The Animal Show » Mash-up

This time you can call it a comeback

Edward — Fri, 10 Sep 2010 14:53:56 +0000

I was at a social function last night, and a formerly mustachioed friend came up to me to ask me what the hell was up with this blog of mine. My first reaction was, naturally, what the hell is up with that late great mustache of yours, but my second reaction was “what blog?”

They say you don’t know you’ve hit rock bottom until you can see China on the other side. Well, after leaving that social function, another friend made me watch a slideshow of his abroad pictures. Was it a sign? Almost certainly. Really contrived pithy aphorisms don’t grow on trees. At least, not where I’m from.

The truth is that I’d stopped blogging because there wasn’t any music out there that was getting me going (with a few notable exceptions, but they were by no means the rule). But this summer has been a downright cavalcade of elegant albums progressing onto the scene at a slow clip. I’ve never liked Arcade Fire more, been more blown away by a debut album than Janelle Monae’s (don’t hold me to that), or been as scared shitless as I was the first time I heard Salem. More on that later. More on a lot later. MORE LATER YOU GUYS.

For now, I’m dropping an Animal Show exclusive release. Everyone’s favorite mashup artist (and by “everyone,” I mean all five of your faithful correspondents here at the Show, which is to say everyone who matters in this confused, mosque-hating world) E-603 has remixed a sleeper off tourmates’ Passion Pit’s Manners, an album which also continues to grow on me. Ethan takes “Seaweed Song” and given it the Passion Pit handclaps it was missing, synths to the wall, and a Ratatat-reminiscent guitar line sure to make your hips quiver. Even if the kid may never make another E-603 album, this track makes clear that we have years of production and remixing to look forward to. Now when’s that Air Bud sophomore release coming?

Play it loud:

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Seaweed Song (E-603 Remix) – Passion Pit (YSI)

Mashing Drake Up

Edward — Wed, 23 Jun 2010 18:40:28 +0000

such a nice boy.

As Young Money and Degrassi devotees alike are no doubt aware, thespian-cum-rhymist Drake released his freshman effort Thank Me Later a week ago. Critically, it was given an almost universal “okay,” with many reviews heralding it as the first real effort in the changed world of hip-hop coming about post 808s and Heartbreaks. This is going a little overboard. Drake is not going to change your life. He’s thankfully less of a sad-sack than his contemporary (and arguably the true follower of 808s) Kid Cudi, but the album has fewer gems than the 3 smashes on Man on the Moon. It’s a lethargic slog, sort of like 808s, but without the same innovative production that is Kanye’s bag. The lone stand-out is the track Kanye produced, “Over,” which benefits from a Lupe-inspired backing track that grabs you by the throat and pounds forward with alternating Love Lockdown drumline beat and orchestral sweeps. The others need some work.

The same could be said of many of Drake’s mixtape tracks from the runup to Thank Me Later. Luckily, there are mashup producers who can do just that. And, luckily, I’m bringing them straight to your ears. The first is an older track, brought to you courtesy of longtime Animal Show favorites, The Hood Internet, who have cooked up a masterpiece with their combination of Drake and Free Energy. Then an interesting idea, combining Coldplay’s “Strawberry Swing” (my favorite off of Viva La Vida, and whose music video still rules) with last year’s megahit jam “Best I Ever Had.” The combination teeters on the edge of absurdity, but is ultimately saved based almost purely on the merits of each song individually, and makes for a fun listen. Check ‘em out as you celebrate another amazing American World Cup goal taken back by terrible officiating!

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(This Shit Was) All I Know [Drake v. Free Energy] – The Hood Internet (YSI)

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The Best Strawberry – Drake v. Coldplay (YSI)

Don’t Call It a Comeback

Edward — Tue, 11 May 2010 16:51:56 +0000

I don’t want any crocodile tears later, so let’s make one thing clear right here, right now: I am not back. Sorry. Just like the elusive taco-flavored Doritos, I’m here to bust onto the scene for a hot second, just long enough for you to remember how much you loved my tangy and indescribably MSG-y taste before I disappear back into the Doritos Vault indefinitely. As you probably know, every now and then duty calls, and then I must pick up the phone, strap on my blogsuit, and type the bejeezus out of a few hot jams likely to blow all the wax out of your ears. Live from Rome, it’s probably nighttime where you are! (When it comes to figuring out time zones I’m complete cat vomit.)

First of all, let me apologize (good start, right?): I have no idea how overplayed any/all of these songs are in whatever country it is you access this site. After all, only 679 visits came from Italy in the last year, meaning that no one is here looking for the latest remix of Eurotrash Jam ‘10 “Stereolove,” which is fine, because I’m really not interested in hearing that song ever again. In my internet-restricted foreign prison, I’ve been at a loss to keep up with singles. Hype Machine doesn’t even work here. Can you imagine? THESE METH BUGS WON’T LEAVE ME ALONE. You know, the ones I get from not being able to surf Hype Machine. Get it? You get it. But, as such, I’ve been forced to kick it old school, listening to albums like some sort of old man. Grampa’s been able to scrounge up a few songs from between the sofa cushions, though, and he’s taking you all to Friendly’s for Clown Sundaes. Hooray!

First comes Big Boi’s infectious “Shutterbugg.” If that voice doesn’t snap you into an I <3 2001 nostalgia montage, you need clinical help. Outkast’s less cool half (sorry, but true) is shaking that comeback tree, and it sounds like MEMORIES. Damn, y’all. Then comes my favorite track off of what may be my favorite release of 2010 so far, Subiza by the Spanish popmeisters Delorean, which is so good that it inspired me to tweet. Desperate times, right? Next off the blocks is a Harlem Shakes track that’s been kicked up to 11 by Kids at the Bar, which comes at you courtesy of my ear to the ground in all things music, James, who’s been trying his damnedest to keep me looped through these trying times. Finally, the rainmaker: Biggie Smalls’ “Can I Get Witcha” blended seamlessly with honey-voiced Andrea Bocelli’s “Por Ti Volare,” a name which almost certainly means something in Italian. A properly abroad-infused mashup to keep you going. So gobble ‘em up fast, because these took me an hour to upload and who knows when you’ll see the likes of me around these e-parts again. Until June, soul clap, soul clap, can I get a little soul clap?

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Shutterbugg – Big Boi (YSI)

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Simple Graces – Delorean (YSI)

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Strictly Game (Kids at the Bar Remix) – Harlem Shakes (YSI)

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Can I Get Witcha? vs Por Ti Volare – Notorious BIG vs Andrea Bocelli (YSI)

Will Heartbeats Ever Flat Line?

dfjacobs — Mon, 05 Apr 2010 15:00:53 +0000

Whether due to highly flammable vocals, otherworldly beats or the mere presence of Weezy, certain songs are simply mashup gold. Recently I used the phrase “mashup darling” to describe Down’s “Lean Like A Cholo,” and surely any track by Jigga or the Young Money inmate would also fit the bill. However, the apotheosis of this phrase is undoubtedly The Knife’s “Heartbeats.” The first track off the Swedish duo’s sophomore album Deep Cuts is an astounding combination of poignant lyricism and an infectious beat. The song manages to be both haunting and explosive; a lethal blend that makes it irresistible to a wide-range of listeners (and mashup artists).

In addition to popular covers by Jose Gonzalez as well as Scala & Kolacny Brothers, I discovered six different mashups featuring the track in my iTunes library. While this may only confirm my consistent taste and overwhelmingly large music collection, I believe it’s also a testament to the far-reaching appeal of “Heartbeats.” With mashes by A-Trak and E-603, featuring the likes of Drizzy, Yeezy, M.I.A. and Grizzly Bear, the variations of “Heartbeats” feature some of the best in the business. To evaluate the tracks, I channeled the Sports Guy (that’s Bill Simmons you hipsters) and created a pyramid to illustrate their varying levels of success.

Level 1 a.k.a. “the flyest of the fly” features A-Trak’s “Get ‘Em High (Remix)” and POTAMIC’s “The Way Heartbeats (Eminem vs. The Knife).” Both mashups take similar approaches; introduce incredible rap verses to the contagious “Heartbeats,” let them get to know each other, and watch the sweet harmonious love-making that ensues.

Level 2 a.k.a. “still fly with unforgivable shortcomings” includes, E-603’s “Bittersweet Heartbeats,” DJ Topcat’s “Paper Heartbeats (M.I.A. vs. The Knife),” and Press Play Deejay’s “Heartbeats Forever (Drake vs. The Knife).” E-603’s Something For Everyone hit finds itself in Level 2 due to it’s lesser quality, but more importantly because of Mr. Ward’s prolonged failure to accept my Facebook friend request (I mean seriously, what’s a brotha gotta do?). DJ Topcat’s mashup finds itself demoted to Level 2 because the “Paper Planes” beat is far too incredible to ever be removed. And finally Press Play Deejay’s cardinal sin is the removal of Eminem’s career-saving verse. Lebron tell Press Play what’s up.

Level 3’s a.k.a. “great song choices but half-ass combination” sole member is PARRKA’s “Knife/Heartbeats (Grizzly Bear vs. The Knife). I love both songs, and especially the witty wordplay of “Knife” vs. the Knife (that’s sharp, aaand boom goes the dynamite). However, PARRKA tries too hard to let both lead and in the end, neither song benefits. Perhaps because they are too similar, the tracks never truly unite and instead amount to an inept 5+ minute mishap.

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Get ‘Em High (A-Trak Remix) – Kanye West (YSI)

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The Way Heartbeats (Eminem vs. The Knife) – POTAMIC (YSI)

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Bittersweet Heartbeats – E-603 (YSI)

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Paper Heartbeats (M.I.A. vs. The Knife) – DJ Topcat (YSI)

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Heartbeats Forever (Drake vs. The Knife) – Press Play Deejay (YSI)

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Knife/Heartbeats (Grizzly Bear vs. The Knife) – PARRKA (YSI)

Mash Update

dfjacobs — Wed, 24 Mar 2010 15:00:07 +0000

Spring Breakin' like a champ

With spring break in the air, I needed some television that could match my enthusiasm for warm weather and poor decision-making. As my now permanently Cheetos stained fingers explored the current bill of fare, I found my way to the holy grail of spring break programming, the ‘Fist Pumpin’ Top 20 w/ Jersey Shore’. Watching the Jersey Shore to celebrate spring break is like listening to Justin Bieber to commemorate NAMBLA day. And for me, seeing tequila drenched, scantily clad women means only one thing, of course, it’s mashup time.

Let’s start with The Hood Internet, who has been terrifyingly hit or miss of late, but have returned to form and mixed some classic Big L rhymes with Bibio. Big L, in his coolest collaboration since this sweet tee, sounds at home atop Bibio’s experimental electronica. By the way, anyone feeling their fancies tickled by Bibio’s stellar synth sound should check out his 2009 release Ambivalence Avenue, a great album that did not receive its proper dues.

Next is The White Panda who threw together mashup darling “Lean Like A Cholo” with Two Door Cinema Club. The White Panda put the chic rock sound of Two Door Cinema Club behind everyone’s favorite ode to Mexican gangsters. The most common side effect of this combination is ear euphoria, and in rare cases, bowel incontinence.

Moving right along we have T.H.I.’s “How Purple Can You Go.” This mash removed the disgusting futuristic garbage from Luda’s “How Low” and instead backed it up with Joker & Ginz’s “Purple City.” This track finally does Mr. Bridges’s flow justice with a first-rate beat.

Lastly I leave you with the Show’s favorite masher, E-603. Even if Sir E can’t accept my friend request, his skillz that killz have been described by commentators (me) as “Glenn Beck crazy”. He posted this track and a subsequent message on facebook describing how he had the song stuck in his head, so he naturally made an exceptionally cool remix to blow our minds. As is par for the king of the 603, he tore this track up. That’s all I’ve got for now, so turn up all these jams and enjoy spring break Snooki style, even if you’re stuck on your couch.

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Dwrcan ‘Em Up (Big L x Bibio) – The Hood Internet (YSI)

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A Cholo You Know – The White Panda (YSI)

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How Purple Can You Go – The Hood Internet (YSI)

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Money To Blow (feat. Drake and Lil Wayne) (E-603 Remix) – Birdman (YSI)

Throw Some Mash On That Tok

dfjacobs — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 15:16:54 +0000

These Pandas Look at Home at the Show

From what I have discerned about the Show in my brief tenure here, we collectively and not-so-secretly love a catchy pop song. Clearly we are not too ostentatious to concede the undeniable charm of modern day classics like “Party in the U.S.A.” As our estimable leader, Edward of Roma, said in the best Songs of 2009 article (I had to link it because otherwise it may have been hard to find amidst all the new material since), “Party in the U.S.A. was that… guilty pleasure you didn’t have to hide. Everyone loved this song. Everyone loves this song.”

Thankfully, the hullabaloo caused by our most recent guilty pleasure song has finally begun to subside. As it turns out, my lengthy and assuredly much-appreciated absence in mid to late January was actually due to the severe injuries I sustained when I was senselessly beaten by “Tik Tok.” I would describe Ke$ha’s first single now, but if you haven’t heard it, then you must have stumbled onto this blog by mistake. So for those of you who need to scratch at that uncontrollable “Tik Tok” itch but are too embarrassed by the actual song, you’ve lucked out. The Ke$ha bug has also bitten some of our favorite DJs and mashup gurus.

We’ll start with “Doo Tok” the Chambaland mashup of Ke$ha and demigod Lauryn Hill. While my brother referred to this mashup as “sacrilegious,” I simply cannot rebuff anything that could be mistaken for new Lauryn Hill. Chambaland removes Ke$ha’s suspect verses and chorus, leaving Ms. Hill to do her thang all over the club shattering beat of “Tik Tok.”

The White Panda, a mashup group surely deserving of an article of their own, contributed an even better mash. Like Chambaland, The White Panda realized that the major flaw of “Tik Tok” is probably Ke$ha herself. So they too remove all evidence of her voice, and instead leave us Rich Boy. “Throw Some Tik on that Tok” is everything “Tik Tok” isn’t on its own. Rich Boy adds some much needed masculinity to the Saturday night crowd pleaser. And for those of you without Versus (The inaugural White Panda release) head to http://www.thewhitepanda.com/ stat and get your hands on it for free.

Finally, I’ll finish with my least favorite of the numerous variations. The Hood Internet (the brains behind 3 of my 5 favorite mashups of last year) sadly mailed one in with “Summer of Tik Tok.” They were the only one of the three to leave Ke$ha and her bottle of Jack in tact, and remove the best part of the song. While “Summer Song” has a funky electronic beat of its own, it’s certainly no match for “Tik Tok,” and without her fantastic accompaniment, Ke$ha’s sound is even more lacking.

All in all, I apologize for the tardiness of this article, but hopefully its delay will allow you to listen to these tracks having already recovered from all injuries sustained from the original track.

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Doo Tok (Chambaland Mashup) – Lauryn Hill vs. Ke$ha (YSI)

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Throw Some Tik On That Tok – The White Panda (YSI)

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Summer of Tik Tok – The Hood Internet (YSI)

Top 5 Mashups of 2009

Edward — Mon, 11 Jan 2010 17:04:16 +0000

It’s alright. You can lean back from the edge of your seat. Our year-end lists are coming to their long, drawn-out conclusion in the form of our favorite mashes of 2009. It was certainly the year of the long-form mashup, with not one but two fantastically different and perfectly executed albums dropping, both of which placed in our favorite albums.

The list sort of reads like it was intended to just be our favorite Hood Internet tracks, but I’m going to go ahead and blame that on the fact that there is no one out there executing as effectively or consistently as those guys, and I really do think they’ve earned all 3 of the spots on this list (and I should probably mention that my own list had “Comfortable Up In Here” filling out the #5 spot, so I’m certainly 100% behind anything and everything Hood releases). Anyway, enjoy, and then help me in looking forward to 2010’s exciting first quarter releases.

#5: Hathaway – “Party and Bullshit in the USA” – There are some mashups that exist only out of the hilarity of their titles — in fact, for a long time, that was what I thought the most of mashups were, due mainly to icebergxc’s constantly asking me (way back in 07) if I’d heard “Walking in Memphis Down The Boulevard of 99 Broken Problems” or “Kiss You Through the Bananaphone” or “Yoshimi Battles the Pink Panther” — and this one certainly exists out of the merits of its overlapping titles. The strange part is that it works. Really well. Maybe it’s because everyone loves the synth backing of “Party in the USA” or we all like to shout “I’m a bad boy” along with Biggie. Or both. Sometimes, though, it’s best not to question, and to instead complacently enjoy “could you be kicked, pushed, loved, and then take on me while running so far away.” – Edward

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Hathaway – Party And Bullshit in the USA (YSI)

#4: The Hood Internet – “Cult Logic Forever” – This is a great mashup without a hint of kitsch. “Forever,” on its own, is a disappointment. It’s got the right rappers, but the beat wrecks it mercilessly with sirens and other garbage noise. Stripping the mess off and bringing it up to speed with some talented instrumental from Miike Snow was the best thing that has ever happened to it. Now it’s as smooth as it is sharp and hangs together tighter than BFFs sharing a straightjacket. – icebergxc

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The Hood Internet – Cult Logic Forever (YSI)

#3: The Hood Internet – “Make The Loop Say Aye” — I’ll admit it: I was one of the Vampire Weekend fanboys who nearly peed his pants the first time he heard “Osaka Loop Line.” I thought Discovery’s LP was going to be my favorite album of 2009. And I swear to god, the tattoo pen was not inches from my upper thigh when I finished the cd for the first time and realized that it was definitely not ink-worthy. But, as the saying goes, those that can’t do teach. And those who don’t know that “who” is the personal pronoun probably shouldn’t be calling others inept. And those who may not have the force to sustain your interest on their own ought to be mashed up. Yes, the song ruled on its own. But this was the late-inning pep-talk it needed. In October, long after I had grown tired of Discovery (although the fantastically polyrhythmic “So Insane” even to this day continues to impress me), I heard this for the first time, and my faith was restored. The Hood Internet perfectly match breaks and builds in every song they assemble, though this may showcase it the best. Beauty, grace, Ms. Mashup #3 of 2009, ladies and gents. – Edward

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The Hood Internet – Make the Loop Say “Aye” (YSI)

#2: The Hood Internet – “Two Weeks of Hip-Hop” — As Matthew Whipple of the 2009 breakout Cymbals Eats Guitars said, “[“Two Weeks” is] pure ear candy… what a song… I want to be Chris Taylor’s bass line.” So when the Hood Internet’s ABX threw Dead Prez over one of the best songs of the year, chaos ensued in the form of “Two Weeks of Hip Hop.” The opening features two of my favorite intros of all time, the now classic keyboard progression of “Two Weeks” and Dead Prez yelling, “it’s bigger than hip hop, hip hop, hip hop.” The track seamlessly combines genres in a strikingly natural fashion, one which I believe Ethan Ward once said was the ideal goal of mashups (clearly he’s the freaking authority on this matter). A few of my stunningly brainless friends even believed “Two Weeks of Hip Hop” to be the original (don’t fear, I no longer associate with those morons). But in their defense, this is because the two wildly disparate tracks come together like Ben & Jerry’s delicious and all-natural Half Baked to create earth-shattering awesomeness. -DFJacobs

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The Hood Internet – Two Weeks of Hip-Hop (YSI)

#1: E-603 – “If You Wanna” — On ‘If You Wanna’, international superstar E-603 saves a potentially generic mash-up affair from mediocrity by adding the only possible ironic element to a mash-up: a narrative. Mash-ups and bootleg, by definition, are anti-narrative, deconstructing source texts and transforming them into a work that is based in pure aesthetics. Taking a vocal sample and chopping out pieces and parts, as E-603 does at the beginning of the track, leaves you with nothing but a glorified DJ set. But by adding the song long crescendo, ending with the full story of City High’s gritty ‘What Would You Do?’, the song develops a more full structure that leaves the listener in awe of E-603’s ability to create true songs, rather than mere mash-ups. Bringing the song’s two distinct parts together is a fantastic showcase of technical ability, in what one internet critic called, “some of the most fluid mixing I’ve heard.” A sublime track in itself, it is by far the most accurate representation of E-603’s mature mash-up opus.- Marquis Meowmers

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E-603 – If You Wanna (YSI)

BEST ALBUMS OF 2009 — #10-6

Edward — Tue, 29 Dec 2009 15:20:33 +0000

The trek towards our favorite album of 2009 continues, as today we give you numbers 10 down to 6, available after the jump.

Here we go:

**#10 – Circle of Fifths – Milkman**

The two greatest mashup albums to date were released this year. While this is excellent news for mashup addicts and college-aged partiers alike, it’s quite unfortunate for Circle of Fifths. Because Milkman’s sophomore release arrived in the same tragic year (think Billy Mays and Tiger’s career) as Ethan Ward a.k.a E-603’s Torn Up, the Show has designated Circle of Fifths second best. Milkman is truly a master of his craft, and he creates some of the most seamless and technically sound mashups ever made. The album is perfect for those diagnosed with “musical ADD,” filled with eclectic, “Prius-shaking” tracks galore. The standout of the cd is definitely “Rap Music is Beneath Me,” featuring an unbelievable mash of “Still D.R.E.” and “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” that WILL bring tears. – DFJacobs

Milkman – Rap Music is Beneath Me (YSI)

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#9: Hospice – The Antlers

The first time I listened to this album, I was struck by how pleasing it all sounded, and yet, no single song separated itself from the rest. I figured that eventually this feeling would fade, and the continuous fabric of the album would turn into patches woven together. Even to this day, though, this has not come true. Sure, I have songs that I like on the album more than others (the song “Bear” comes to mind), but I can’t sit down and listen to one song on Hospice without letting the rest play out. As the title suggests, the album lyrically tracks the care of a terminally ill patient, and as the content would suggest, the narrative goes from care, to love, to death, to the deep contemplative haunting that only death can provide. It provides it all at once, with impressive subtlety.

But it doesn’t limit itself to its own lyrical constraints. I found out for myself one day when I was at the South Orange, NJ train station on Halloween, waiting for a train to take me into New York. The day was gray, and all were sullen faced except for one woman in her mid-twenties on a cell phone who possessed a voice so sharp MacBeth may have effectively used it to stab Duncan. Eventually, more people eventually filed in—groups of college age girls dressed in slutty maid costumes giggling in noisy clusters, even happier looking couples waiting with weekend suitcases. Everybody there, from the sullen, to the content, to me, at the train station waiting to be transported somewhere else. I watched this entire scene form before my eyes, and Hospice provided me with the perfect soundtrack to such dynamic discord. It chronicles not only death, but a clarion clear message of displacement—a struggle to hold on indicative of today. Its sounds echo through those train station walls as support for all of those in transit somewhere or towards something. These days, isn’t that everybody? – Dave

The Antlers – Bear (YSI)

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#8: Album – Girls

The new Girls cd was so wild that it was rumored to have been produced by Joe Francis (I apologize for making a “Girls Gone Wild” joke, but this was too easy). Indie critics and fans alike have “gone wild” for the aspiring lo-fi group who made bursting onto the Indie scene quite easy for themselves by making a truly great record. The standout for me, was the “Costelloesque” vocals of Christopher Owens. I was able to convince almost every prehistoric (over 35) family member that Girls was really a new Costello-helmed project. And really, that’s a huge compliment. I love Elvis (Costello), and Girls really took the sound so much farther than simply Costelloesque, creating a fun and promising debut. – DFJacobs

Girls – Lust For Life (YSI)

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#7 Ray Guns Are Not Only Just the Future - The Bird and the Bee

It’s a clunky name, and it’s not even true: ray guns don’t exist—yet. I voted this album as the best album of the year. It is not. Not even by a long shot. But I think that The Animal Show’s scoring methods nicely balanced out my folly, and this album landed in the seventh place, where it more or less belongs. This is me, cheating the system (and grammar rules). In any case, this album is definitively good, in my opinion. My only regret is not doing this for Hospice instead. In a year where I feel as though music tried way too hard without commensurate reward, I found Ray Gun’s sound really quite pleasing, and I would much rather listen to it than, say, Merriweather Post Pavilion (and I realize this discredits my opinion and all future opinions I offer in life). Listening to it is like transporting yourself into the opening credits of a Sean Connery-era James Bond film, and you never have to put yourself out too far to gain this experience. While some pieces of the album have their more melodramatic moments that are worth listening to, it’s really at its strongest when you don’t necessarily think while listening. Songs like “Diamond Dave” and “Love Letter to Japan” are great fun, and the title track “Ray Gun” has an electro-lounge cool that’s not necessarily innovative, but it’s extremely well done. - Dave

The Bird & The Bee – Ray Gun (YSI)

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#6 Torn Up – E-603

It would not surprise me if, at some point in the future, I were to look back on 2009 as the year in which I last had any interest in long-form compositional sampling. There are certainly serious restrictions on the genre — namely, that there is an alarmingly finite number of good acappella tracks, and one can only hear a mashed up version of “Jump Around” so many times. However, the biggest nail in The Coffin Gillis Built may be this monsterpiece of an album, which nailed the rollercoaster ride every good mashup cd should be. Others may point to Feed the Animals as mashup’s finest hour, but I’ll hold tight to Torn Up. No mashup artist has E-603’s fine-tuned command of pairing up emotional peaks, and every ounce of tension and release possible in a song is present in Torn Up. While Something For Everyone perfectly played to the typical mashup elation of “hey, I know both these songs! And they work surprisingly well together!,” Torn Up creates a new rhythm and drama for the genre, teasing samples in and out and making the climaxes that much more example. From top to bottom, the album weaves magnificently through genres and years, all while maintaining the professional sheen and personal grace we’ve come to expect from E-603. It’s hard to imagine the genre getting taken much further. – Edward

E-603 – Lights Out (YSI)

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CHECK OUT THE STUNNING CONCLUSION TO OUR LIST HERE

It’s About Time

Edward — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 16:23:36 +0000

Look who's back

In February of 2008, I received an email from Marquis Meowmers IV, which simply read:

Awesome song just listen not a mash-up just fucking rad.

Also, fuck Georgia and their do-nothing Bulldogs.

I couldn’t tell you what the second line was in reference to (something about a Georgia legislative attempt to annex something or other away from Tennessee, I think), but the first was about a song he had attached, the Wiz Khalifa single “Say Yeah,” a teeth-rattling monster that, in hindsight, should have easily made my Best of 2008 list. What was I thinking? Since then, I’ve been sitting around waiting for new Wiz to be as amazing as that, and have been continually disappointed. But not now.

After a long and tortured battle, Wiz Khalifa’s debut album, Deal or No Deal, is set to be released on November 24th. However, that album won’t include the sickest Wiz track that’s making the blog rounds these days: “The Thrill,” which features pop monsters Empire of the Sun’s “Walking on a Dream,” a song I’m amazed I haven’t posted yet. Maybe I’ll do that soon. But for now, enjoy a few choice songs from Wiz, including “The Thrill” and lead Deal or No Deal single, “This Plane.” And, while you’re here, nab “Say Yeah,” and then consider how divinely inspired the lyrics are:

I’m high and drunk, doing my same dance
They call it Pocahontas, doing that rain dance
Talking dough: I got it, so make it rain man.
Cause the flow retarded, sorta like that rain man

All are hot, but none that hot. Eat ‘em:

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Say Yeah – Wiz Khalifa (YSI)

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The Thrill (feat. Empire of the Sun) – Wiz Khalifa (YSI)

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Ode to Naked Pop Stars (feat. Drake) – Wiz Khalifa (YSI)

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This Plane – Wiz Khalifa (YSI)

Ladies and Gentlemen, a Phoenix 3-Peat!

Edward — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 15:15:16 +0000

Now imagine this, but with Phoenix, too!

I’m currently enrolled in a Logic class, so I know a thing or two about conclusion-based theory. And I can tell you that, if Phoenix is awesome and Animal Collective is double-awesome, then the combination is too much awesomeness to be quantified. These are the sort of things you’re taught at Bowdoin College.

And the most recent display of awesomeness is a brilliant AC reimagining of Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix’s atmospheric masterpiece, “Love Like a Sunset.”

Stop reading, start listening:

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Love Like A Sunset (Animal Collective Remix) – Phoenix (YSI)

UPDATE: apparently, Pitchfork’s hip to the news, too. They keep stepping on my toes, you know?