (Lazy Rich Remix)
Possibly one of the best original tracks of the year, Chris Lake’s Sundown is taken to a new level by Lazy Rich. Rich’s style is fierce electro – and this track is a perfect fit.

2. Avicii – Levels (Clockwork Remix)
No DJ’s top 10 2011 list would be complete without at least one Avicii track. The man has taken the world by storm, and my (second) favorite track of the year was actually Clockwork’s remix of Levels. Watch out for Clockwork in 2012.

1. Meduzah, Xplod3 & Sue Cho – I’m Free (Revolvr Remix)
Meduzwho? Right, you’ve probably never heard of any of these artists. But you will recognize Sue Cho’s voice, and be blown away by Revolvr’s remix – expect big things from this guy!

What do you get when you combine an epic Daft Punk remix with vocals from Calvin Harris?

My new mashup! Free Download on Soundcloud:

Calvin Harris vs. Daft Punk vs. Mike Candys & Jack Holiday
Hold Me One More Time (Paul Loeb Mashup)