Quick Quiz: Press Play Dee Jays or Frat Boys Posing?

The Animal Show literally figuratively gets millions of emails a day. Beneath the countless love letters and autograph requests, further down still beneath the multitude of emails my mother sends Edward berating him for giving me a platform to reach the world, are the emails aspiring acts send along hoping for the famous “Animal Show bounce” (or a spot on hype machine, your call). And while some of it is crap (you can stop sending us your GarageBand demos, Kenny G), every so often something comes along that renews my faith in the efficacy of the internet.

The group I am currently referring to is Press Play Dee Jays. The hardcore readership will remember their presence in my monumental (and oft-quoted) “Will Heartbeats Ever Flatline?” Although I was pretty hard on them for removing Eminem’s disgusting (this usage of “disgusting” means incredible, mom) flow on “Forever,” the Aussie duo recently contacted The Show with news of their new mash “Culture Shots.” This is a far more sophisticated and technically sound mash, and not just because they incorporated classical music. They build intensity right out of the gate and let Lil’ Jon and LMFAO rail on Wolfgang Gartner’s “Wolfgang’s 5th Symphony.” Wolfgang Gartner created an extraordinary remix of “Symphony No. 5 (Beethoven),” and Press Play Dee Jays develop the mix even further with the addition of “Shots.” While the mash may make Beethoven roll over in his grave, it will induce many more rolls on the dance floor.

The other two songs were not really sent in, but they continue the theme of fantastic mashes. The first throws D.C.’s anthem over one of the top 5 greatest beats of all-time, from you guessed it, “Paper Planes.” Brand-x does a stellar job to make Wale and Gaga sound right at home over M.I.A.’s immortal number (oh no, please don’t give out my phone number for this.). For those of you looking for more Brand-x, check out their track “MilkShake da Floor (Kelis vs. Major Lazer),” it’s as tantalizing as its parts would suggest. The final mash of the day is the latest from The White Panda, “The Next StarF*cker.” The White Panda continue their dominance in the genre, flexing their muscle with Dre and Snoop atop the hypnotic sounds of Starf*cker. “The Next StarF*cker” is a brilliant mash, and hopefully characteristic of what’s to come on their summer release, Rematch. With that, enjoy the mashes, and keep the emails coming…

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Culture Shots – Press Play Dee Jays (YSI)

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Chillin on the Plane L (M.I.A. x Wale x Lady Gaga) – Brand-x (YSI)

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The Next StarF*cker – The White Panda (YSI)

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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)

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This is exactly what the DJs and interior of WAMH look like...

Ladies and gentlemen, I have arrived. No, wait… WE have arrived. ‘Where have we arrived’, you ask? The airwaves. The motherfucking radio airwaves. 60 miles in circumference from the sizable transmitter sitting atop Bear Mountain. That’s right, ladies and gentlemen, I, Marquis Meowmers IV, have a a college radio show. Friday afternoons. From 2-4P.M on WAMH Amherst, MA, 89.3 FM. What’s that? You can’t listen because you don’t live nearby? Well, make the jump for more info, and a few sweet tunez thrown in just because I love you.

Now, wait… what? You don’t even live in beautiful Western Assachusetts? Well, FRET NOT. You can still listen in (from 2-4pm Friday afternoons) at http://wamh.amherst.edu/programming.html . You can even chat with me there! That’s right. Direct internet contact with yours truly. And after every show, you can come here, read the set-list, and be all like “damn that sumbitch knows how to DJ a college radio show”. Awww yeah.

Wait, what’s that? You don’t want to just internet chat with me? You can to hear sarcastic, self-centered scoffs/relationship advice straight from my voice? Well than, call me up at 413.542.2288. That’s right. A real motherfucking request line at a real motherfucking college radio station. Awwwwwww yeahhhhh.

Wait, what’s that? You don’t care about my 2 hour long radio show filled with hot babes and sweet music? You just want hot tunes for your computer? Well, I’m not sure if I can do that right now, but damn baby, I’ll try:

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Beach House – Norway (YSI)

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Rye Rye (Ft. M.I.A) – Bang (DJ Sega’s Philly Club Remix) (YSI)

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J. Dilla – Fuck The Police (YSI)

Playlist for The Animal Show show (11/20/09):

song – artists (break song denotes a song played in the background during PSA announcements)

the day that mauro ran over elwy yost – 1-speed bike
Fuck The Police-Clean – Jay Dee
Detchibe 4:09 – Prefuse 73

Come On Feet (12″ Version) – Quasimoto

Welcome Home – Daedelus
Bang (DJ Sega’s Philly Club Remix) – Rye Rye F. M.I.A. – break song
Say Whoa – A-Trak
golden phone (etan’s golden pager ringtone) – micachu
Animal (Crookers Remix) – Miike Snow
Music sounds better with you – Stardust
Demon Lung – Electric Wizard – break song
Money Stinks (D.R.I.) – Ampere
Sick of Jock – Aerosols
Against All Youth – In/Humanity
Man You Suck! – Betercore
Downward Harmonization – Confines
Police – Fucked Up
Hungry Jack – Weedeater
With Teeth – Melvins
Aquarian – Sleep
Tongue Tied – Wanda Jackson – break song
Take My Hand – Randy Holden
Gypsy Ball – Blue Cheer
Let’s Talk About Girls – The Chocolate Watch Band
Violent Brave – Ganglians
Hammer I Miss You – Jay Reatard
The New Dark Ages – Dan Melchior’s Broke Revue
North American Scum – LCD Soundsystem – break song
Oozing – Kisser Chug
Cold – The Charlottes
You Are The Darkness – Fleeting Joys
Surfin’ With The Shah – Urinals
Let’s Go Crazy – Prince – break song

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Oh, to be young and at space camp! But look out, child, because your mind is about to get totally melted by musical spirits, which look and act a lot like those weird God-ghosts at the end of Raiders of the Lost Ark.

You may remember way back in my Kanyeezy for Diversity post that I posted a track from N.A.S.A.’s upcoming album, The Spirit of Apollo, and then I went completely nuts about the artists featured on that track (re-posted below). I told you that the album was going to hold you prisoner and put you in a weird human-zoo where other hip-hop artists would come and pay exorbitant prices to throw cheerios into your cage or, if you’re sufficiently tame, come into your confine and pet you. And I mean that in the coolest way possible, because this zoo is going to rock. Like, chocolate waterfalls and perpetual rainbows and maybe a bush made of pretzels or something, I don’t know, I haven’t really completely planned it. In case you didn’t believe me, here are a couple new songs off the album, which should get you sufficiently riled up.

Whachadoin’ (feat. Spank Rock, M.I.A., Nick Zinner and Santogold) – N.A.S.A.

Remember how happy I was about Santi, Lykke Li + Kanye? This is a close 2nd for glee-some threesomes. M.I.A. + Santi is always good, and then Spank Rock icing is my favorite kind. Nick Zinner is the lead guitarist of the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, whom I’ve never listened to, so if you have some tracks I should check out, plz point me to them. (PS sorry for the DJ drops in this — it’s the price you have to pay for sweet leaks…)

Money (feat. David Byrne, Chuck D, Ras Congo, Seu Jorge & Z-Trip) – N.A.S.A.

Criminy! David Byrne and Chuck D on the same track? This is amazing. I love Talking Heads, and feel like they’re a band who should be mashed up more frequently. 163 blogpoints to each person who can hook me up with a good Talking Heads mash. 13823 Blogpoints for each Talking Heads/Public Enemy mash-up I receive.

Gifted (feat. Kanye West, Lykke Li & Santogold) – N.A.S.A.

Still amazing.

Spirit of Apollo hits stores Feb 17th. Prepare yourself.

N.A.S.A.’s Myspace.

Whachadoin’ via Nashville Nights

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