by JACK OATMON

Having critical tendencies is a blessing and a curse. It becomes easy to have great expectations. When events meet expectations, it’s special. When expectations are exceeded, it’s damn well rad. I place a particularly high expectation on party posses like Neon and Peer Pressure, who got me hooked on the nightlife scene here in Montreal in the first place. Holy fuck! That’s all I’m gonna say about that. Thanks, guys.

In that vein, there’s a chance to catch one of 2006’s bumpin’-est dance-music collaborations this weekend. On Friday, May 12, MSTRKRFT will be razoring your brains at the SAT with their unique electronic mash-up of rock and disco. I got a chance to talk with the super friendly and totally accommodating Jesse Keeler, one half of both Death From Above 1979 and, with Al-P, MSTRKRFT, about that. Check it out:

Disco Volante: How’s the tour been going?

Jesse Keeler: It’s been amazing. I didn’t expect anything from Edmonton or Calgary or Vancouver, but all those cities were great. The parties were really awesome.

DV: Do you get a lot of crossover from your DFA1979 fans?

JK: Not really. Most of the places that MSTRKRFT plays, the DFA1979 fans try to stay away from, usually, and that’s fine by me. We don’t need any crossover support. Also, there’s a lot of people that I work with that don’t know anything about DFA1979.

DV: Is MSTRKRFT making an album?

JK: It comes out July 18!

DV: Is it all the stuff you guys have been releasing on myspace or whatever, or is there stuff you haven’t released?

JK: Only two of the songs from the record are on myspace. It’s all original—there are no remixes on the album.

DV: Oh, wow. So do you guys do all the instruments too?

JK: Yeah, of course. We do all the instruments on our remixes too. We don’t use anything but people’s vocals.

DV: Right on! So when you do a live show, what’s the format?

JK: We DJ. We mix it up. It’s probably about 50 per cent our own stuff.

(Later, when I asked him the most important question, which is where all the best dancers are, he scored a perfect 10: “It might sound a bit cheesy, but we were hoping Montreal would be the best yet.”)

I, personally, cannot wait for Friday night. Other than that, we’ve got plenty of options, as the summer party-thon revs up. Not the least of which would be the pricey, but bound-to-be-unbelievable Coldcut show with Blockhead, DJ Signify and Kid Koala on Saturday, May 13 at Metropolis. A clear look into the most technically pleasing DJing available. Too much, too young, too much, too young.

LAST SATURDAY RULED. jack.oatmon@gmail.com

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