This Mad Desire is Mackenzie Kristjon’s rock and roll brand, specializing in indie rock that has been described as “like Neil Young on David Bowie drugs.” Kristjon is Icelandic-Canadian songwriter and author who operates in the Greater Toronto-Hamilton area. 

“Ready For The Weekend” is a collaboration between Kristjon and Marcus Manderson a.k.a. Da Fingaz. The two met at an online music industry event and discussed a collaboration. Manderson provided instrumentals for a real swinging R&B/disco vibe so Kristjon wanted to accentuate that party atmosphere. To get there, he added a dreamlike, almost psychedelic bridge where we could hear our various participants musing about their future weekend plans before we launch into the final choruses. He also added some really upfront, funky bass to increase the “Shake Your Booty” quotient.

The collaboration goes further, connecting musicians all over North America. Dan Konopka from OK Go played drums for this track in Hollywood, Kristen Prince played sax in Toronto, and the background singers come from the following cities: Calgary, Guelph, Hamilton, and Toronto in Canada; Detroit, Oakland, Philadelphia, and more in the USA. Their voices are featured in the bridge; Kristjon encouraged everyone to say a line describing what they were going to do for their dream weekend whether that be “going to the beach” or “holding a seance.” The goal was to make it seem like the listener was dropped into a party of dreamers, eavesdropping on their conversations.