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This record is on Polyvinyl. I think the last thing I bought on Polyvinyl was in 7th grade. It was probably something by Rainer Maria, 'cause I saw them live and had a crush on the lead singer. I can't say I...
expand review feel the same way about any of the guys from Architecture In Helsinki, though I am pretty envious of that one dude's beard. Anyway, if you keep up with your indie rock, you know this Melbourne collective has become crazy popular over the last few years, and that their new single "Heart It Races" has been getting love from some unexpected places. Enter this slab of remixes, which includes the much talked about "Trizzy's Rusty Tin Can Remix(1)" from Fool's Gold CEO A-Trak. I never thought I'd wanna hear the "LEMME SEE THOSE HANDS! LEMME SEE THOSE HANDS!" acapella over wistful indie tones, but I was so wrong. Also includes remixes from Pink Skull(2), Yacht(3) and Franc Tetaz(4), but you won't get past A-Trak's version. -Chris Lemon-Red
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Man, there are some things I feel like I don't even have to write a review for. What could I tell you, loyal Turntable Lab customer, about A-Trak and The Rub boys that you don't already know? This has "no-brainer" written all...
expand review over it. A-Trak leads off the A-side with his blend(1) of Outkast's "Skew It On The Bar-B" with a modified instrumental from Kanye's "Touch The Sky," mining those tasty Curtis horns for all they're worth. Ayres & A-Trak team up for the useful "Mr. Collipark Breaks," and then Urrs takes it solo with Ying Yang and Pitbull's "Shake(2)" over the always recognizable Yaz sample. Cosmo Baker closes out the side with some more 'Kast(3), this time with "B.O.B." over the pounding drums from Bloc Party's "She's Hearing Voices." (Man, "Bombs" never gets old, or less timely.) On the other side, Trak lays Project Pat's recent Lab favorite "Good Googly Moogly" over 2 Live Crew(4), then laces "Tell Me When To Go" with Laid Back's "White Horse(5)." The final blend, with Lil Keke's "Chunk Up The Deuce" over Twilight 22(6), is uncredit – dunno why, it's pretty cool. Ayres closes the whole deal out with a quick Baltimore club edit of Corey Hart's "Sunglasses At Night," just in case you didn't get enough of it on the Roctakon EP from Money Lotion. (Psych – this Sunglasses EP has been in the works for a long, long time, so it's just a happy accident.) 8 tracks total. -Chris Lemon-Red
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Boys Noize back on his own label for the companion to Oi Oi Oi, with four diverse remixers each taking on a different track from the wunderkind's debut album. Siriusmo comes with the high heat on his nasty electro mix of "&...
expand review Down(1)," Fool's Gold CEO A-Trak turns "Oh(2)" all Bmore (with some scratching for good measure), and Housemeister's take on "Don't Believe The Hype(3)" is, perhaps unsurpringly, pretty housey. Also includes a remix of "Let's Buy Happiness(4)" from Turbo labelmate Proxy. A-side plays at 33, B-side at 45. -Chris Lemon-Red
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More crack! DJ Benzi curated the now-infamous We Got The Remix mixtape last year, and now he's hand-picked a few of his favorite remixes from the project and pressed 'em to wax for you non-Serato using heathens. Nick Catchdubs' remix(1) was one...
expand review of my favorites, tossing the acapella from "Re-Up Anthem" over a slowed loop from Eric Clapton's "Cocaine" ... so clever, that Catchdubs! Diplo flips the acapella chanting theme from Coming To America for his remix(2) of "Queen Bitch" ... it ain't club material, but I could see it fitting on a mixtape. The Disco D-produced "Double Down(3)" makes a comeback here, since we've been sold out of the Killah Kuts version for like a year - if you don't remember, it's got Vybz Kartel and the beat is made ENTIRELY OUT OF GUNSHOTS. (Insert Kevin Federline joke here.) On the flipside, Les Biches (what up, Krudmart!) remix "Drop It(4)" with a decidedly electro slant... and whaddayaknow, chuggling computer bass sounds nice under the Re-Up Gang. Ghislain Poirier's mix of "Stuntin' Y'all" falls off-track at times, but in the club it wouldn't be noticeable - everyone would be busy with that trademark Bounce Le Gros bass. Super unofficial pressing! Probably won't be around once Star Trak gets wind of this. -Chris Lemon-Red
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Hotshot free agents Crookers just dropped a nasty EP on Mad Decent, now they're back with a little something for Southern Fried. These guys sound like they're having way too much fun, tossing their now-trademark synths over a Bmore clap on "Sveglia(1)"...
expand review and sprinkling on a little "It Takes Two" and the horror movie organ for good measure. After they completely murdered the remix to Kid Cudi's "Day N Nite," it was only logical that the Italian duo hook up with the Fool's Gold MC for a track of their own. Can't say "Embrace The Martian(2)" winds up on quite the same level of hypeness, but Cudi oozes personality as always over a thumping, tempo-changing outer space house beat. Also includes the slow-motion raver "Magic Bus(3)" and the title track(4). Pic sleeve. -Van Hammersly
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LAB US EXCLUSIVO. Import-only pic sleeve 12" featuring two of the biggest tunes from Dabaaz's new full-length. A-Trak gets behind the boards for "Regarde-Les(1)," scratching up a Clipse sample and crafting yet another ridiculously infectious beat. Flipside features the Drixxxe-produced "Tu Veux...
expand review La Guerre?(2)" - the term "Eurocrunk" kinda makes me wanna shoot my face, but this is pulled off so nicely, it doesn't feel like a joke. Totally dark, Dirty South style production. DJ Paul & Juice would be proud. Includes instrumentals for both tracks. Limited stock. Recommended. -Chris Lemon-Red
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If legend is to be believed, Kavinsky is the world's best-known zombie DJ and musician. Others will tell you he's the alias of Vincent Belorgey, protege of French beatmaster Mr. Oizo, friend and tourmate of Daft Punk and the Ed Banger crew....
expand review Whichever story you choose to believe, Kavinsky's new EP for Fool's Gold -- his first domestic release -- is a total no-brainer. Updating vintage Moroder and Miami Vice sounds with a French touch, Blazer features three of the possibly undead producer's finest cuts from his import releases -- "Testarossa Autodrive(1)," "Dead Cruiser(2)," "Grand Canyon(3)" -- and seals the deal with the exclusive unreleased gem "1986(4)." The whole thing is wrapped up in a spiffy Ferarri tire pic disc designed by (who else?) Dust La Rock, and is strictly limited to 1,000 copies. -Van Hammersly
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I'm actually kinda glad this single has taken so long to drop: "Day N Nite(1)" was one of my favorite songs of 2007, but since it's not officially released until... well, right now, I can put it at the top of my...
expand review 2008 lists too! Cudi, along with his man Dot Da Genius on the beat, has crafted one of the best slo-mo stoner rap anthems in recent memory. Not to be outdone, Cudi's labelmate's Jokers of the Scene get this one prepped for the dancefloor with their surging raved out remix(2). The flip features another slumper, "Dat New New(3)," with a nice flow from Cudi and guitar loop / wet drums beat by Dot. This might be my favorite release on Fool's Gold yet. Includes instrumentals for both tracks, plus dirty and clean mixes for "Dat New New." Recommended. -Larri Byrd
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GOT HER TOES DONE UP WITH HER FINGERNAILS MATCHIN'! This is the one, the jam everyone's been asking after since it showed up on Kanyeezee's last mixtape. The A-Trak produced "Pro Nails(1)" is dope enough on its own, but the remix(2) has...
expand review the extra hot sauce with Kanye talking about Hammer Pants and being on Concrete Loop in his PJs. Oh yeah and can all the haters please sit down now and acknowledge that Kid Sis is MEAN on the mic? If "Pro Nails" doesn't convince you, flip over to "Switch Board(3)" and check her spitting at juke speeds. DJ Gant-Man - whose remix of "Damn Girl" even eclipsed the original - puts down the hype beat and even gets on the mic for the assist: "COCA COLA SHAPE WITH A ONION IN THE BACK!" Quotables for days all over this record, plus dirty clean and instrumental versions for "Pro Nails" and dirty / instrumental for "Switch Board." Another high quality pic sleeve from Dust La Rock. Highly recommended. -Larri Byrd
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Didn't think it could get any more infectious than the original "Pro Nails(1)," but this new CD single release (Kid Sis' first on Downtown- big things) features a straight whomper of a remix from the Bag Raiders(2)! It takes a minute to...
expand review build up at syrupy half speed, but once those big toms, bubbling electronics and super high gloss Braxe/Falke synths take over, it's lights out. (Then they REALLY kick it into high gear for the end...) The other remix keeps it closer to home, with Chi-Town's own Gant-Man(3) going for less juking, more jacking. He also provides the beat for the B-side, "Switch Board(4)." Unfortunately only the clean version of the Kanye-guesting "Pro Nails" is provided, but hey... you can still get it on the 12"... 5 tracks; 20 minutes. -Chris Lemon-Red
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This one deserves the... hooooooly chit! A-Trak and Catch called in the big guns for this vinyl-only EP featuring four brand new remixes of Kid Sis' finest cuts to date, "Control" and "Pro Nails." Remixes by whom, you ask? Hows about SMD...
expand review (aka Simian Mobile Disco), JFK of MSTRKRFT, newly-inked Fool's Gold'ers LA Riots, and the juke icon himself DJ Gant-Man. I gotta say, Simian steal the show with their remix of "Pro Nails(1)," even though it's more of a cover version and doesn't even feature any Kid Sis vocals! Instead, SMD re-imagine the track as a slow rolling, dubstep-flavored heater and the results are entrancing. Gant-Man's excellent jacking club mix(2) gets a reprise too, and that one's got nuff Kid Sis vocal chops. Flip it over for a pair of cracking "Control" mixes: JFK's raved out banger(3) and LA Riots bassy 4x4 take(4). Now that's bang for your buck. Comes in a stickered Fool's Gold jacket. Recommended. -Larri Byrd
It's been a while in the making, but the new mix from East Village Radio all-stars Nick Catchdubs and Mark Ronson is finally upon us. With exclusivos and new blends galore, Radio Radio is exactly what you'd expect from Ronson & Young...
expand review Catch – a total free-for-all, genre-defying and severely fresh. The coolest thing about this mix is the energy level, which stays up in the stratosphere for the duration but never feels tiring or overwhelming – it's just some good-ass summer music, mixed cleanly and cleverly. Highlights include Catch's Hector/Jigga blend (over the "Scenario" remix instrumental!), Ronson's horn-laden remake of Britney's "Toxic" (not a remix, but a remake, in the vein of his Radiohead cover) and Graeme Sinden's "Layla"-sampling remix of Bonde Do Role's "Melo Do Tabaco." New and unreleased tracks from A-Trak & TTC, Lil Wayne, Turf Talk, Robin Thicke and a whole bunch more, too. 26 tracks clocking in at just over an hour. Recommended. -Chris Lemon-Red
New mix cd from resident lab reviewer and blog herder Nick Catchdubs. If you checked out his last one (Whats Really?), this continues the pace with clever mixes and blends (don't call them mashups), and undercurrent selections of dancehall, southern-leaning hip hop,...
expand review a little rock, and other ‘dubsian fun things which defy categorization. Hardly any vocals here are on their original beats, but Oh Snap never sounds forced or eye-rollingly “cheeky.†He's just in there. From his site: “Honestly, I was going to try and make a really straightforward, well-mixed new hip-hop CD with this one- but I couldn't stop from pressing "record" and going all over the place. My shit happens to be weird club music, danceable joints that are a little offbeat for whatever reason. I like remixing and recontextualizing stuff. But it's funny how being diverse can get you pigeonholed as...being diverse.†You got a problem with that? -the mgmnt
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