Mixed & Mashed: Best Remixes Of 2008

So, I know it's halfway through January, but I made way too many 2008 lists clearly, and need to get them off my chest before I move on to new things. Instead of a separate singles and dance countdown, this year I went with an expanded singles list and a separate recap of the year's best remixes. As longtime readers can attest to, I love seeking out remixes, and few things are more exciting than great new versions of songs. In a criminally short list of 30 picks, here are the best revamps of 2008.

1. Moby, "I Love To Move In Here" (Crookers Bass In Here Remix): Crookers have been my favorite mixers of the year, most notably on this epic mix of Moby's laid-back piano house number "I Love To Move In Here." Blowing away the original with an absolutely massive bassline, there was no question that this would end up on top of my list.
2. Mariah Carey, "I'll Be Lovin' U Long Time" (Designer Drugs Remix): Taking Mariah's dated, lackluster R&B jam and reinventing it as a thumping uptempo club track, this unofficial mix of "I'll Be Lovin' U Long Time" is up there with my favorite mixes of all time.
3. Kid Cudi, "Day 'N' Night" (Crookers Remix): Another classic remix by Crookers, a late night of clubbing (or, more appropriately perhaps, raving) would not be complete without this stormer, sporting their trademark brand of "ghettotech" house pushed to the limit.
4. Lady GaGa, "Love Game" (Dave Audé Club Mix): GaGa is prepped for primetime action on Dave Audé's razor-sharp club mix of upcoming single "Love Game," sporting a rave-ready build of epic proportions.
5. Madonna, "Give It 2 Me" (Paul Oakenfold Edit): Without question the best remix by Oakenfold in ages, his layered, overwhelming reconstruction of "Give It 2 Me" is the most thrilling club version of a Madonna track since Above & Beyond's mix of "What It Feels Like For A Girl."
6. Snoop Dogg Feat. Robyn, "Sexual Eruption" (Fyre Department Remix): A totally over-the-top, entirely offensive romp, "Sexual Eruption" is elevated from novelty to instant classic by Robyn's renditions of the chorus, kicking the ridiculous factor into overdrive on this smooth, classless R&B groove.
7. The Ting Tings, "Shut Up And Let Me Go" (LAZRtag Remix): Tearing apart the original, LAZRtag's mix of "Shut Up And Let Me Go" is a total electro overload, with stuttering, cutthroat synths that would make a big impression in any set.
8. Kylie Minogue, "The One" (Freemasons Vocal Club Mix): Working in their trademark infectious house basslines and euphoric filtered disco touches, the Freemasons turn fan favorite "The One" into a grand dancefloor killer.
9. The Killers, "Human" (Ocelot Remix - Alternative Live Edit): Channeling the vocoded, fuzzed-out guitar growl of Daft Punk's "Human After All" over a bone-shaking electro bassline, this unreleased Ocelot remix is a grinding, thumping floorfiller.
10. Madonna, "Miles Away" (Thin White Duke Remix): Taking a more gradually layered, build-oriented approach to his trademark retro synth washes, Stuart Price's club version of "Miles Away" reaches a captivating climax unlike any of his other remixes.
11. Britney Spears, "Womanizer" (Kaskade Remix): Producing one of his finest recent club mixes (on par with his excellent mixes of Nelly Furtado's "All Good Things (Come To An End)" and Justin Timberlake's "LoveStoned"), Kaskade's take on "Womanizer" is an undeniably classic pop remix, full of sharp electro and deep house rushes.
12. Róisín Murphy, "Movie Star" (Kid Gloves Remix): A dark, sweeping minimal house revision of the complex, bright "Movie Star," the Kid Gloves version is a ferocious, nearly eleven-minute beast of a remix full of sinister techno builds and deep grooves.
13. Kanye West, "Love Lockdown" (Chew Fu Small Room Fix): Bringing the piano melody to the fore, "Love Lockdown" is transformed into a pulsing piano house banger that stays true to the intrigue of the original.
14. Lil' Wayne, "Lollipop" (LAZRtag Remix): A committment to fat basslines, albeit from a very different genre and style, rules this awesome remix of "Lollipop," successfully translating the hip-hop smash into a club workout.
15. Moby, "Ooh Yeah" (Kris Menace Remix): Continuing his tradition of excellent remixes (see his takes on Robbie Williams with Pet Shop Boys' "She's Madonna" and Air's "Mer Du Japon" among others), Moby's "Ooh Yeah" is transformed into a building, blissful dance classic.
16. Björk, "The Dull Flame Of Desire" (Modeselektor's Remix For Girls): Hard-hitting blips and distorted vocal snippets, undercut by a menacing bassline rich in the low-end, Modeselektor completely deconstructs Björk's sparse duet with Antony Hegarty with stunning results.
17. Katy Perry, "Hot N Cold" (Yelle Remix): A stuttering, vibrant electronic treatment featuring both English and French interjections by Yelle, this mix of "Hot N Cold" is a hot alternative take.
18. Robyn, "Who's That Girl?" (Rex The Dog Remix): Par for the course with Rex The Dog, his mix of "Who's That Girl?" is a bright, upbeat eruption of synthesizers that is among his best remixes.
19. P!nk, "Sober" (Bimbo Jones Radio Edit): Though Bimbo Jones mixes are plentiful and often uninspired, their mixes of P!nk singles usually strike dance radio gold, as on this high-energy mix of her new single "Sober."
20. M83, "Kim & Jessie" (DatA Remix): Perfectly in tune with the big screen youth nostalgia of Saturdays=Youth, this mix amps up "Kim & Jessie" for the slightly-subdued dancefloor, giving it an expansive grandeur of an altogether different sort.
21. Estelle Feat. Kanye West, "American Boy" (Soul Seekerz Radio Remix): Though a pretty standard remix, both for Soul Seekerz and for dance radio, this mix of "American Boy" effectively bumps up the original's BPM, achieving brilliance with its simplicity.
22. Kylie Minogue, "In My Arms" (Chris Lake Vocal Mix): Chris Lake's majestic remix of "In My Arms" alters the song's basic structure from a constant sugar rush to a build-and-release extended club cut, layering bubbling synths to gradually approach the song's main hook in a powerful climax.
23. Róisín Murphy, "Movie Star" (JNRSNCHZ LAX Mix): Retaining the sonic complexity of the original, Junior Sanchez turns "Movie Star" into a frothy electropop delight that wouldn't sound out of place in a Calvin Harris set.
24. MGMT, "Kids" (Soulwax Nite Version): Soulwax give "Kids" a shimmering club makeover with a menacing, rough bassline, allowing MGMT's universally-loved single to work in a whole new range of settings.
25. Britney Spears, "Break The Ice" (Danced, Killed n' Moved): Given a harsh remix treatment, "Break The Ice" becomes a cutting-edge dance workout on this bootleg version.
26. Lady GaGa, "Poker Face" (Dave Audé Radio Edit): Working his magic on a second Lady GaGa track, Dave Audé manages to make "Poker Face" even more worthy of shameless blasting, taking its huge beats in a distinctly electro-house direction to amazing effect.
27. Christian Falk Feat. Robyn, "Dream On" (Warren Clarke Edit): Upping the tempo and enhancing the track's electronic palette, Warren Clarke's mix of "Dream On" is both radio and club ready.
28. Kylie Minogue, "Wow" (MSTRKRFT Remix): Dragging Kylie's chipper "Wow" to the French dance underground, MSTRKRFT's rework is a towering beast of hard bass and synths that retains the euphoric peaks of the original (albeit as interpreted by the Justice school of dance music).
29. Björk, "Wanderlust" (Ratatat Mix): Ratatat's mix of "Wanderlust" is another perfect example of how well their music works with vocals. Distorting her passionate original into something even more affected and delicate, their mix is not to be missed.
30. Goldfrapp, "A&E" (Gui Boratto Remix): Gui Boratto's remix of "A&E" doesn't attempt to recreate the feel of the original, instead taking it down a minimal, pulsating progressive club path.
Honorable Mention: The Killers, "Human" (Armin Van Buuren Club Mix): Although the ultimate climax isn't as euphoric as some of Armin's best, this rave-intended trance take is thrilling.

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Mixed & Mashed 33/Classics 30: Movie Stars

Inspired by the handful of new "Movie Star" remixes from a promo I just got a hold of, and intent on posting some more great Róisín Murphy mixes, I decided to a post on stars and fame. There are tons of tracks in my library on the topic, and legions more about the broader subject of stars (by everyone from David Bowie to Lady GaGa). To kick things off, there are two more amazing mixes of Róisín's "Movie Star" worth checking out. Taking a completely different approach from his other remix, Junior Sanchez's "LAX" mix is an exuberant electro stormer, seemingly designed to brighten up any dancefloor. The "She Is Beautiful" mix by Sam & Di Angelis turns the single into an intoxicating piano house number, perfect for a classy moment in the middle of the night. For the Classics portion of the post, Paris Hilton (of course) gets us going with her aloof, manufactured reggae-tinged hit "Stars Are Blind." Britney Spears laments the hard times she has finding love as a star in the ultra-sappy "Lucky." Felix Da Housecat provides the dance throb for the set in a mix of his classic ode to decadence, "Silver Screen Shower Scene." The tributes to sin continue on Hole's roaring "Celebrity Skin" and Suede's grinding, scuzzed-out rock on "Filmstar." David Bowie gives us some classic perspective on his mid-career breakthrough "Fame," and Lady GaGa wraps us up with a taster from her new album. "Paparazzi" is another of her finely-crafted pop gems about the famous life, this time slowed down for contemplation and added glam effects. Those poor famous people have it so tough!

Mixed & Mashed 33:
Róisín Murphy, "Movie Star" (JNRSNCHZ LAX Mix) [YSI] (original on Overpowered)
Róisín Murphy, "Movie Star" (Sam & Di Angelis 'She Is Beautiful' Remix) [YSI] (original on Overpowered)

Classics 30:
Paris Hilton, "Stars Are Blind" [YSI] (from Paris)
Britney Spears, "Lucky" [YSI] (from Oops!...I Did It Again)
Felix Da Housecat, "Silver Screen Shower Scene" (Malibu Mix) [YSI] (original on Kittenz And Thee Glitz)
Hole, "Celebrity Skin" [YSI] (from Celebrity Skin)
Suede, "Filmstar" [YSI] (from Singles)
David Bowie, "Fame" [YSI] (from Best Of Bowie)
Lady GaGa, "Paparazzi" [YSI] (from the forthcoming The Fame)

***Note: Links removed***

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Hits 38/Mixed & Mashed 32: The Great Remix Recap, Part II

Part II of the remix rundown started on Friday features another ten hot mixes, most of which aren't so new, but still well worth listening to. Kicking off with some very laid-back versions, Estelle's "No Substitute Love" gets a fun, relaxed electronic touch courtesy of Treasure Fingers, while Ewan Pearson gives the expansive treatment to Hot Chip's latest promo single "Hold On" in a nine-plus minute mix (check out more of his mixes here). Things heat up with The Ting Tings' forthcoming single "Be The One," in a dark, pulsating dance remake by Japanese Popstars. A huge array of remixers and amateurs are starting to tackle Britney Spears' new cut "Womanizer," but none have really done the trick for me yet. Until some official versions are released, the Loose Shus remix is a decent minimal take that strips it down to a bleepy electro groove. "Sunset Blvd." by Pacific! is great in its Touch remix form, building to a great synth wash halfway through. MGMT have had some ace big-name remixes lately, and the now-aging Soulwax mix of "Kids" is no exception (though it can't match the awesomeness of the Justice remix of "Electric Feel"). M.I.A.'s "XR2" gets a cool mix by Hydroz that doesn't depart too much from the feel of the original, but gives the obtuse growler a nice kick. Ladytron and ADULT. are cut from the same twisted electronica cloth, so it's only natural that the ADULT. mix of "Runaway" is a real widescreen grower. Slowing it down some more, Daft Punk are extended and given an amped-up groove on the EASTAR mix of "Something About Us." Last, but not least, one the Spice Girls' most memorable tracks ("Spice Up Your Life") gets an addictive modern electro makeover courtesy of Burntpiano (who also recently mixed Vampire Weekend's "Oxford Comma," featured in an earlier post).

UPDATE: The links have all been taken down thanks to a DCMA complaint that Blogger received about some of the songs (I'm not sure which). Sorry for those who missed out, and to whoever was understandably pissed that I posted the songs up. For future reference, I can be reached directly via email to take down tracks and will do it immediately. To preview the tracks that I mentioned, check out this blog on Hype Machine.

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Mixed & Mashed 31: JNRSNCHZRMXS

My favorite mixers, though they range a lot in their mixing styles and even specific sub-genres, always have two standards in common. They're all consistent and they're never afraid to completely rework songs to fit their vision. Junior Sanchez is one of these great producers, almost never failing to synthesize unique and exciting new takes of each track he approaches. I was prompted to feature him in a post thanks to his commission to remix Róisín Murphy's latest single "Movie Star," turning out two vastly different but equally expansive versions. The "Cinespace" mix featured here transforms the track into a sprawling rave comedown. Going in the opposite direction as far as mood, his remix of Placebo's hook-laden "This Picture" turns it into a building, driving dance rock hybrid besting the original version. Booming electro bass rushes fill in the climaxes of his take on Madonna's "Jump" with heavily filtered digital effects added on top for a haunting mix of Princess Superstar's "My Machine." Proving that New Order songs can actually have decent mixes with the right producers, his 2007 remix of their classic 12" single "Confusion" ups the tempo and turns it into a punked-up screamer. I was set to feature a sixth Junior Sanchez remix, the excellent, stuttering "Strobelight Honey" mix of "Flashing Lights," but I realized that the file I had cut out before the halfway point. If anyone's got a full version, please send it my way and I'll be sure to include it in a future post!

Róisín Murphy, "Movie Star" (JNRSNCHZ Cinespace Mix) [YSI]
Placebo, "This Picture" (Junior Sanchez Remix) [YSI] (from Once More With Feeling: Singles 1996-2004 [Limited Edition])
Madonna, "Jump" (Junior Sanchez's Misshapes Mix) [YSI]
Princess Superstar, "My Machine" (Junior Sanchez Mix) [YSI]
New Order, "Confusion" (Junior Sanchez Mix) [YSI]

Request:
Kanye West, "Flashing Lights" (JNRSNCHZ Strobelight Honey Mix)
***Email me at probablyrustin@gmail.com if you have this remix***

***Note: Links removed***

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Hits 37/Mixed & Mashed 30: The Great Remix Recap, Part I

This has been my first post in a long time (blame the crappy internet at my house and heinous midterms for that), but it may end up being one of my favorites. The last two weeks have seen a literal overload of great remixes, so I'm doing a huge two-part recap. For part one, I picked out the most essential of the new mixes, starting off with a brilliant mix that somehow didn't win the remix contest for Mariah Carey's "I'll Be Lovin' U Long Time." Taking the otherwise unremarkable single and adding a heavy dose of synthesizers, the Designer Drugs mix is quickly climbing the list of my favorite remixes ever. It deserves to be heard on a loud, lit-up dancefloor. The Ting Tings get a sharp electro treatment by LAZRtag on a stuttering version of their catchy hit "Shut Up And Let Me Go." Robyn consistently turns out great pop songs, and even better remixes, as on the addictive mixes of new single "Dream On" (the Warren Clarke radio cut is featured here). Kanye West has been getting a lot of very different reactions to his latest track, "Love Lockdown," including heaps of praise for the remix package. The minimal, autotuned midtempo single is transformed into a simple piano house tune on the "Chew Fu Small Room Fix," one of the better official mixes released so far. Hot Chip are also heavily remixed with each release, ranging from laid-back takes to full-on club workouts, like the hard, bass-laden Switch remix of "Hold On." With promotional singles and remixes leaking all over the place, it's hard to avoid Lady GaGa's recent output. "Love Game," from new album The Fame, gets a basic, but still noteworthy, club remix courtesy of Dave Audé. Moby has an extensive history of picking amazing producers to remix his work, and the bubbling new rework of forthcoming single "Ooh Yeah" by Kris Menace (one of my favorite remixers) is no exception. Another of my personal favorites, Axwell, has graced Adele's "Hometown Glory" with an extended, building acid house makeover to great effect, reminiscent of some of his other great slow burners (I'm thinking along the lines of his mixes of Bob Sinclar's "World, Hold On (Children Of The Sky)" and Nelly Furtado's "Promiscuous"). Yelle's "Ce Jeu" gets another great bootleg fix-up, with Cool Kids Can't Die turning the track into a dizzying techno cut. Departing from the club-centric tone of the other tracks, Modeselektor gives Björk a minimal, bleep-filled stripdown on his "girls" remix of "The Dull Flame Of Desire." If you're a regular reader of this blog, you're guaranteed to love the majority of these mixes, so don't hesitate!

UPDATE: The links have all been taken down thanks to a DCMA complaint that Blogger received about some of the songs (I'm not sure which). Sorry for those who missed out, and to whoever was understandably pissed that I posted the songs up. For future reference, I can be reached directly via email to take down tracks and will do it immediately. To preview the tracks that I mentioned, check out this blog on Hype Machine.

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Review/Mixed & Mashed 29: A History Of Remix Albums

By some chance, I've ended up getting three remix albums within the last month. I thought this called for a big recap of a bunch of old remix albums. Most remix albums come in one of two forms. Most common are remixed versions of entire albums, featuring most or all of the original record's tracks in remixed form. Also standard are remix compilations, spanning certain lengths of an artist's career like alternative forms of greatest hits collections. Less common are mutliple artist compilations featuring the remix work of a specific producer, but these are often the most rewarding. I picked up one recent compilation of Ewan Pearson's remix called Piece Work. The double-disc collection spans two discs and features such big-name artists as Goldfrapp, Depeche Mode, The Chemical Brothers, Moby, Pet Shop Boys and more. The album is an expansive showcase of the past decade of his career, featuring many hard-to-find mixes, and works amazingly well as a cohesive set. Pearson's mixes are consistent, but each one is astonishingly unique. Quirky pop remakes like Seelenluft's "Manila" and Ladytron's amped-up "Evil" complement sprawling electronic soundscapes like the "Disco Odyssey" mix of Goldfrapp's "Ride A White Horse." A refreshing update is given to several tracks, like Depeche Mode's "Enjoy The Silence." The standout on the entire collection is undoubtedly the "Bari Girl" remix of Silver City's "Shiver," a building, shimmering masterpiece worth discovering. For fans of modern dance music, Piece Work is an essential retrospective.

From Piece Work (2007) by Ewan Pearson:
Seelenluft Feat. Mixmaster Michael Smith, "Manila" (Ewan Pearson Remix) [YSI]
Silver City, "Shiver" (Ewan's Bari Girl Remix) [YSI]
Goldfrapp, "Ride A White Horse" (Ewan Pearson Disco Odyssey Parts 1&2) [YSI]
Ladytron, "Evil" (Ewan Pearson Radio Edit) [YSI]
Depeche Mode, "Enjoy The Silence" (Ewan Pearson Extended Remix) [YSI]

The second of my recent remix purchases was Casino Classics by Saint Etienne, a double-disc career-spanning mix compilation released way back in 1996. The first disc features mixes of some of their biggest hits, and was included on limited pressings of their previous hits compilation, Too Young To Die: Singles 1990-1995. "Pale Movie" gets a trippy, trance-flavored mix by Secret Knowledge, while "Who Do You Think You Are" is transformed into an avant-garde piece by Aphex Twin. "Hug My Soul" is treated to a more traditional club makeover by Sure Is Pure, alongside several other classic mixes and dubs from their early career (including the recently-featured Andrew Weatherall remix of "Only Love Can Break Your Heart"). The second disc features rare and previously unreleased mixes, including some mixes of tracks that were themselves still unavailable in original form (like the classic mid-90s club portrait, the Way Out West mix of promo-only single "Angel"). At times it feels like an odd set, but many of the mixes are able to tap into new aspects of the originals and would interest any fan of the band.

From Casino Classics (1996) by Saint Etienne:
Saint Etienne, "Pale Movie" (Secret Knowledge Trouser Assassin Mix) [YSI]
Saint Etienne, "Who Do You Think You Are (Aphex Twin - Quex-Rd) [YSI]
Saint Etienne, "Hug My Soul" (Sure Is Pure Kodacolor House Mix) [YSI]
Saint Etienne, "Angel" (Way Out West Mix) [YSI]

Contrasting with the retrospective sets, remix albums based on a single album tend to be more hit-and-miss. Pizzicato Five's turn-of-the-century self-titled album (renamed The Fifth Release From Matador outside of Japan) got the remix treatment on the EP Remixes 2000. Mixing five album tracks and a further two non-album tracks, the set varies wildly in style, achieving a lot of what the band had aimed for with the parent album (but didn't successfully pull off). P5 musician Yasuharu Konishi starts things off with a smartly remixed medley of album tracks ("The Groove Room Suite"), and later in the set "A Perfect World" gets a jazzy lounge makeover with new vocals. The real standouts, though, are a girly punk rock remix of the (originally) overly-cheeky "Tout, Tout Pour Ma Cherie," bringing a new sound into Pizzicato Five's repertoire, and an awesome remix of the rarity "Jolly Bubbly Lovely." It's a sunny club track on par with their best upbeat anthems (along the lines of "It's A Beautiful Day" or "Week End" for the dance scene). It definitely makes me want to go out clubbing with Maki Nomiya (their singer) in Tokyo some time soon!

From Remixes 2000 (2000) by Pizzicato Five:
Pizzicato Five, "Tout, Tout Pour Ma Cherie" (I ♥ Kiss & Kids Mix) [YSI]
Pizzicato Five, "Jolly Bubbly Lovely" (Cubis Tout-jour Mix) [YSI]

To round out this remix album mini-retrospective, I picked out some of the best reworks from a few older remix discs. Björk's music has always been so open to interpretation that it's only natural she'd have a remix album to follow up her breakthrough sophomore disc Post. Featuring a wide array of genres and a range of producers taking on mixing duties, the tracks on Telegram are completely changed in most cases. "Enjoy" gets a rough industrial makeover, while "I Miss You" proves it works well as a hip-hop groove and "Isobel" benefits from added orchestration. Beck's Guero was heavily remixed leading up to and after its release, leading to the inevitable release of remixed companion Guerolito the same year. The mixes are mostly faithful to the originals, with some standing out as formidable additions to his catalog (especially the mixes by 8-Bit and Octet). Goldfrapp try hard to please their fans, with numerous side releases and special projects going on at all times, so to make up for the lack of US single releases, they compiled We Are Glitter exclusively for the States. Featuring mixes of tracks from their most successful record, Supernature, the disc is a star-studded trip to all reaches of Goldfrapp's distinctive, often dichotomous sound. Driving club mixes abound (T. Raumschiere's take on "Lovely 2 C U" and club mixes by Benny Benassi, Francois Kevorkian and others), broken up by more laid-back grooves and experimental reworkings. The best mixes are from dance legends, with the DFA turning "Slide In" into a 13-minute disco journey, and Carl Craig exposing the real depth and nuance in an addictive club reworking of "Fly Me Away." It's a set worth picking up for fans of its excellent parent album.

From Telegram (1996) by Björk:
Björk, "Enjoy" (Further Over The Edge Mix) [YSI]
Björk, "I Miss You" (Dobie Rub Part One - Sunshine Mix) [YSI]
Björk, "Isobel" (Deodato Mix) [YSI]

From Guerolito (2005) by Beck:
Beck, "Girl" (Remix By Octet) [YSI]
Beck, "Ghettochip Malfunction (Hell Yes)" (Remix By 8-Bit) [YSI]
Beck, "Broken Drum" (Remix By Boards Of Canada) [YSI]

From We Are Glitter (2006) by Goldfrapp:
Goldfrapp, "Lovely 2 C U" (T. Raumschmiere Remix) [YSI]
Goldfrapp, "Fly Me Away" (C2 Remix 4) [YSI]
Goldfrapp, "Slide In" (DFA Remix) [YSI]

***Note: Links removed***

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Dear Ibiza 23/Mixed & Mashed 28: RAVE!

Inspired by my co-op's recent room-to-room party (and my room's theme of "rave"), I've collected some tracks optimal for intensive after-hours clubbing. First up, some deep basslines from Crookers on a remix of "Day N Night," with the pace kept up nicely with Benny Benassi's electric (and Grammy-winning) remix of Public Enemy's "Bring The Noise." The Prodigy heralded a new era for dance music with their legendary Fat Of The Land album, as on number one single "Breathe." The more recent Pendulum remix of classic "Voodoo People" updates their sound for the next generation. Benassi shows up again on a bumping remix of Fischerspooner's great "Never Win." Axwell regularly turns out mixes full of bass and hooks, like the roaring club versions of Madonna's "Jump" and Hard-Fi's "Hard To Beat." The last track featured is an Angello & Ingrosso remix of Eurythmics' classic "Sweet Dreams (Are Made Of This)" that takes the famed synths to new extremes for the dance floor.

Kid Cudi, "Day N Night" (Crookers First Remix) [YSI]
Public Enemy, "Bring The Noise" (Benny Benassi Pump-Kin Remix) [YSI]
The Prodigy, "Breathe" [YSI] (from Their Law: The Singles 1990-2005)
The Prodigy, "Voodoo People" (Pendulum Remix) [YSI] (from Their Law: The Singles 1990-2005)
Fischerspooner, "Never Win" (Benny Benassi Mix) [YSI]
Madonna, "Jump" (Axwell Remix) [YSI]
Hard-Fi, "Hard To Beat" (Axwell Mix - Firstclass 2006 Edit) [YSI]
Eurythmics, "Sweet Dreams (Are Made Of This)" (Steve Angello & Sebastian Ingrosso Vocal) [YSI]

***Note: Links removed***

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Mixed & Mashed 27: Underground Combos

Since I started school again, I've managed to amass a big handful of new mash-ups. Some of them (the ones below) are definitely worth hearing, so I thought I'd share. M.I.A.'s early single "Sunshowers" gets a fun, upbeat electro reworking when layered over Mylo's bubbly instrumental "Otto's Journey." Coldplay are reversed and looped for a surprisingly effective mash-up with T.I., revealing both the versatility of Coldplay's music and the skill that goes into writing memorable rap lyrics. M.I.A.'s "partner in grime," Santogold, has her otherwise passable album track "Unstoppable" turned into a catchy beat-driven piece with the instrumental from Treasure Fingers. Kelis gets her "Milkshake" all shaken up with a laid-back rock groove added courtesy of El-P. To wrap up this set of unique combinations, Calvin Harris's "Certified" has an old Cassius track laid on top, again proving that sometimes he works better as a producer and musician than a standalone artist (see "In My Arms" and "Off & On" if you're not sure what I mean).

M.I.A. Vs. Mylo, "Sunshowers" (A+B Mash-up by Luminfire) [YSI]
Coldplay Vs. T.I., "What You Know, Scientist?" (ELLIOT vs. QUIX Mash-up) [YSI]
Santogold Vs. Treasure Fingers, "I've Got To Be True" (Immuzikation Blend) [YSI]
Kelis Vs. El-P, "Good Milkshake In The Morning" [YSI]
Calvin Harris Vs. Cassius, "Certified One" (B-Ju Mash-up) [YSI]

***Note: Links removed***

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Hits 36/Mixed & Mashed 26

As I get settled in back at Berkeley, I'm starting to take advantage of my (working!) wireless connection and downloading tons of mixes. Today's post features a huge 14 tracks sorted into different subsets. The current releases include a great new club mix of Santogold's second full single "Lights Out" and nice dance updates of M83 and Solange. More impressive are the remixes of upcoming singles, including a cool retro remix of Sugababes' brand new track "Girls" and an extended version of the awesome "Dusk Til' Dawn" by Ladyhawke. In the bootleg selection, there are roaring club takes on Goldfrapp's "Caravan Girl" and a hard-hitting Vandalism remix of Ce Ce Peniston's classic "Finally." Adding electronic beats and a sense of space benefit both MGMT and Vampire Weekend on unofficial remixes of "Electric Feel" and "Oxford Comma," respectively. Of course, I saved the mash-ups until the very end. There's a very cool mix of Katy Perry's ubiquitous "I Kissed A Girl" with Madonna's "Give It 2 Me" (utilizing both the album mix and Paul Oakenfold versions). Sophie Ellis-Bextor's "Get Over You" gets another great mash-up, this time with an old Mint Royale track (in remixed form).

Current Releases:
Sam Sparro, "21st Century Life" (Mac Project Mix Main) [YSI]
Yelle, "Je Veux Te Voir" (Club-Club Version) [YSI]
Annie, "I Know Ur Girlfriend Hates Me" (Feel The Moog Remix) [YSI]
Solange, "I Decided" (Moto Blanco Radio Mix) [YSI]
M83, "Kim & Jessie" (DatA Remix) [YSI]
Santogold, "Lights Out" (Tepr Club Remix) [YSI]

Upcoming Singles:
Sugababes, "Girls" (Fred Falke Radio Edit) [YSI]
Ladyhawke, "Dusk Til' Dawn" (Linus Loves Remix) [YSI]

Bootleg Mixes:
Goldfrapp, "Caravan Girl" (Dead Soul Brothers Dead Soul Disco Mix) [YSI]
Ce Ce Peniston, "Finally" (Vandalism Remix) [YSI]
MGMT, "Electric Feel" (Aeroplane Remix) [YSI]
Vampire Weekend, "Oxford Comma" (Burntpiano Edit) [YSI]

Mash-ups:
Katy Perry Vs. Madonna "I Kissed Madonna" (Prosac's Mash-up) [YSI]
Sophie Ellis-Bextor Vs. Mint Royale "Get Over Blue" (Prosac's Mash-up) [YSI]

***Note: Links removed***

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Mixed & Mashed 25: Sophie & Ro Get Mashed

At long last, I'm back at home in Berkeley and done with summer. The year can finally start fresh, first with some hot mash-ups I've been listening to lately. This is the only Róisín Murphy mash-up I've heard so far (send more my way if you've got them), and it's pretty unique. Her classic third single "You Know Me Better" (my most-played song on iTunes) is laid over the frantic rock backing of Nine Inch Nails' "The Hand That Feeds" and it somehow works well. I've also included remixes of the original tracks for comparison purposes (including an unofficial but brilliant extended mix of Róisín's single). Next up is a totally different kind of mash-up, taking Sophie Ellis-Bextor's "Get Over You" and transforming it into a dance bomb by mashing it with The Buckethead's instantly recognizable "The Bomb." Sophie's chorus matches the tracks main sample perfectly, so big thumbs up to whoever discovered this great pairing.

Originals:
Nine Inch Nails, "The Hand That Feeds" (Disco Villains Remix) [YSI] (original on With Teeth)
Róisín Murphy, "You Know Me Better" (Extended Version) [YSI] (original on Overpowered)
Sophie Ellis-Bextor, "Get Over You" [YSI] (from Read My Lips)
The Bucketheads, "The Bomb" (Radio Edit) [see here]

Mash-ups:
Nine Inch Nails Vs. Róisín Murphy, "You Know The Hand That Feeds" [YSI]
Sophie Ellis-Bextor Vs. The Bucketheads, "Get Over The Bomb" [YSI]

***Note: Links removed***

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Mixed & Mashed 24: Remixed Indie

Despite my best efforts, I haven't been having much success with the internet lately. I can't upload songs from home, and Starbucks (where I usually blog) has been having some wireless issues over the past week. Luckily, I worked today, so I can finally post these mixes I've had kicking around on my iTunes playlists! Rounding up some more indies, I've got a bunch of great mixes, some new and some a bit older. Moby's latest single "I Love To Move In Here" gets a killer bassline courtesy of Crookers, turning the low-fi piano house song into a bumping beat fest. Cut Copy really hit the nail on the head with "Hearts On Fire," so mixing wasn't really needed to improve on its pop genius, but Calvin Harris turns in one of his best with his new take on it. Also pretty new is Justice's remix of MGMT's summer singalong "Electric Feel," creating a unique, and (unsurprisingly) amazing hybrid of their distinctive sounds. Mylo's old album track "Paris Four Hundred" is just now getting the remix treatment, a few years after his album's promotional cycle ended, with a glitchy extended version from Etienne De Crecy being the pick of the three new mixes. Vampire Weekend, with perhaps my favorite new album of the year, are still being played in heavy rotation, and while the "insane mix" of "Walcott" isn't up to the standard of the album, it is a decent reworking of one of their debut record's standouts. The Knife and Ratatat are both pretty out there in terms of sheer weirdness, so the old Ratatat remix of "We Share Our Mother's Health" is by nature a strange proposition worth hearing. To wrap up, I've included two recent Diplo remixes, of my other new fave Santogold's low-key album track "Starstruck" and The Black Ghosts' deadly catchy "Repetition Kills You." Fingers crossed for online success so posts won't start getting erratic!

Moby, "I Love To Move In Here" (Crookers Bass In Here Remix) [YSI]
Cut Copy, "Hearts On Fire" (Calvin Harris Remix) [YSI]
MGMT, "Electric Feel" (Justice Remix) [YSI]
Mylo, "Paris Four Hundred" (Etienne De Crecy Remix) [YSI]
Vampire Weekend, “Walcott” (Insane Mix) [YSI]
The Knife, "We Share Our Mother's Health" (Ratatat Remix) [YSI]
Santogold, "Starstruck" (Diplo Remix) [YSI]
The Black Ghosts, "Repetition Kills You" (Diplo Remix) [YSI]

***Note: Links removed***

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