THURSDAY 11/17

MPC MVPS ARAABMUZIK AND JEREMY ELLIS RAPIDLY PRESS BUTTONS

Do you like to watch guys with super-fast reflexes and supremely funky instincts tap buttons on an MPC? Then this show is going to be the highlight of your damn year. AraabMuzik (aka Abraham Orellana) impressed a lot of tough-to-impress folks at this year's Decibel Festival with said skills. I missed him, unfortunately, but anyone who slept on the man has another chance tonight to witness his exceptional on-the-fly beatmaking. AraabMuzik's recordings tend to slink into languid lushness, like Cocteau Twins gone hiphop, but in a live context he kicks up the intensity and tempos. Detroit's Jeremy Ellis amazed onlookers at the 2008 Decibel Fest with a phenomenal, mercurial set of broken-beat/future soul involving MPC, keyboards, dulcet vocals, a yellow leisure suit, and a ginger ponytail. We've never seen anything like this über-funky white boy. Don't miss him. With Party Supplies. Crocodile, 8 pm, $7, 21+.

FRIDAY 11/18

COTTI'S DUBS OF BRIXTON

The Shift brain trust has booked Brixton producer/DJ Cotti, who's been rampaging around London's thriving dubstep scene for the last five years. His ill-mannered, bass-centric tracks stalk around the genre's dark side with malicious intent, even as they're taking on more celebratory dancehall inflections. Kid Smpl's music is on a much more blissed-out tip. The young Seattle-based producer's output for the excellent local label Car Crash Set gently swells into earshot with sumptuous bass purrs, dewy synth textures, and hushed, soulful vocal samples. Fans of James Blake, SBTRKT, and Burial, take note, and cop Kid's Ghostsuit EP. With Bleed. Contour, 9 pm, $5 before 11 pm/$10 after, no cover for women before 11 pm, 21+.

TUESDAY 11/22

IDM STALWARTS PLAID CELEBRATE 20 YEARS OF EXCELLENCE

Of all Warp Records' many venerable artists, Plaid (England's Andy Turner and Ed Handley, formerly of the rightly worshipped Black Dog) are probably the most overlooked (competing with Aphex Twin, Boards of Canada, and Squarepusher ain't easy). Since 1991, Plaid have released seven albums and six EPs, and have recently moved into film scoring. Each release teems with mind-bogglingly complex arrangements and rhythms, quirkily sweet melodies, and exotic textures. It's no wonder Björk wanted to work with Plaid: They're exactly the sort of studio wizards who can manifest weird yet alluring productions that impress brainiac musicmakers without neglecting the pleasure principle. Legends! With Copy and Vox Mod. Neumos, 8 pm, $15, 21+. recommended