From Russia with Club 7

This week's edition of Iggy N Scratchy Presents: From Russia with Club is an upbeat blend of melodic instrumental based tracks and huge club-bangers. I've also thrown in some tribal house mixes that reflect the direction that Dutch House is moving in with artists like Congorock and Afrojack. Finally, to honor Artist of the Week, Roger Sanchez, I featured his recently released collaboration with Far East Movement and Kanobby, an infectious jam called "2Gether".

This set is very energetic and should be a great accompaniment for the long drives many of you will be making for Thanksgiving. On that note, I am thankful for all the amazing music I am privileged to discover, listen to, and spin. It is truly amazing how technology has opened up the creative world and allowed artists to constantly reinvent their music and share it with anyone with an internet connection. So much is available at our fingertips, and I'm just thankful I can enjoy it.

Another major thing I am thankful for is every one of my friends. I am especially thankful to those of you who are checking out my music, giving me feedback, and sharing it with your friends. I started this site because of the encouragement of a select group of you, and it's forcing me to constantly spin and innovate what I'm doing. I am thankful for having such great people in my life. Thank you for all of your love and support.

Enjoy the music and have a Happy Thanksgiving. Iggy N Scratchy Presents: From Russia with Club Volume 7 (128 kbps)

High Quality (256 kbps) download available.

Iggy N Scratchy Presents: From Russia with Club Volume 7 Set List:

1. Little Boots- Earthquake (Redlight remix)
2. Justice vs. Wolfgang Gartner- Illimerica Are Your Friends (Steve Camp Mashup)
3. Roger Sanchez and Far East Movement ft. Kanobby- 2Gether
4. Criminal Vibes- Saxone (Krafty Kuts re-rub)
5. Swedish House Mafia- One (Congorock remix)
6. Dizzee Rascal and Armand Van Helden- Bonkers
7. The Prodigy- Warriors Dance (Albin Myers remix)
8. Cisko Brothers- Guaglione 2008 (Alex Gaudino remix)
9. Henrik B- Now and Forever (Norman Doray Cazzo remix)
10. Moby- Mistake (Dabruck & Klein remix)
11. Marcus Schossow- Strings (Original Mix)
12. Henry Mancini- Love Theme (Iggy N Scratchy remix)

Artist of the Week: Roger Sanchez

I got some great feedback from the Artist of the Week feature on Laidback Luke but have admittedly fallen off the pace of making this a weekly column. I will be making an effort update the Artist of the Week feature more frequently in the future, and will be releasing a few special articles to commemorate the end of the year.

On to the Artist of the Week:
House DJ and Producer Roger Sanchez started his music career in 1994 and was one of the most consistent hitmakers of the 2000’s, churning out smash after international smash. A native of Queens, Sanchez has been an Ibiza favorite, holding residencies at El Divino, Pacha, and most recently Amnesia. In his 16 years of releasing infectious house and tribal house Sanchez has remixed some of the biggest names in music, including Madonna, Michael Jackson, Lenny Kravitz, and No Doubt, winning a Grammy in 2003 for his take on “Hella Good”.

Sanchez has been no stranger to DJ Mag’s Top 100 list, placing 25th, 57th, and 60th from 2007 through 2009 and coming in at 64th this year (another argument for how flawed the rankings are). With such an anthology to his name, it’s hard to know where to start with Roger, but you can always hear what he has been up to lately by tuning into his “Release Yourself” Podcast, which is also the name of his 9 volume CD series. Sanchez has been going strong for nearly a decade and a half, and there’s no reason to think that he’ll be slowing down any time soon.

Favorite Productions: Lost, Another Chance, Turn on the Music (Ft. GTO), 2Gether (with Far East Movement, Ft. Kanobby), Again

Favorite Remixes: Hella Good (by No Doubt), Only the Young (by Brandon Flowers), In Your Eyes (by Kylie Minogue), Be Mine! (by Robyn), Give a Little More (by Maroon 5)

For a full bio and track list for Roger Sanchez check out www.RogerSanchez.com

DJ MAG TOP 100 2010- the Name Game

What is in a name? Would not a tune by any other name sound as sweet? Apparently not.

On October 27th, DJ MAG released its annual TOP 100 DJ’s list. The rankings, which are determined by an open online poll, heavily skewed towards big name DJ’s , regardless of what they did this past year. As is always the risk in a fan poll, reputation took precedence over actual accomplishment.

Don’t get me wrong, I love guys like Armin Van Buuren, Paul Van Dyk, and Paul Oakenfold, but I don’t think anyone can actually justify the argument that any of them have had a better YEAR than Swedish House Mafia, Laidback Luke, or Avicii. Armin continued to spin pure fire on A State of Trance and got headlining gigs for some huge festivals, including Ultra Music Festival in Miami and Electric Zoo in New York, but how can the #1 spot go out to a DJ who literally took the first half of the year off to complete an artist album that certainly lacked the hit power of his other productions. “Mirage”, Armin’s fourth studio album, is by no means a poor effort, but it left something to be desired in a year when SO many other DJ’s had superior albums and tracks. PVD and Oakie’s inclusion in the Top 10 (and Top 25 for that matter) is even less defensible. This year the public straight up got it WRONG.

Above: Armin Contemplating, "Why in God's name am I #1?"

Unfortunately, the DJ Mag TOP 100 is the most notable DJ ranking in the world, and we are stuck with the fan voting. I only wish there was a separate list composed by industry insiders, with input from the DJ’s themselves. Until then, we’ll continue to see a flawed and unjustifiable DJ Mag TOP 100.

For my part, I will be releasing my TOP 10 DJ’s and TOP 10 Tracks of the year lists, along with some miscellaneous awards, during the week leading up to New Years, so keep an eye out for that.

Thanks for reading and check back over the weekend for Volume 7 of Iggy N Scratchy Presents: From Russia with Club.

From Russia with Club 6

Welcome back. This week's edition of Iggy N Scratchy Presents: From Russia with Club is a bit of a change of pace. After mixing epic anthem after epic anthem in Volume 5, I wanted Volume 6 to be a bit more low-key. What you'll find is a set populated with some chilled out house and melodic progressive tracks (relative to my usual adrenaline fueled nonsense).

Along with some solid tracks by artists such as Motorcycle and Armin Van Buuren, Volume 6 has a few songs that are especially close to my heart. "Say It Right in Twilight", a mashup of an Adam K & Soha track with a Nelly Furtado song, was one of my first productions, back when I was residing in Klüb Miller at tropical Tufts University.

The second sentimental song, "King of My Castle", is one of my favorite tracks by legendary British trance DJ Judge Jules, who happened to be my introduction to dance music. On a fateful May night 5 years ago my sister and brother-in-law got me a fake ID, fed me red bull-vodkas like nobody's business, and took me to Avalon Nightclub in Manhattan where Judge Jules popped my trance cherry and rocked my world. The rest is history.

For chapter 2 of my autobiography, check out Amazon. In the meantime enjoy Iggy N Scratchy Presents: From Russia with Club Volume 6 (128 kbps).

High Quality (256 kbps) download available.

From Russia with Club Volume 6 Set List:

1. Lemaitre- The Friendly Sound
2. Angel Stoxx- I Dropped My E on the Dancefloor
3. Tensnake- Coma Cat (Treasure Fingers remix)
4. Rose Rouge- Analog People in a Digital World
5. Riva Starr- Fanfare One
6. Judge Jules- King of My Castle (Iggy N Scratchy edit)
7. Nelly Furtado- Try (Gabriel & Dresden mix)
8. David Berrie- Get on the Eastside
9. Adam K & Soha vs. Nelly Furtado- Keep It Right in Twilight (Iggy N Scratchy's Tsaverich Mashup)
10. Lusine- Two Dots (Nic Fancuilli remix)
11. Motorcycle- As the Rush Comes (Exclusive Demo remix)
12. Armin Van Buuren ft. Gabriel & Dresden- Zocalo

From Russia with Club 5

Welcome back to Iggy N Scratchy Presents: From Russia with Club. It's taken me a bit longer than I intended to post a new set, but make sure to take a listen because it is definitely worth the wait. Also, as promised I will be posting my review of DJ Mag's Top 100 list in the next few days.

While you await that, enjoy some good tunes on me. Volume 5 is a mix of melodic progressive songs, epic anthems, and club bangers from some of my favorites in the biz including Steve Angello, Klaas, Morgan Page, and Laidback Luke among others. No other way to say it, this set is a straight shot of audio cocaine. So enjoy your 56 minute shot of energy, play it LOUD, and don't blame me if you're still jittery at 6am.

Iggy N Scratchy Presents: From Russia with Club Volume 5 (HQ, 256 kbps)

From Russia with Club Volume 5 Set List:
1. Stardust- Music Sounds Better with You (Eat More Cake remix)
2. Deadmau5, Evermore, J Duplaix, D. Delay- Late Strobe Bodyshine (Dirty South bootleg)
3. Tiga, Zyntherius- Sunglasses at night (Tocadisco Heavy remix)
4. Magnetic Man ft. Katy B- Perfect Stranger (Steve Angello remix)
5. iSquare- Hey Sexy Lady (Laidback Luke remix)
6. David Guetta ft. Akon- Sexy Bitch (Iggy N Scratchy edit)
7. Josh Gabriel- Crosstalk
8. Fedde Le Grand- Put Your Hands Up for Detroit (Club Mix)
9. Fedde Le Grand vs. Justin Timberlake- Put Your Hands Up for Sexy Back
10. DJ Antoine- This Time (Klaas remix)
11. La Roux- Bulletproof (Morgan Page remix)
12. 68 Beats- Replay the Night (Gabriel & Dresden remix)
13. Mark Ronson & The Business Intl. ft. Boy George & Andrew Wyatt- Somebody to Love Me (Congorock remix)
14. Nadia Ali- Rapture 2011 (Avicii New Generation Mix DRM)