The Cold Cut

Update: Links changed!

Santogold- I'm A Lady (Diplo Mix ft. Amanda Blank) (Link 2)
Santogold- Les Artistes (XXXchange Mix ft. Movado) (Link 2)
Richie Spice And Ratatat- Marijuana (Link 2)

You may have heard of Diplo and Santogold's new mega collaboration mix-tape 'Top Ranking'. I was late on the uptake (that changed, and fast), and if you still haven't got a clue, remove yourself from under that rock, and please Google it asap.

This tape is 'so hot right now', mostly down to it's ambition. Sprawling over 75 minutes, this is stacked full of rarities, with delectable names to boot. Does 'Santogold- Creator (Mumdance Mix ft Jammer, Badness, Chronik Rage, Slikman & Tempz)' float your boat?

'Top Ranking' is almost impossible to 'review' as such, due to its pure size and density. The majority of songs feature at least one artist (disregarding both Santogold and Diplo) if not three. I've listened to the tape in it's entirety a few times, and I will say this: if you love either Diplo or Santogold, this is an essential buy. However, to give you a track by track review of this mammoth tape would probably keep me glued to my computer for the best part of a week. Instead, take it as a whole- a whole that is absolutely incredible.

We get three completely new tracks from Santogold, and finally a musical meeting has been arranged between M.I.A. and Santi. They don't disappoint (see here for full coverage of 'Get It Up'), and I could easily see a Diplo/Santogold/M.I.A. tape coming out in the future -if M.I.A. continues with music, that is. And whilst I'm not fond of the constant comparisons between the two, this tape blurs the line between them. Diplo has worked with M.I.A. before on her Piracy Funds Terrorism tape- which was pretty much identical in concept.

The comparisons, however, are besides the point- Santogold and Diplo are the ones in the spotlight, not M.I.A. and Santi. They really are an unstoppable combination: Santogold is already one of the most inventive artists around at the moment, and Diplo never fails to accentuate and expand her sound even further. This tape has something for everyone, and pretty much every genre under the sun finds its way somewhere onto the 35 tracks. This tape is off the wall, absolutely insane and worth every penny. Cop it.

The tape is being released on Diplo's label Mad Decent. It's a steal at $9.00- purchase it from the Mad Decent store. The tracklisting is as follows:

01 "Dub Selection Intro"
02 Three 6 Mafia: "Late Night" (Unstoppable Mix)
03 Santogold: "Shuv It" (Disco D Blend) [exclusive]
04 Santogold: "I'm a Lady" (Diplo Mix ft. Amanda Blank) [exclusive]
05 Sir Mix-A-Lot: "Posse on Broadway"
06 Santogold: "Lights Out" (Diplo's Panda Bear Mix) [exclusive]
07 Aretha Franklin: "Save Me"
08 Devo: "Be Stiff"
09 B-52's: "Mesopotamia"
10 Gerri and the Holograms: "Gerri and the Holograms"
11 Santogold: "Anne" (Switch Mix) [exclusive]
12 Santogold: "L.E.S. Artistes" (XXXchange Mix ft. Movado)
13 Cutty Ranks: "Dutty Six Pack" [exclusive]
14 Santogold: "Find a Way" (Graeme and Switch Mix ft. Kid Cudi) / Lunar Camel [exclusive]
15 Richie Spice x Ratatat: "Marijuana"
16 Desmond Dekker: "007 (Shanty Town)"
17 Santogold: "Guns of Brooklyn" [exclusive]
18 Dixie Cups: "Iko Iko"
19 Tony Matterhorn: "Big Belly Guns" [exclusive]
20 Santogold: "Get It Up" (Radioclit mix ft. MIA & Gorilla Zoe) [exclusive]
21 "Mark Ronson in Studio"
22 Trouble Andrew: "Run - Hide"
23 Sister Nancy: "Pigeon Rock"
24 Nora Dean: "Barbwire"
25 Shinehead: "Know How Fe Chat"
26 The Clash: "Ghetto Defendant"
27 Warrior Queen: "Check It"
28 Santogold x Benga: "Unstoppable / Night Dub" [exclusive]
29 Shawty Lo x Skream: "Dey Know / Stagger"
30 Santogold: "Creator" (Mumdance Mix ft. Jammer, Badness, Chronik Rage, Slikman & Tempz) [exclusive]
31 Xray: "Turbulence Dubplate" (Starstruck Diplo Mix) [exclusive]
32 Barrington Levy: "Send a Moses"
33 Prince Jazzbo: "Ital Corner"
34 Santogold: "Icarus" [exclusive]
35 Santogold x Diplo: "Right Brigade" (hidden track) [exclusive]

Whilst Santogold is once again taking the web by storm, second time around she's not alone. Instead, her new mixtape with Diplo ('Top Ranking'- I will be posting on this once I buy it) has brought together Santi and M.I.A, alongside a host of other crazy collaborations. She has quite clearly been bitten by the bug after 'My Drive Thru' became far more popular than it deserved to.

Santogold has been touted as the next M.I.A. since she burst on to the scene, and it's a comparison that has dogged her rather than pushed her career forward. If anything, this track proves that whilst there are some undeniable comparisons, Santi and Maya are two completely different artists, with their own interpretations. And thank god, because if it was any other way this track wouldn't be worth listening to.

This song is a wonder, as if you had stuffed the best moments of 'Kala' and 'Santogold' into 3 minutes. We have sirens, a guest rapper -Gorilla Zoe, who sounds remarkably like Busta- and cat calls from M.I.A., and Santogold's diverging harmonies, humming and bass driven melody. Oh, and how could I forget- influences from a truckload of different genres find their way into the song. It works in a way that we will never comprehend.

Everybody Nose- CRS/Pusher T (Official Remix) (Link 2)

Oh yes. CRS have seriously proven themselves. Transforming a piece of coal into a diamond is a neat trick, and the strength of these three artists is unbelievable. 'Us Placers' was a brilliant piece of artistry, with a nice sample, good verses and, if this any indication, just a hint at what this trio is capable of.

In the hands of Child Rebel Soldier, N.E.R.D's 'Everybody Nose' takes on a new meaning, and a much darker disposition. The main thing this proves is that Pharrell is a much more formidable artist when coupled with Kanye and Lupe. Further to this, it's nice to see that the song's subtext actually involves cocaine, not waiting in queues at clubs, a fact which didn't come across in the original.

Usher- Love In This Club (MSTRKRFT Remix) (Link 2)
MSTRKRFT have also pulled one out of the bag, with a bottom heavy remix of Usher's 'Love In The Club'. A song like this should require a light touch, but MSTRKRFT have taken the opposite approach, bucking and beating the trend. This really proven their status as kings, transforming the originally slight track into something far more weighty.

Fish Tacos- Immuzikation Blend (Link 2)

This guy is a machine. Every email from Alfredo Lapuz Jr. starts with 'just got back from work, and put this together'. If that's the case, then he's a genius, gluing together random songs to create something entirely original. If you don't believe me, check out 'Fish Tacos', effectively a remix of 'Viva La Vida' blending in Weezer, Cut Copy, The Blow, M.I.A. and Reading Rainbow. I wasn't won over by the prospect of that many songs stuffed into one track, but this is the sign of a true master. He pulls it off effortlessly.

Visit Immuzikation's Myspace.

The final 5. How emotional *wipes tear from eye*. These are the five albums that I really connected with this year, and the only advice I can give is to buy them now if you haven't already. As usual, comment, and click the album title to buy it, or the artist name to find out a bit more about them.

Come back tomorrow for a round-up, as well as some more end of year lists.

5. Arcade Fire- Neon Bible
Neon Bible seems to be the epitome of 'bigger is better'. They bought a church, converted it into a recorded studio, learned some new instruments (hurdy-gurdy and organ, for starters) and had loads of fun whilst recording a more rocking second album. Its a slight departure from Funeral, and I wouldn't go so far to say its equal in quality, but Neon Bible is still one of the most complete rock albums this year.

Favourite Track: No Cars Go

Its been around for a long time, but this song has really benefited from being re-recorded. A rollicking tune with some grandiose production.

4. Arctic Monkeys- Favourite Worst Nightmare
How do you build on such a brilliant introduction as Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not (WPSIATWIN!)? Take a cue from this band- get better at your instruments, improve production and up the tempo- then the world's your oyster. Okay, Favourite Worst Nightmare isn't as instant as WPSIATWIN, but the quality of songs on this album absolutely trounces their debut in my opinion. Its bigger, faster and more brutal- a high octane beast of an album. Where next? Only time will tell.

Favourite Track: Teddy Picker

Teddy Picker- the bass driven third single- concerns modern society's chase for fame. In the wake of rubbish like Big Brother and X-Factor, you can see how true this is. They also made the brave move of recording using a live audio track in their video. Watch it here

3. M.I.A.- Kala
Kala was definitely the most diverse album of 2007, and M.I.A. continued her party trick of splicing styles and cultures together into an epic musical concoction. First off, the beats are ridiculous; some of the samples on this album would put most rap/hip-hop albums to shame. Lyrics have always been a key part of M.I.A.'s appeal, and thankfully, her style wasn't hugely altered between Arular and Kala, with political verses still featuring strongly:
"Do you know that cost of AK's
Up in Africa
20 dollars ain't shit to you
But thats how much they are"
All in all, its comforting to see Kala high up on many end of year lists, and once you've heard it, its easy to see why.

Favourite Track: World Town

Who would of thought that the sound of a gun cocking was so cool? M.I.A., ever the pioneer.

2. Patrick Wolf- The Magic Position
With the Magic Position, Patrick Wolf was no longer only for those with 'eclectic' musical tastes. Some critics have accused him of taking the easy 'pop' route, but when the results are so encouraging, it really doesn't make a difference. Patrick recieves very little recognition, which may have been the reason he moved in a 'poppier' direction, but even on unfamiliar ground he excels. The title track is the definition of happiness, but halfway in, things turn dark with Bluebells. Other than the confusing Secret Garden, this is a flawless, undervalued album.

Favourite Track: (Let's Go) Get Lost

No explanation required- listen, and you will be swept up by this song. Happiness, wrapped into a 3 minute package.

1. Lupe Fiasco- The Cool
This album was the latest, and best, addition to this list (full review here). Quite simply, Lupe Fiasco is a legendary rapper, and its a massive shame that he will be retiring after LupEND, his next album. Both Food And Liquor and The Cool are both serious contributions to the musical archives, and illustrate that Lupe is not your generic rapper. He really has something to say in every instance, and a lot of his rhymes contain content that is 'now'. He will also go down in history as the only rapper to ever record a succesful concept album, and a rare lyrical talent. Truly revolutionary...

Favourite Track: Little Weapon (I've bought the album, and its now out, so I feel okay about posting one track)

Fallout Boy singer Patrick Stump produces, and in the process creates the best backing track of the year. Lupe pulls a trick, opening with the line:
"I killed another man today
shot him in his back as he ran away"
All is revealed at the end, when we realise that this is, in fact, occuring in a video game.

There's been a definite change in direction for the music industry: any song that makes it onto the charts has it's own set of remixes before you can say "cash-cow". I made it my job today to dig through the mountain of material and find some of the real gems:

Rihanna Ft. Chris Brown- Umbrella


This is an interesting one: I shamefully admit that I'm a massive fan of the original, and Chris Brown is a solid addition, slotting in his computer-enhanced voice and some original lyrics:
"Baby girl you can be my Cinderella, ella, ella, ella, eh, eh, eh, eh, eh"
It was a brilliantly bold hip-hop song to begin with: add Chris Brown, some more 'direct 'lyrics and you have an even superior version... but please don't spoil the magic and re-release it (as if Rihanna needs more money anyway?).

Feist- My Moon My Man (Boyz Noize Remix)

You might spot the trend (yes, I only just wrote about Boyz Noize), but this is a lot more than I expected from him on the remix front. You have to have balls to mix Feist's whispy voice with a bloody great voice synth, but the bravery pays off. I've listened to this about 15 times and I can't see any reason to dislike it- someone influential get a hold of this, I beg you, and give credit where it's deserved (Yes, Zane Lowe, YOU, if for some crazy reason you're reading).

M.I.A Ft. Battles & Akon- Boyz (Diplo Remix)


The sign of a skilled DJ/MC is that they can remix a song with an artist you hate an make you love them 3 minutes later. I have always been quick to show my confusion towards Battles and their space-rock- how else can you describe it?- and Akon has been a thorn in my side since 'Lonely' clogged up MTV Base. Mix these together with M.I.A.'s insanely brilliant Boyz, however, and you have something which miraculously works, and even sounds less 'out-there' than most of Kala, her latest album. Please let me know how you feel about these songs- isn't Boyz Noize remix awesome?

So there you have it: some DJ's do themselves proud and outdo the numerous "Jazzy Phizzle produc-shizzles" which get dumped on the music industry each year.

Mathangi Arulpragasam is a pretty special woman: known simply by the acronym M.I.A. in the musical world, she's a Hounslow, London born rapper/singer of Sri Lankan Tamil descent. Yes, that's Tamil, as in the Tamil Tigers; its just so happens M.I.A. is the daughter of Arul Pragasam -a Tamil activist turned militant. Her first album Arular (named after her father- Arular was his political name) is a massively catchy mix of beats and synths which earned her a Mercury Prize nomination last year. Arular was a highly original album, what with its cultural diversity and clever raps; the album was political, too, as the main topics were the poverty and war that M.I.A. had been subject to as a child in her homeland. Growing up in Sri Lanka, her family was constantly on the move due to the unsafe atmosphere created by the civil war between the Tamil Tigers and the Sri Lankan army. After relocating to London at the age of 10, she learnt the English language and ended up going to and Arts college, where her interest in music was sparked. Second album Kala comes out on 20th August, and although I might not buy it I will definitely purchase some of the songs: particularly lead singles Bird Flu (very poignant when it came out) and Boyz.

There is more to M.I.A. than her music, though, as interesting as it is. Her foundation in the arts college was not purely in music, and she's released artwork over the last few years which also relates to her interesting childhood. This is evident on her album artwork, videos and website, all of which feature a consistent day-glo style (see her website, myspace page and Kala cover, which is below) which has evidently been strongly influenced by M.I.A. herself.

Kala looks set to be a bit less in your face than Arular, which was impossible not to notice because of its heavy beats and mish-mash of styles; you can forgive her that because she was out to make a lasting impression, and I can honestly say that it worked. Kala should be an interesting album, and if she hasn't toned down the lyrics then M.I.A. can look forward to a second critically acclaimed album under her belt. Hopefully, the songs will be a little bit more melodic, although not so much as to destroy her main selling point: how the hell do you explain what M.I.A.'s music sounds like to your friends?

All these tracks can be downloaded individually or from this project.
M.I.A.- Bird Flu
M.I.A.- Boyz
M.I.A.- Fire Fire
M.I.A.- Bucky Done Gun
M.I.A.- Pull Up The People
M.I.A.- Sunshowers

Kala can be pre-ordered here