Jack White and Run the Jewels played Madison Square Garden

Jack White and Run the Jewels might seem like an odd billing for a show, but as El-P said "when Jack White asks you to open for him at MSG, you say yes. It's in the Bible." Together, the pair made for an incredible night of legendary status. 

Viet Cong played Mercury Lounge

Their musical DNA doesn't seem to be far from the last Women record. Gnarled guitars wail against clanging drums and project a sound of familiar post-punk with atmospheric textures that seem to recall early Deerhunter or recent Grooms albums. With a great debut EP (last year's "Cassette") under their belts, Viet Cong dropped by New York for two sold out record release shows.

Arca - "Sheep"

Early into his young career, Venezuelan producer Alejandro Ghersi (better known as Arca) has already done an impressive job making a name for himself. He's an accomplished producer working on some of the most memorable and forward-thinking material of the last few years. Kanye's opus Yeezus, FKA twigs' EP2 and now Björk's Vulnicura are just a few of projects that have exposed his innovative and creative arc.

Todd Terje played Verboten

After years of singles, 2014 finally seemed like the year that Todd Terje would breakthrough as a genuine electronic artist with blockbuster beats set to take over the world. While, he's not quite on the same level as Avicii, David Guetta, or Calvin Harris, Terje has made a significant impact on dance music and indie-electronics. His debut record, It's Album Time, appeared on numerous best-of lists last year despite his live act being rather infrequent on American soil. In fact, aside from his appearance at Coachella, this was Terje's lone American performance of the year (well, so far).



On a cold winter night, the Norwegian producer brought his flash and wonder to Brooklyn. His deep grooves, pulsing synths, and stellar rhythms made the club a spectacle. Brilliant energy and relentless bass pushed the night into hypnotic trance of weighty beach influenced disco. It evoked the balmy ocean breezes and warmth, yet still brought the life out of a dark and cold New York City winter. Intoxicating and full of motion, motorik beats and Krauty-jams combined with his particular blend of techno set forth a glistening live set (his keyboard work was fantastic) that kept the crowd bouncing all night. He even ended his set with an exceptional remix of Whitney Houston's "I Wanna Dance with Somebody" that sent the night into overdrive. A glittery bath of strobes and neon helped cater to his unique style which seems to draw from a stellar range of influences. He's been critiqued in the past for making "background music for a beach bar" and while his pizazz can certainly lean towards lounge music, it should never be considered boring or simply background music. It's not the in your face intensity of the popular EDM mode, but if the next beach party I attend is anything like this, I'll seriously question someone who says they have a bad time at the beach.

Lewis - Hawaiian Breeze

The internet can be a funny thing. In 2014, devoted fans of a mysterious artist named Lewis became rather obsessive. It started with Light in the Attic reissuing a long-long album titled L'amour and was followed up by Romantic Times. What followed was a modern day man-hunt for the man behind these stunning synth-folk recordings and ultimately, the man known as Lewis was found in Canada. Another record, Love Ain't No Mystery, was released last summer and now a fourth record, Hawaiian Breeze, has surfaced. Head to the Fiasco bros website (the album was recorded at Fiasco Bros Studio) to download a copy and listen to two tracks below.