quick audio picks: 12
Mash-up is still fun, especially when it's produced well. "Disco Inferno" over(1) the Cure's "Close To Me" is very effective, especially because Aristocat re-arranges the beat to match the different segments of the song. You also get a super-useful instrumental version of...
expand review the track that you won't find on any Cure 12". Flip features "Make You Feel That Way" over(2) a loop of Chris Isaaks' "Wicked Game," pretty smooth. Also features the rare acapella to Queen's "We Will Rock You," for "extreme" mash possibilities (where'd he get that anyway?). -the mgmnt
quick audio picks: 12
LA's DJ Aristocat continues to put out some of the most club friendly and reliable mash-up 12"s. The big one on here is a mash(1) of Depeche Mode's "Enjoy The Silence" with Missy's "I'm Really Hot." The combination sticks like glue, definitely...
expand review gonna be a big crowd pleaser. What's more, Cat goes the extra distance creating the Depeche Mode instrumental for all the DJs (which, like all the mashes here, comes in instrumental version). Sticking with the new wave theme, Cat takes(2) the Cure's "Lovecats" instrumental and strangely pairs it with Artifacts' "Wrong Side of The Tracks." That one might be too deep for the drunk masses, but the instrumental version is deadly. The final mash pairs "Hell's Bells" with "Shimmy Shimmy." And last but not least, Cat once again extends to his working DJ brethren with a looped up version of Billy Squires' "The Stroke," a perfect tool for your rock sets. -the mgmnt
quick audio picks: 12345
If you don't dj at clubs with more than 50 people, you might hate on this. But if you understand the power of Joan Jett's "I Love Rock And Roll" or the perfectly-timed Fatman Scoop mash-up, this record is for you. When...
expand review trying to please a diverse crowd who want to get f'ed, grab any Aristocat record, and you're set. Top billing here goes to a Missy-ACDC mash(1); notice the perfect execution, this is premium mash. Next up, the most unexpected stadium rock anthem, "7 Nation Army", gets mashed(2) with NERD. The side ends with the unlikely paring of Lil Kim and The Offspring(3). Side B starts off with my favorite mash of the set with Outkast's "Wheels Of Steel" over Blink 182's "I Miss You." In addition, you get all the instrumental versions of the tracks (the "I Miss You" instrumental is especially awesome). Well-done. -the mgmnt
quick audio picks: 12
Get ready for some mean miami-ghettotech-electro-booty-bass by way of Minneapolis! (no joke) Bankie Phones is having way too much fun with his music and it shows on everything from his label art (how awesome is that naked eagle-headed broad on a chopper?)...
expand review to his ridonkulous track titles (like "Sorry Girl We Gotta Listen to Miami Bass First (1)" and "Yeah It's Cool, I'm Just Gonna Cry While Watching Eraserhead (2)"). Is this dude for real? After just one needle drop on the record, I believe he's definitely for serious. Both tracks are chock full of bass, more bass, distortion, and major "just-don't-give-a-f" sample droppin. The kid is havin' way too much fun with this. May not be the kinda thing you'll play out on the regular, but kinda cool to have on some unique shit on 7" tip. Both sides play at 33. Super limited pressing. -snackmaster
quick audio picks: 12
It's Mohawk's Champ Dance Remix! You know the infamous break used by everyone from Main Source, Redman, to Too Short and MC Hammer and so on. Well, now it's the Bladerunners turn and they take it to uber-dancefloor status. They...
expand review give three remixes, two short versions and a long side edit called which is worth the entire album. The "Champ - Club Mix(1)" is a hype modern dance mix that starts with a DJ friendly intro with a sample from Daft Punk's "Da Funk" and chops up the sweet sounds of Champ until its FUBAR. The added bass keeps the hype levels up, while the breakdowns build up and drop to drive the crowd. For those just interested in the meat of the song, the "Champ - Alt Mix(2)" is and edit with the main part and the "Champ-A-Pella" is the same with a more instrumental breaks feel. You can pretty much stick to the main mix, but it's nice to know that they're there so you wreck shop with doubles. I can smell this on summer mixtapes already. -C'mish
quick audio picks: 1234567
The Bladerunners are one of the best things going right now. Their edits are made with working DJs in mind and they're totally effective. Side A features dance edits and starts with Stardust's "Music Sounds Better With You" aka one the greatest...
expand review dance songs ever made. The Bladerunners do an admirable chop job(1) here, freaking out the original sounds. Showing some deep-ass music nerdery, they've resurrected P.I.L.'s "This Is Not A Love Song" as a Daft Punk-style dance track. The flip features hip-hop remixes of "Move Bitch(3), Throw Some D's(4)," and "Money In The Bank(5)." 7 tracks total. Recommended. -the mgmnt
quick audio picks: 12
Another Bozo Meko gem. New re-press of one of the most legendary bootlegs ever, Bambaata and Afrika Islam's "Fusion Beats(1)," a block party and mix tape staple from the day it first appeared around 1984 or so. An important chapter in the...
expand review cut-n-paste history surveyed in Grand Slam's debut issue, it's a pause-button classic incorporating "The Champ," "Let A Woman Be A Woman (Sally Walks)" and of course the Godfather's "Get Up, Get Into It, Get Involved." It sounded so dope at the time, and is obviously a bit crude-sounding now, but will absolutely never fail to make an OG B-Boy smile and wanna bust a move. The flipside is, as before, the live version of "Flash It To The Beat(2)" by the Furious Five. An undeniably major mark in hip hop history, delivered at the nice price. -gregcaz
quick audio picks: 12
A pair of essential breaks from the Bozo Meko catalog, available for the first time ever on 45. "Spread Love(1)" is a simple, straightforward and totally useful edit of the Take 6 classic - what more could you need than those sweet...
expand review harmonies and staunch drums keepin time? On the flip, it's Earth Wind & Fire's summer feel-good anthem getting the chop for "Gazillian Rhyme(2)." Both cuts supposedly remixed by Mark the 45 King. Recommended. -Chris Lemon-Red
quick audio picks: 123
Feelgood summertime remixes from Plug Label head Kero One. His remix of Common's "The Light(1)" is super-satisfying like Pacificos by the pool. Warm melodic guitar loops and crisp drums give it substance, play it at your next outdoor gig and feel the...
expand review warm vibes fill the air. Kero's remix of Erykah Badu's "On And On(2)" keeps a similar pace as the original, but adds that LA cosmic soul flourishes and swagger. On the flip, he adds some fatback drums and 70s synths to Outkast's "Roses(3)," and makes it into a song that both the ladies and beatheads can get down to. Three for three is rare, but Kero comes through. Also includes instrumental versions of "The Light" and "Roses." -the mgmnt
quick audio picks: 12345
Before dropping the Grey Album and making every critic's year-end list, DJ Danger Mouse released three remix EPs that we carried for a little while. I say "little while" because whenever they were restocked, they immediately sold out like Pure Hot Fire....
expand review Much like that damn Amerie single (PHF of right now), people would constantly call or come in the store, pestering us for more Danger Mouse, and someone finally saw fit to respond to the overwhelming demand by releasing a kind of "Best Of" from those three EPs. While I'm currently of the "Mash Up Needs To Get Shot Out of a Canon" mentality, I must admit that the Nas/Portishead(1) and the Audio Two/Air(2) remixes are two of the finer moments the genre has offered so far, and still sound remarkably well put together four years after the fact. Pick it up now, late-comers. Other mashes include "Tom's Diner" over "In Da Club(3)," Outkast's "Whole World" over Funkadelic(4), and Xzibit over Radiohead's "Karma Police(5)." -the Woodman
quick audio picks: 1234
If you slept on Davy Dave's fun as hell - but also limited as hell - mashup 45s, here's your second chance. Do Not Bootleg The Bootleg is the first 12" release on Magic Mix and compiles all four tracks from the...
expand review sold out 7"s, along with two new original collaborations with German rappers Pilskills. On the A-side, Beastie Boys get mixed up with Peter Bjorn & John ("Check Out The Young Folks(1)") and Paul Weller ("NYC Party Flasche(2)"). On the flip, it's Dizzee Rascal going toe-to-toe with a golden oldie ("Fix Up The Road Jack(3)") and some Japanese electro-pop ("Yellow Magic Sirens(4)"). Limited edition whitelabel with hand-stamped sleeve. -Van Hammersly
quick audio picks: 12345
Second 12" from Davy Dave's Magic Mix label, another limited edition whitelabel in hand-stamped sleeves. Davy's teamed up with the mysterious Quincy Millions for some more sick blends, this time with a Brazilian slant. On the A-side, "Vamos!(1)" is a high-octane tropical...
expand review mix of De La's "Much More," with a useful dub(2) also included. Busta's "Don't Touch Me" goes over a cover of "Jungle Fever" on "Febre(3)," then his Daft Punk-sampling "Touch It" gets re-formatted and gene-spliced with Missy's "Cop That Shit" for "Touch That Shit(4)." Mr. Million's buzzing techno remix of Kelis' "Milkshake(5)" rounds things out. -Van Hammersly
indepth
