Summer proper arrives on Saturday, and the best of the season in Silicon Valley is yet to come: backyard barbecues and pool parties, cruising with the windows down on hot nights or, perhaps, clinking a cool beverage with friends on one of the many outdoor bar patios throughout the valley.

No matter the activity, a well-curated soundtrack can only enhance the mood. We polled eight Silicon Valley DJs, including members of the BVMO and Bangerz crews, to compile a list of 24 tracks to accompany the season. Collectively, the group represents some of the most active selectors from the Silicon Valley club scene, and arguably the local music scene’s hottest exports.

The cast below has roots in Silicon Valley but on any given weekend can be found rocking parties from Seattle to Vegas and L.A., where Cutso recently made his debut at celebrated day party the Do-Over.

Whether it’s a hankering for a soul classic, a fresh dance cut or an innovative cross-genre remix, the DJs provide a spectrum of their favorite tunes. Consider this a cheat sheet to kick-start this season.

SmoovGroovs (BVMO)

Ducksauce—“Goody Two Shoes”
You can always find a perfect balance between funk, soul and dance music in many of Ducksauce’s tunes. I love the vocal sample and the driving drums on this track.

Foster the People—“Best Friend (Waveracer Remix)”
Foster the People is just a flat-out epic band. I first heard the original song live at Coachella 2014 and it has been on rotation nonstop. Wave Racer puts an electronic, bouncy, soulful and bright spin on the song, giving it a fresh new vibe while keeping it intact. Sunny day vibes here, for sure.

Pharrell—“Frontin’ (Disclosure Re-Work)”
A classic hip-hop tune reworked U.K.-house style. In addition to Pharrell’s Smokey the Bear-style ranger hat getting lots of attention these days, the young duo Disclosure from the U.K. has been making a lot of noise in underground and popular music. This re-work has the U.K. funky bassline present throughout the track, punchy percussion and, of course, the classic vocals of Pharrell.

Cutso (Bangerz)

Sade—”Smooth Operator (Star Slinger Remix)
A thumpin’ retouch of one of the coolest songs ever recorded. It’s kind of an undeniable one on the dance floor because of its bassy bounce. It’s good for both the day and night parties. And let’s face it, nothing goes with a fine whiskey and a two-step in your good clothes better than Sade.

Jaded Incorporated—”Coconut Sofa”
Mayer Hawthorne and producer 14KT get synth wavy on a Thomas Dolby kind of vibe. It’s their own personal concoction, which they fondly call “beat wave.” This joint ain’t for everybody—only the sexy, quirky people. You can bust your weird, off-the-wall dance moves to this one.

Brother In Arms—”Jamaican Gyal”
A hot retouch on Grace Jones’ ode to an island lover, “My Jamaican Guy,” Brother In Arms brings SF’s J-Boogie and Deejay Theory together for a round of dancefloor burners. Their expertise in Moombahton, dancehall, tropical bass and other genres make for the perfect mixture to get the party people ready to sweat.

SheaButter (BVMO)

Starship Connection—“We Can Go All Night”
If this isn’t the theme song for “heading home” with the baddest girl in the bar, I don’t know what is. This is one of those jams that causes arthritis in your finger due to pressing the repeat button one too many thousand times. The direct lyrics, while simplistic, might get you lucky if you sing along.

Antwon—“3rd world Grrl (produced by froskees)”
Highway 1, windows down, something that smells like a stunk being blown out the window—this song makes for the perfect combination on any summer day. Give it up for San Jose’s Biggie Smalls. No Diddy, though.

Captain Planet feat. Chico Mann—“Un Poquito Mas”
Ay Dios Mio. This uptempo, Latin-infused track will have you screaming for “a little more.” After the first 16 bars you find the rhythm taking over and you are left with no choice but to move your body to this beautifully composed track.

DJ AJ Orbit

Porter Robinson—“Sad Machine”
The Vocaloid voice synthesizer gives this song a magical feel. Porter has come a long way. I was fortunate to open for him at Motiv in Santa Cruz for the very first show of his career. I’m loving his new musical direction and I think his album Worlds will be a success.

The Knocks—“Comfortable (Awe Remix) feat. X ambassadors”
The energy in this track is amazing. The vocals and upbeat rhythm of this song will go well with hot weather and large bodies of water.  Awe is a very clever producer.

Lido—“I love You”
The intro of this song already put me in a trance, not to mention the funky melodies and a banging beat. This wonder producer will soon rise up and take center stage.

Goldenchyld (Bangerz)

Kool and the Gang—“Summer Madness”
There are so many great, different songs that have sampled the original track from Kool and the Gang. It will remain in eternal summer rotation.

Quincy Jones—“Summer In The City”
There’s never really a bad time to hear this song. To me, if you really want to capture the essence of summer, throw this on at the end of a Sunday evening barbecue while you sit with your favorite drink outside and watch the sunset.

Childish Gambino—“3005 (Louis Futon Remix)”
Since I cited two songs that have been out forever, here is a new one I really dig. I pick this track simply out of the pure vibe it gives off when you listen to it. It’s impossible to feel anything other than awesomely relaxed and ready to do whatever at the same time. To me that’s what summertime is all about.

RCADE (BVMO)

Bastille—“Bad Blood (Lido Remix)”
This actually came out a couple weeks ago and I was immediately blown away. Butter chords, heavy hits and the song develops with new elements all the way to the end. Almost like a DJ mixtape, this track will take you on an audio journey, all in under five minutes.

Bro Safari & UFO!—“The Dealer (Milo & Otis Remix)”
One of the heaviest tracks this year for me. This track is in most of my sets these days. Big summertime vibes with a quick transition into one of the illest drops, period. From moombahton to twerk to trap, it’s got it all. Milo & Otis is another group that is dropping nonstop hits.

Duke Dumont feat. Jax Jones
This track is a summertime sure shot, with feel-good house vibes mixed with deep house elements—soulful vocals, bangin’ drums and an amazing vibe all the way through. This track is guaranteed to get people moving.

DJ Remedy

Lil Jon—“Bend Ova”
This track is straight fire. The first time I heard the track I didn’t want it to end. It has the same feel as “Turn Down For What” so you know it will be a monster everywhere this summer.

Lil Wayne ft. Drake—“Believe Me”
This one right here is already creeping up in DJs’ prime-time club sets. This track takes the baton from “Started From the Bottom” and keeps it moving. The beat bumps and lyrics match to make it a perfect combination.

Zeds Dead & Twin Shadow—“Lost You (Original Mix)”
So, my other picks are straight hip-hop fire for the clubs this summer, but since I play all genres, I chose “Lost You” by Zeds Dead as my house music summer track. The vocals are clear and the production is chunky so the speakers will be thumping real nice this summer.

G-Wrex (Bangerz)

Drake—“ 0 to 100”
The song of the summer. The beat brings you back to some Wu-Tang shit you mob out to on a hot summer night. Drake’s delivery and consistent, clever lyrics keep you zoned out until you reach your destination. The slow-down portion of the beat keeps your mind lifted, if you know what I mean.

Tinashe—“2 On”
Mustard on the beat! This producer has been on a tear lately, filling the summer air waves with heat. “2 On” is no exception, an instant summer classic. This song is guaranteed to keep the dance floor packed. Tinashe’s sexy tone, catchy hook on top of a Mustard track is a recipe for you to roll down your windows, too.

Miguel—“The Thrill (Spotify Session Version)”
This live performance in my opinion is way better than the original. This song is something you play when you’re headed to the bar with the top down. Miguel’s lyrics matched with the acoustic guitar helps you imagine the thrill of the night.

Rosey Gonzales contributed to this report.

YEAR-END LISTS typically hew to the comfy round number 10. And although Top 10 has a ring to it, Silicon Valley’s melting pot of musical talent fused genres, collaborated, innovated and turned out so many great LPs and EPs this year that it became a nearly impossible task to narrow it down to even the Top 15 releases, so we squeezed one more pick for a favorite 16. Here, in no particular order, are some of 2013’s best local releases.

The Bangerz: PRiSM
PriSM, the Bangerz’ second soundtrack LP for the Jabbawockeez Las Vegas stage show, showcases the crew going deeper into some amazing futuristic soundscapes. The crew has always straddled a line between throwback hip-hop and cutting edge electro-jams, but it’s all forward thinking with this release. In a sign of the times—as the line between EDM and hip-hop continues to blur—there’s a healthy dose of dubstep influence on this record, as well.

Rebelskamp: The Kill
Going into a recording studio without any written material doesn’t sound like a winning formula for an album, yet Rebelskamp produced a remarkable LP this year. They’ve gotten so good at improvisation that they don’t sound like they’re inventing the music on the spot. Yet, the spontaneity of such a freeform formula remains intact. These songs go any and everywhere, drifting through funk riffs, psychedelic space jams and crazy free-jazz. A highlight is “The Rebel,” with local rapper Dirtbag Dan freestyling a couple verses.

Philthy Dronez: Wepa Life
Up until recently, Matt Gonzales was known mostly as the go-to guitarist for local bands. (Anya and the Getdown, Raul y Mexia, Chris Reed—to name a few). Now the world gets a taste of his solo project: producing Latin-infused electro-beats under his alter-ego, Philthy Dronez. His debut EP, Wepa Life, was released on Global Bass Experience a few months back. It’s a short EP, about 15 minutes, but it’s bumpin’. It centers on the emerging new-cumbia sound, but also veers into electronic and hip-hop territory, and even some old-school cumbia.

Boboso: Grown Ass Man
There are three things Boboso raps about: food, cats and his love for the female derriere—often within the same song. Yet, he’s not exactly a comedy rapper. He can really rhyme. Plus, his production skills are top-notch: classic West Coast beats with surreal twists. The Beach Boys sample on “That Breathe In, Breathe Out Shit” is a particular highlight. Jeff Rosenstock from Brooklyn punk band Bomb the Music Industry also lays down an impressive verse on “Sartorial Panache.”

Careless Hearts: Alum Rock
Alum Rock isn’t just the latest album by Careless Hearts; it’s the culmination of five years of life-changing events. They started out a laidback Americana group, but since 2008’s Heart’s Delight, they’ve gone through some major lineup changes and played a life-changing show with punk legend, Stooges guitarist James Williamson. It shows in the roots-rock, power-pop songwriting on Alum Rock. The release rocks harder, louder and with more passion than their first two albums.

Antwon: In Dark Denim
In Dark Denim isn’t as accessible as Antwon’s prior work and takes the San Jose rapper in a new direction. His beats are grimier, the samples are darker and the lyrics are dirtier than ever. “Work 4 Me,” with its down-and-dirty hip-shaking beat and raunchy lyrics, sounds like he’s seducing the listener. All the while, Antwon’s fanbase continues to grow, with a successful run at SXSW, an appearance at Treasure Island Music Festival and two national tours during the last year.

The Albert Square: How’s Everybody’s Doings?
Last year, Sim Castro reformed his punk rock outfit the Albert Square. The songwriting is much in the same vein, subtly nuanced ’80s and ’90s post-punk-inspired, but the band’s performances are far more unhinged—a good thing. Their newfound spastic energy complements Castro’s reflective songwriting quite well. However, the strongest song, “(Proud) Parents,” is oddly the most reserved track on the EP.

The Limousines: Hush
It’s been a couple years since synth-pop duo the Limousines released their brilliant debut, Get Sharp. Despite all the views they were getting on YouTube and radio play they received, they had major problems to sort out with their label, but Hush was worth the wait: Its synth beats are dancier, the production is more refined and in place of their signature clever nihilism, Hush offers lyrics that are raw and honest. Hush was made with funds from a Kickstarter campaign that sought $30,000 but ended up raising $75,000.

Dinners: Black Rabbits
If such a thing as a San Jose “supergroup” exists, Dinners might be that band, featuring members from Worker Bee and Doctor Nurse. Dinners go into a different direction than either Worker Bee (moody indie rock) or Doctor Nurse (psychedelic folk) with lo-fi noise-pop and a heavy dose of Guided By Voices influence. At first listen, Black Rabbits sounds like the kind of four-track recording popular with ’90s indie bands, but it’s actually a quite meticulously, thoughtfully crafted album. The cover art is amazing, too.

Rey Resurreccion, M-10, Locsta Villan: First Street Sessions
Some of rapper Rey Resurreccion’s finest works are collaborations. Last year, he worked with the Bangerz to make some killer old school hip-hop tunes. This year, he got together with emcees M-10 and Locsta Villan and created the 1st Street Sessions. Together the trio has produced eight laid-back, dreamy hip-hop songs that should be on urban stations all across the country.

Raul y Mexia: Arriba y Lejos
Brothers Raul y Mexia released a fun, passionate Spanish-language album this year on Nacional Records, the current leaders of cutting-edge Latin music. Arriba y Lejos combines elements of cumbia and other traditional Latin sounds with hip-hop and electronica. The duo, who are sons of Hernán Hernández, bassist of famous Norteño band Los Tigres del Norte, has created something that both pays tribute to classic Latin music, like their father created, and all the newer American music they grew up with here in San Jose.

Sean Blak: #Basslife
Sean Blak books live hip-hop shows, puts on battle-rap events and holds a weekly Tuesday night residency, “the Trap Shop” at Johnny V’s. He’s also a prolific rapper, with a ton of lo-fi, surreal homemade hip-hop records online. His best this year is the LP #Basslife. On it, he takes some of the strangest, most intimate beats and makes them sound like outrageous club bangers.

Slime Girls: Vacation Wasteland
By the time Slime Girls came together, the chiptune scene was already well-established. Yet they’ve still been able to find their own sound within it, taking all the old Nintendo chip Gameboy sounds and mixing them with surf, punk and ska. Their latest EP, Vacation Wasteland, is a seriously fun collection of instrumental chip-rock tunes. It was originally pressed on cassette because they’re that into old technology.

David Brookings: The Maze
The Maze is David Brookings’ sixth full-length album since 2000, yet he’s still working on building his fanbase in the Bay Area. He moved to Northern California from the Memphis by way of Richmond, Virginia, in 2009, and produced his five albums before heading West. The Maze, like its five predecessors, brings together ’60s psychedelic-rock and ’80s New Wave.

Derek See: She Came This Way
The title track to Derek See’s She Came This Way is an amazing psychedelic-pop gem. At first, See, who normally plays guitar in soul group the Bang, recorded it, along with a couple other tunes, just for fun. It was good enough for an indie label to offer to release it, and they even ran out of the first pressing. It’s the kind of song that, had it been written in 1967, would have been a Summer of Love FM hit, no doubt.

Noothgrush: Split LP with Coffins
Back in the ’90s, sludge metal group Noothgrush were a pretty big deal. Along with Sleep and a few other bands, San Jose boasted a strong doom metal scene. Noothgrush just recently reformed, and they also just released a split record with Japanese metal band Coffins. The third track, “Thoth” is particularly special, as it contains spoken clips from the late, great, much beloved KFJC DJ, Cy Thoth, who died earlier this year.

Monday night is typically the deadest night of the week for night clubs, yet DJ Casp3R has managed to build a loyal following over the past three years with his Monday Night ReToXx dance parties, originally at the Cardiff Lounge in Campbell, now at Johnny V’s in downtown San Jose.

He also hosts TH3RMAL on Thursdays with ViLLAN at Fahrenheit. Here are his his favorite dance tracks of 2013:

The Bangerz – “Stars”
By far, one of my favorite high-energy rager tracks of the year. It’s catchy, melodic and just an explosion of energy after the buildup. Personally, I’m a big fan of songs that can change into a down-tempo beat and then bring the energy right back up seamlessly, and this one has that in spades. The whole album is fantastic, and I really can’t wait to see the live show in Vegas.

“What I’m saying is we get ‘Super Freak’ in there and get the audience clapping,” says Dominic “Goldenchyld” Cueto as he cues up the familiar bass line at a rehearsal. It loops as members of San Jose Taiko nod their heads and rearrange themselves, heaving their big drums into the next configuration.

Cueto and Aaron “Squareweezy” Aquino of the Bangerz DJ collective sit behind laptops, turntables and tangles of wires in San Jose Taiko’s warehouse practice space, facing the drummers. Taiko’s artistic director, Franco Imperial, directs the performers and at times jumps in himself as the two groups iron out the wrinkles for their upcoming collaborative show at the Montgomery Theater on June 15.

Anyone who caught their first show together at the 2010 SubZERO festival knows what to expect. Even the YouTube video communicates the intense energy the two groups bring to the stage: the six members of the Bangerz rocking to the beat as they twist knobs and tap pads, San Jose Taiko in front of them thudding their drums in precise choreography. Everything stops. Then the beat drops, and the crowd goes nuts.

“In 2010, that was the big surprise because we didn’t know how audiences would react to it,” Imperial says. “I knew it was going to be awesome, but the audience reaction was just overwhelming. We were supposed to be kind of stoic [and] straight-faced, but then just this wave of energy came from the audience. It just touches something on a very primal level.”

Cueto follows up: “A DJ is solely playing music through speakers, and when you hear that you become very used to it. And now, when you add taiko and that live element, you’re listening in 3D almost. There’s an element of power that goes beyond what’s coming out of the speakers.”

The easy hook to reach for is the traditional Japanese drumming contrasted with the high-tech electronic production, the simplicity of the big drums and sticks juxtaposed with the bird’s nest of wires and electronics, but the story is more complicated than that and the contrast not as pronounced as it might first appear.

While taiko has been around in Japan in one form or another for thousands of years, the familiar ensemble style of taiko, called kumi daiko, actually originated relatively recently. In 1951, a Japanese jazz drummer named Daihachi Oguchi began to bring groups of drummers together to play, rather than the usual single drummer.

The new style was imported to the United States, and in 1968 the first organized group made its debut in San Francisco. By 1973, San Jose Taiko was founded in Japantown, making it the third-oldest American taiko group.

When San Jose Taiko first hinted at another collaboration with the Bangerz, Imperial says the idea received varied reactions. “The younger generation said we’re totally gonna be there,” he says, but some of the older audience members were skeptical and more attracted to the “classics” of San Jose Taiko.

Pigeonholing the group as staid, though, can be misleading. When the ensemble was founded by Roy Hirabayashi, he never intended to remain exclusively traditional without pushing the art forward, Imperial says.

“They were looking for a way to use taiko to express themselves as Asian Americans,” Imperial says. “That’s why the early music for us has influences of swing, jazz and R&B.”

Imperial says he still has older audience members who ask for “pure taiko,” but that is something that must be defined. “This is more San Jose Taiko than anything,” he says.

The Bangerz experience a similar struggle with categorization. With six DJs and producers all bringing different influences to the table, their songs easily become a eclectic mix of hip-hop and various electronic-music genres. But with this difficulty of categorization comes a certain freedom and the ability to try projects like the new one they are working on with San Jose Taiko.

Aquino likes to describe the two groups’ mix of styles as “chocolate and peanut butter” and, watching them perform, the comparison makes sense. Each group has a distinct sound and style—the swagger of the DJs, the controlled seriousness of the drummers—but they complement each other perfectly.

For one song in the new show, the taiko drummers start out with a row of bells, weaving quick rhythms between the high and low tones over cymbals and thumping drums. They fade it down, bring it back up, then the Bangerz drop a snare on the backbeat, and it all clicks naturally.
“[San Jose Taiko listens] to our tracks, and sometimes they hear things that we didn’t even realize were in them,” Cueto says. “They hear certain things in the music that we didn’t, but we understand how they could come up with that.”

Although the performance on June 15 is sold out, San Jose Taiko and the Bangerz say a tour of California could be in the works.

Rey Resurreccion, one of San Jose’s best, unsung rappers, recently released a video for his track “Saturday”, produced by the Bangerz. The video itself is pretty standard, mostly a lot of shots of Resurreccion and his crew biking, skateboarding, breakdancing and, of course, plenty of tattooed women. What is exceptional is the song, due in no small part to the productions skills of the Bangerz.

One of Resurreccion’s gifts is how effortlessly he raps. He’s got a cooler than cool, laid back flow and spits out solid rhythms with clever lines. In “Saturday,” Resurreccion talks about hanging out with his good friends with no plans in mind, using Saturday as an analogy.
(“Rollin’ down the block/Cruisin’ with the homies like every day’s a Saturday.”)

Where this song truly shines above Resureccion’s normally high-quality work, is in the Bangerz textured production. The beat is a laid back, new-school jam, but it’s nuanced with old school sounds. It’s clever, so hip hop fan will love how brilliantly the Bangerz reference familiar 80s samples within the context of a strictly modern track. Casual hip hop fans will just love how cool everything sounds. The low synth bass line is a nice touch.

My pick for mix-of-the-week is an easy one: Future So Bright by South Bay beatsmiths/DJs Goldenchyld and G-Wrex both of The Bangerz.  It kills, delivering warm vibes with propulsive bass to your face.  I took a quick second to grab some quotes from the gentlemen behind it.  According to them:  “The goal was to create a summer soundtrack with songs that wouldn’t age too quickly.” 

DOWNLOAD: Future So Bright – The Bangerz

Tell folks about the mix, what went into this mixtape, and why.
“The opening track “Rad Anthem” is a song by our friends from Los Angeles, Rad Omen. We also included tracks from Breakbot, Shazam, Dogg Master, and Free School, which Replay of the Bangerz is also a member of.  We just wanted to put something out that was way left of what we normally do.

Explain how this compares to your other releases.
We felt like the Bangerz as a whole is always putting things out that are very aggressive sounding, bass heavy, and electro-hip-hop-ish. With this one we wanted to create a different vibe. Something a little more relaxed, and something everyone can enjoy for the summer.  So while most of the songs may be unfamiliar, the quality is there and will remain a timeless piece of work.

What’s after this?
The Bangerz as a whole are working on finishing up a new EP, and we’re always working on new mixes, remixes, parties, events and what not. You can check out G-Wrex on 3rd Fridays at Bruno’s SF, and Goldenchyld every Friday night at Myth.

Grab the mix here and keep up with the Bangerz at www.thebangerz.com.

Metro Newspaper’s Best of 2012 issue hit new stands today, highlighting a variety of local talent selected online by readers. From cutting-edge DJs, to old-school blues and cover bands, this is the best of Silicon Valley.

READER’S PICKS

Best Local Cover Band
The Peelers
Considering how long it’s been automatic for DJs, it’s remarkable how long it took cover bands to catch on to the mash-up concept. The Peelers were, in fact, the first ones we heard doing it, and according to our readers, they’re still the best. Whether it’s layering T.I. raps over Tim McGraw or sliding from ’80s pop to hip-hop, the Peelers are monster mashers.
Runners-up:
Joe Sharino
Sage

Best Local Original Band
JC Smith Band
It’s about time one of the South Bay’s most talented bluesmen got his due. What’s led to his jump in popularity all of a sudden? We’d be willing to bet it’s Smith’s profile-raising stint as leader of the all-star blues band that grew out of the Metro Fountain Blues Festival. Whether it is his fellow blues artists who sign on to play with him or the fans who vaulted him to the top of this category, the South Bay loves the group.
Runners-up:
Whiskey Avengers
Anya & the Get Down

Best Singer/Songwriter
Anya
Anya Kvitka’s rise in the South Bay scene has been a perfect storm. Her vocal gifts went fully operational at the same time she came into her own as a songwriter, brought together a killer band for Anya and the Get Down, and found the support of some of the most influential people in the hip-hop scene. The songs she has been working on for her album show her new level of confidence, projecting her voice across genre boundaries and creating a sound that’s both classic and electro-futuro.
Runners-up:
Ben Henderson
Justin Morales

This scenario might sound familiar: One moment you’re going home with a few friends and the next thing you know a wild dance party ensues. Suddenly your yard becomes a bicycle parking lot, somehow every inch of counter space is invaded by various bottles of booze, and the fridge shelves sag under the weight of countless beer containers. Sometimes there is nothing better than an impromptu dance party.

The Achilles heel of all great dance parties is poor music choice, or a revolving group of revelers trying to get their song on before another one is finished. Few things are more annoying than being in the zone, making a total fool of yourself and enjoying it, when suddenly the track gets cut off abruptly and some other song starts. Usually, the following song is a totally different style and BPM. Rumor has it that such an offense is punishable by death on the island of Ibiza.

In an effort to help avoid such trouble and maintain the integrity of any dance party, DJs Cutso and Mamabear (occasionally known at MamaCuts) recently released a 70-minute mix “Getting to Know You-Vol. One” as a free download.  Originally released as a CD a year ago, “Getting to Know You-Vol. One” quickly sold out. The mix spans a variety of genres. Imagine, a flawless string of tunes that includes Snoop Dogg and Morrissey. Of course, there is a healthy sprinkle of turntablism as well.

Grab it HERE.

The 50th issue of the acclaimed, Brooklyn-based Wax Poetics magazine is dedicated to Prince, and to honor the occasion, Stones Throw’s DaM-FunK created a Prince mix. But tonight at the Pagoda Lounge in San Jose, DJ Cutso of the Bangerz will do him one better by spinning a Prince tribute.

The show is co-produced by Wax Poetics and also features sets from the CME, Sig-O and Wax Poetics contributor David Ma.

Each of the DJs will take a different approach—for instance, the CME will spin songs from the extended Prince family (Vanity 6, The Time, Sheila E., etc.) And Cutso says that he’ll be digging deep for his headlining set, not just focusing on the hits that everybody knows.

“It’s the stuff that I really love,” he says. “There are some rarities that hold up.”

This from a man whose favorite Prince song is “Sister,” the Purple One’s jaw-dropping salute to incest.

“It’s one of his dirtiest songs ever,” admits Cutso. The song was on Prince’s third album, 1980’s Dirty Mind, which despite the fact that it arrived slightly before he hit superstardom is indisputably one of his best. But that’s the thing about Prince—nearly all of his “eras” have their fans, and even a throwaway album like Lovesexy could produce a gem like “Alphabet St.” (Cutso says it will also be in his set.)

For Cutso, the tribute takes him back to the days when his musical “big 3” was Michael Jackson, Prince and Madonna. Plus, he says, “I had the biggest crush on Sheila E.”

The Prince Tribute at Pagoda is Saturday, Feb. 25 at 9:30pm; $5.

Click here to view the embedded video.