Electronic trash can-lid bass rock rave death dance - "Scary Monsters and Nice Sprites" Skrillex

"Scary Monsters and Nice Sprites" Skrillex

Now I know you won't all be fans, BUT hear me out! Skrillex was the first music I heard on my very first day at Coachella - memorable shit for more than that reason! The music was industrial and dancey and spastic and extremely effing loud. It's non-stop head bobbing. Didn't think much of it until last week, when I saw that Skrillex was nominated for a bunch of Grammys. Jigga say whaaa? This track is Legend of Zelda meets Transformers meets Lawnmower Man meets a dance party. Give it a listen on great headphones.

Side note: If you want another cool Skrillex song and an INCREDIBLE video, check this out: First Of The Year (Equinox). Oh, and he has a new album out, Bangarang. Not mad at this one bit. Yo, I'm buying up all these albums!

Catchy shimmy pop wonder - "Second Chance" Peter Bjorn and John

"Second Chance" Peter Bjorn and John

I'm back, my music-loving babies! I started a new job, and "Name TBD" has fallen to the wayside. However, the good mind-blowing jams are still rolling in, and I have a lot to share! I heard this song on my NPR music podcast, and it blew my mind upon first listen. Peter Bjorn and John have a new album dropping next week, but the first single is available on iTunes. This song is fun, catchy, and dance-worthy. It's a delicious head bobbing, finger-snapping, sing-a-long morsel - great from beginning to end. I haven't loved cowbell this much since Will Farrell on SNL.

How you'll move: Forward and back shoulder shimmy.

When to play it: Honestly, when can you NOT play it?

Side note: This video rocks!

Rocking sex trio 80s dance jam - "Nasty Girl" Vanity 6

"Nasty Girl" Vanity 6

I heard this song at a bar recently, and it blew my mind. I hadn't heard this in years! It wasn't easy to find the name/band on my phone - it kept coming up as Prince! The reality is that this is Prince-assembled lingerie-wearing 80s dance move-performing sex trio Vanity 6. This song has so many amazing components: sick dance beats, a super catchy sing-a-long worthy chorus, a synthesizer break down, and a talking interlude including the phrase "I need 7 inches or more." I mean... this is amazing. This song makes me want to dance. These are the original envelope-pushing no pants-wearing pop stars!

How you'll feel: Like letting your hair down for a few minutes.

When to play it: When you're DJing at a dark crowded art bar on Friday.

Side note: I CANNOT find this on iTunes, and it's driving me insane! If anyone knows where I can download this song, please let me know!

Beat boxing electronic hip hop dance fight explosion - "Neckbrace" Ratatat

"Neckbrace" Ratatat

New York electronic music duo Ratatat has been making beats since their debut album in 2004, and every album has a hit. From "Seventeen Years" to "Lex" to "Mirando" and now "Neckbrace." I may not pick up all the albums, but when a good Ratatat single comes out, it's mine! It's electronic without lacking melody, it's clean without being too simple, and it's indie dance without being messy or lo-fi. This song makes me feel awesome and bad ass.

How you'll move: Pigeon-headed neck-bobbing.

When to play it: Hipster dance party; walking down the street to dance fight your worst enemy.

Side note: Highly recommend having the aforementioned tracks in your party music arsenal.

Pop lock and drop a shit - "Kids" Sleigh Bells

"Kids" Sleigh Bells

Now THIS is a shitty song... no, I'm kidding, it's awesome! No... wait... I listened again. It's shit. However, this is a blog about songs that move me not songs that I'm nominating for a Grammy. I heard this song on a commercial for some horrendous MTV show glamorizing teen drinking, sex, and drug use; it's called "Skins." No comment. This song has erotic grunting, indecipherable lyrics, and annoying vowel sounds, but that beat makes me want to throw on a face mask and dance battle with the Jabberwockies or bounce in my low rider. Either one.

How you'll feel: Dumber, guilty.

How you'll move: Neck-breaking head bobbing.

Side note: Wikipedia calls Sleigh Bells "pop noise"; that sounds pretty damn accurate.

Electronic organized Mario roofie explosion - "Courtship Dating" Crystal Castles

"Courtship Dating" Crystal Castles

It's been too long! To be honest, I haven't heard much good music lately. Sad life, right? Well as I scoured through my iTunes collection for Halloween party songs, I stumbled upon some fantastic forgotten music. So this may be a two-year-old song from the Crystal Castles' self-titled album; it rocks. My favorite Canadian electro-spastic video game sound-producing duo just released another self-titled album, also known as "Crystal Castles II," another reason to refresh the music memory with some of my favorite CC tunes. This is a toe-tapping nonsensical dance jam that makes me want to wear a lot of black eyeliner, wave my arms, close my eyes, and do the two step.

How you'll feel: Carefree; like an alien zombie wandering a dark new planet (I envision something with craters like the moon).

How you'll move: Sloppily.

Saturday night generic club jig fantastic - "Only Girl (In the World)" Rihanna

"Only Girl (In the World)" Rihanna

Don't shoot. Is this better than the time I posted the Ke$ha song? Listen, I impulsively downloaded this song on iTunes, and I cannot stop listening to it. It makes me want to dance around my purse in a short dress and flail my arms like a white girl. Or run on the treadmill. This is a multi-purpose jam. It's fun and simple with an obscenely entertaining amount of bass and synthesizer noise.

When to play it: At "da club"; working out; while drinking cocktails with your skanky friends in the kitchen; late-night dance party.

How you'll feel: If alone, pumped and dance amazing; if in front of people, embarrassed.

Kiddy pop punk dance synth love - "Look at Me (When I Rock Wichoo)" Black Kids

"Look at Me (When I Rock Wichoo)" Black Kids

I was listening to Black Keys on my iPod and my "B" menu surfing landed me on Black Kids, everyone's favorite flash-in-the-pan American indie pop family band from Florida. Their latest and most acclaimed album released in 2008, at which time Black Kids were spewed on to every indie music outlet. I saw them live; the show was fun, and the music is dance- and sing-a-long-worthy.

Today this song made me dance in my kitchen while I was reheating my coffee in the microwave.

When to play it: Bopping around town on a sunny Saturday afternoon; while reheating your coffee in the microwave; solitary underpants-donning bedroom dance party.

Side note: These are some other fun tracks: "Hit the Heartbrakes," "I'm Making Eyes at You," and "I'm Not Gonna Teach Your Boyfriend How to Dance With You."

Post-baby beat explosion - "Xxxo" M.I.A.

"Xxxo" M.I.A.

This is one of my favorite (and most tame) tracks off M.I.A.'s new album MAYA. I heard "Born Free," and I was worried about the other songs, but the rest of the album rocks. It's a natural progression from Arular and Kala; the sound is tighter and more cohesive but still maintains M.I.A.'s fantastic monotone English prattle laid over digital beats, thumps, twinkles, and samples.

When to play it: "Da" club; dance party; medium-effort work out; pre-party cocktails with your skanky girlfriends.

How you'll feel: Cooler than you are.

Sidenote: Check out M.I.A's MySpace to listen to other tracks including my favorites, "Teqkilla," "Steppin Up" (featuring sweet power tool sounds) and "Space." If you buy the album (which I highly recommend), listen to "Internet Connection." How can you not love a song with the lyrics, "I'm down like my internet connection"?

Old school funky cheese beats - "Give It to Me Baby" Rick James

"Give It to Me Baby" Rick James

Can you tell I'm excited for the weekend? This is one of the first, let's say, 50 songs that I knew and loved as a child. My parents had the Rick James cassette tape. Maybe my Dad was trying to tell my Mom something? Gross. Anyways, this song has horns, bass, Rick James froggy crooning, and a sweet drum crescendo in tune with "... give it to me, baby." Oh - did I mention the awesome lyrics about persuading your girlfriend to bang you when you're wasted? That too.

When to play it: Dancing in your kitchen while having a cocktail before hitting the town on a Friday night; a disco- or 80s-themed dance off.

How you'll move: Side to side dance moves with snapping.

How you'll feel: Unstoppably funky.

Side note: Ok, so remember the 90s teen movie, "She's All That"? Well, whenever I hear this song, I think of the scene where the douchey boyfriend dances at the party and points to his self portrait tattoo when the song says "...give it to me, give it to me..." Check it out.

Glam rock pop sex dance - "Whole New Way" Scissor Sisters

"Whole New Way" Scissor Sisters

Now THIS song is fun. Hot off the presses from the new Scissor Sisters' album, Night Work. This song makes me want to cover myself in glittery body paint, stand on a table, and grind on drag queens.

How you'll move: Freaky gyrations and lots of finger pointing in sync with "... to love YOU..."

When to play it: Any non-family party ("... might sneak up from behind, it's gonna blow your mind..." might be too much for Grandma); dancing in your mirror in your underwear while singing into a cheap hairbrush.

Side note: My favorite Scissor Sisters song is "Lovers in the Backseat" - don't mind the dumb video; just listen!

Guilty dirty pop pleasure (who says "sexting" is a bad idea?) - "Dirty Picture" Taio Cruz & Ke$ha

"Dirty Picture" Taio Cruz feat Ke$ha

I told you this blog was about whatever moved me at the moment - good, bad, ugly, or... trashy.

When to play it: After you've had one too many and want to grind on girls/boys; Michael's birthday party this Saturday (toward the end of the party mix, like I said, "one too many"); when you need the courage to take an iPhone shot of your cleavage and drunkenly send it to your coworker.

Side note: This song kicks in at 1:00 min with some Tiesto's red headed stepchild, Ke$ha becomes my idol at 1:30 min, this random guy named Taio looks smokin' at 2:01. BAM. SUMMERTIME.