Author: Crossfire

Right, now I’m not a fan of mash-ups for the most part. Danger Mouse’s Grey Album wasn’t all that, Jaydiohead just made me want to bump straight up Dilla without Thom Yorke anywhere near it and Lush Life’s combination of the amazing Beach Boys with the anything-but-amazing Kanye West just made me sad. But there is finally a mash up album that I can actually enjoy and it really is a belter.

Max Tannone, the man behind the aforementioned Jaydiohead experiment has combined the vocals of Mos Def with a number of old dub tunes to great effect. Whether it’s the fact that the sunshine started peeking it’s head around the clouds the day I downloaded this or not, I don’t know, but this just gives my step a little bounce and even, dare I say it, makes me smile.

Taking in songs like Ms Fat Booty and putting nice vibesy guitar licks around them just works, it’s as simple as that. Oftentimes these mash ups just seem very contrived to me, whereby the producer has tried to just force the two songs into a marriage but without being able to give them a true vibe.

Mr Universe is a perfect example of why this album works. Hip hop scratching on the intro, a lilting guitar running throughout the entire track and Mos’ distinctive vocals running energetically around the whole thing. It’s not overbearing but it most definitely gets the summertime daydreams going.

The entire track can be streamed or downloaded here.

Is it worth it? Mos Def.

Abjekt.

While Jaguar Love might still feel the weight of their former glories, forthcoming record ‘Hologram Jams’ sets them apart from their past projects. While Blood Brothers had been a ferocious assault on the senses, Jaguar Love feels almost like that band’s trendier younger brother; all lively synth melodies and drum machine beats.

While this approach is likely to be divisive among Blood Brothers fans, at its best the record is a contagious electro-pop triumph. Single “Up All Night” is a great example, with its thumping chorus and boundless energy. While vocalist Johnny Whitney has tamed his vocal screech, he remains as distinctive as ever as his new found restraint allows for more melody. If it’s melody you’re looking for, however, then this isn’t the place to look. Like much of the record, “Up All Night” feels loud and garish, feeding the riotous punk energy you’d expect from the pair into a pop format.

This aesthetic also translates into the song’s music video, with a budget cut n’paste style that flashes with colour and enthusiasm. Like the music itself, the videos separate parts make little sense on their own, but have somehow been chopped up and rearranged into something oddly captivating.

Sleekly Lion.