Algerian raï, Congolese soukous, Senegalese mbalax: the music of Africa is as diverse as its people, climate, food – as diverse as, well, Africa. The tie that seems to hold the continent’s music together lies in its ability to hypnotize, to start your legs moving before you realize they’re doing so, to make joy rise up and provoke a sing-along regardless of the fact that you don’t speak a word of Swahili or Bambara. Here are my African favorites of the decade – each of which represents rich memories of celebration and dancing as those were the times that I turned to these oeuvres: daily dance-a-thons rituals with my brother to Mariama by Pape & Cheikh, coasting through the Atlas mountains of Morocco with Tinariwen leading the way… Just a few more hours and we will be turning the page, welcoming a new year, a new decade – I can’t wait to see what the world of musicians have waiting in the wings for us all! Tracks after the jump!

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Although the exact parameters of what makes a track Electro are a little fuzzy and certainly up for debate, the universal ants-in-your-pants, get-up-and-dance, party-all-night-long vibe is what makes this genre so approachable. Mixing the best of 80’s synth, grimy house beats, and a neon-bright dose of pop, a solid Electro single always adds a skip to my step (and makes for a great addition to any runner’s playlist). Here is my round-up for the Oughties’ best of the genre: collabs, remixes, totally underground, kinda skeevy: there’s something for everyone… All tracks after the jump!

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Ok – the decade is on the out & we’re left with a whole slew of amazing music to help us cling to the memories. This week at MTV Iggy we’re putting together a ridiculous amount of Top 10 music lists, from staff favorites, to my must-hear Electro of the decade, etc, etc… To kick it off on Lo’s List, here is my desperate attempt to choose just 10 tracks overall (I failed, as there are 13 – but that’s a lucky number, so, zip it!). Menomena, Beirut, MGMT, Fugazi: I’m sorry. There wasn’t enough room. Also, I didn’t include African stuff, French rap, or most Electro since I’m curating separate lists for those… All tracks after the jump!

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Any CMJ showcase called Clusterf#ck gets a couple snarky brownie points from me. Throw in a venue (Glasslands in Williamsburg) known for nudging bands like MGMT & Yeasayer into the spotlight and the potential for a effing good night is solid. Oh, did I mention? Brooklyn-based Israeli alt/punk band Pink Noise (think Sonic Youth & PJ Harvey’s lovechild) starts the killer lineup at 9pm. Alongside Dark Meat, Spanish Broads (featuring members of MGMT, Amazing Baby, Das Racist, Boy Crisis, Apache Beat), The Megaphonic Thrift, Freshkills, The Terror Pigeon Dance Revolt, and The Depreciation Guild, this could be an all-out music orgy. So gulp down your pre-game Jameson, put on your dancing shoes, and join me @ Glasslands! Listen to a Pink Noise track after the jump!

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