Chris Wren 2008-07-31
8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:
Mad Decent's entire shtick has been multiculturalism. From the podcasts, including DJ Sega / Boy 8-Bit's mashing of genres, to Diplo's ability to take dub step, B-More, hyphy, crunk, favela, baile funk, French house, (insert your favorite dance genre here) and make it both street and club friendly, Mad Decent has been a fantastic conduit for music lovers. Diplo's live shows and mixtapes have been incredible for making the artists he selects shine. This CD is no exception. Santogold already has a legacy of her own, but Diplo manages to not only build up her sound but contextualize it through 30 years of music, ranging from reggae to 80s pop to grime.
If anything, that's what makes this mix so special and so different from Piracy Funds Terrorism (his mix with MIA). This disc is not introducing a new artist but providing a different landscape with which to listen to her music. Inclusions such as the Clash, B-52s, and Barrington Levy may seem diverse, yet with the dubbed out Diplo backdrop, they fit perfectly into the Santogold aesthetic. A tribal-esque remix by Radioclit of "Get it Up" and XXXChange's remix of "Les Artistes", both spectacular in their own rights, stand taller when surrounded by the classics of Desmond Dekker, Nora Dean, and Devo.
So why should you buy this mix? It's a great selection of tracks that not just anyone could put together, let alone put together well. Diplo's work here is an accomplishment, taking Santogold and making her appear not that different than some of the classics. Pick this one up, ASAP.
