MSTRKRFT

Vice, Saturday, March 15

What can you say about Toronto DJ duo MSTRKRFT? It’s the opposite of Death From Above 1979, although bassist Jesse Keeler (JFK) and producer Alex Puodziukas (Al-P) are indeed the masters of craft. Instead of blasting beats, MSTRKRFT trips funky house, hands in the air, strobe light jammin’. And the house was jumpin’, hundreds on the floor packed shoulder to shoulder and bouncing higher and higher as the pitch raised. Part remixes, part The Looks (Last Gang), MSTRKRFT rocked the joint, never once stopping for air and always keeping the beat high. “Street Justice” on two turntables and a laptop. It was a sweaty mess, the perfect note for SXSW 08 to go out on, the spirit of community on the dance floor. It didn’t matter what country you were from as long as you could shake that ass. That tired, worn-out, only-one-song-left, keep-truckin’ ass. Maybe they are a bit like DFA ’79; whenever the volume turns up, static stands no chance. MSTRKRFT coaxes entirely involuntary spasms out of every living being. I’d hate to see the night in question on YouTube. There’s no telling what epileptic fits were disguised as dancing. Irrational, I tell you, and utterly awesome.

This article appears in March 21 • 2008.

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