James's Top 5 Remixes of 2008

Been a long time. Shouldn't have left you etc...

I shall make up for it with my top five remixes of 2008.

1) M.I.A. - Paper Planes (DFA Remix)

I first heard this while producing for the Analogue show on Bay Radio early in 2008. I cannot thank Graham enough. This funky fun remix is typical of James Murphy and DFA and for it to take my favourite song off my favourite album of 2007 and turn it into something new but equally awesome assures it my top spot for 2008.

2) Metronomy - Thing For Me (Breakbot Remix)

Over the last two years Metronomy has consistently impressed me and been an act I've taken to my heart. The stripped down sound lends it self so well to the remix/mashup genre and the amount of remixes alone from Nights Out could fill its own blog post - however this Breakbot remix is a lovely throwback to 70s soul (another of my obsessions) and stands out.

3) Santogold - L.E.S. Artistes (XXXChange Remix)

A good test of a remix is how it holds up to the original and if it can surpass it. XXXChange Remix of L.E.S. Artistes does exactly that and when you consider how good Santogold's self titled album of electro pop gold is then this is a sure sign of a fantastic remix.

4) Yo! Majesty - Club Action (Futurecop! Remix)

Another act introduced to me by Graham this time via this here blog. Yo! Majesty seem to be the answer to the question people have been asking since Salt and Pepper on released Best Of's. About time too as lesbian hip-hop never sounded so good. This remix of Club Action is typical of Futurecop! who seems to be permanently stuck in an Atari 5200 taking all things current into some crazy 80s vortex. 

5) Girl Talk - Still Here

From one of my albums of the year, Feed The Animals, this is just one track of fourteen in a seamlessly stitched mashup marathon. Girl Talk's effortless splicing of Procul Harlem, Blackstreet, Kanye West, The Band, Ace of Base and the theme from Footloose (among others) all within one track caters for those who like their music Attention Deficit Friendly.

Girrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrl Talk

Gregg Gillis (left) is an amazing man. If believe him to be created by God with the purpose of producing the most me-friendly music possible.

More commonly known as Girl Talk, he is music's answer to Attention Defecit Disorder. Taking the now established genre of the mash-up to new extremes, Gillis uses more samples in one minute than on the whole of "As Heard on Radio Soulwax Pt. 2"

Ok, maybe not that many, but he uses a LOT of samples very quickly and the affect is fantastic and I now cannot listen to Sinead O'Connor without hearing Lil Wayne (not that I listen to much Sinead O'Connor.

His new album is called "Feed the Animals" and I believe it to be an marked improvement on his 2006 album "Night Ripper". It uses samples from Pete Townsend, Ludcaris, Edwin Starr, Avril Lavigne Kelis, Rage Against the Machine, Jay-Z, Huey Lewis and the News, Aaliyah and Roy Orbison - and thats just the first 5 minutes.

"Feed the Animals" is available as a continuous download from Illegal Art Records for free (though you are encouraged to donate some of you own money). I listen to it on the cycle to work everyday. I use it to time how fast I gol; though I rarely get into worth before Jay-Z's Roc Boys mixed with Radiohead's Paranoid Android comes on - usually because I slow down to make sure I get a listen.

Try before you buy for free?

Girl Talk - Part 1: "Play Your Part"
Girl Talk - Part 5: "Set It Off"

Actually, this is my album of the year so far. Though I think I may suffer from the Attention Defecit thing...