NP: Mashups [Music]

matty

I did stuff a long time ago for the site
is a Tournament Director Alumnusis a Forum Moderator Alumnusis a Battle Simulator Moderator Alumnus
NP: Mashups [Music]

Introduction

Welcome to the Mashup music thread. Here are all the resources for listening to one of the best genres in music in the last decade.

What is a mashup? Well I'm glad you asked.
A mashup is: a digital recording that combines and synchronizes instrumental and vocal tracks from two or more songs

Mashups have been around for a long time. The original forms of mashups were used mostly in art based deciplines. In the late 1990s and early 2000s, mashups moved into the music industry. Since then, the genre has exploded since about 2006. Here is a brief history of mashups that will explain a lot more about it then I ever will.



How I got into it and why I love the genre so much

*Warning* This section is lame and I bet you don't care, but I wanted to write a little bit about how I started listening

Will Add later




The Basics to Mashups


There are two main types of mashup categories:

1) A v B Mashups
2) Multiple Sample Track mashups

Both use acapella and acoustic tracks and are layered on top of one another. The masher tries to find tracks that compliment one another so they mix well. To do this, your BPM (beats per min) for each song should be similiar and the kicks should correspond similarly. If done correctly, the track will run seemlessly and sound like an original track. If done incorrectly, it comes out as a disaster.

The mashup will often be a loop of the acoustic track that continually runs throughout the song (but this isn't always the case). These samples can come from anywhere: hip-hop/R&B, Rap, indie, hard rock, classic rock etc. On top of the acoustic track is often your vocal track. A majority of mashups use mostly rap lyrics since they follow a 16 bar pattern and they sound good. However, again, you can use almost any genre of music that uses vocals but you need to be very selective about which ones to isolate since they may not match up with your acoustic track very well.

They difference between both styles is how many samples used. In A v B tracks you are only using two songs that should match up perfectly. These tracks are the simplest to make, but often times your music selection needs to be spot on for these to sound good. They also need to have similar play lengths if you want them to set up. Making loops however eases this process.

In multiple sample tracks you are using, duh, many different samples. Your aim is to layer samples that compliment one another. Though sometimes they aren't as seamless as A v B, the added effect of many songs can mask impurities. These types of tracks are very difficult to create since it requires a lot of time finding a good layer along with cutting samples correctly that loop.



So whats the big deal about mashups?


I've been saying how great mashups are, but I haven't given any examples. Here are my top 5 reasons mashups are amazing

1) Every single mashup album is FREE
Yes you heard correctly free. Since mashups teeter on the copyright infringement boundary, legally the artists can't sell their albums for profit (there are exceptions, mostly notably Girl Talk, but that is a whole different can of worms). You can get all these mashups through zips. Also, here is the website to download them free.

http://www.whatthemashup.com/


2) Mashups contain all the favorite parts of your songs and add them together

Have you ever wondered if the Yeah Yeah Yeahs decided to play a set with The Far East Movement or if Elton John and Big Smalls teamed up for an album? Well now you don't have to wonder anymore because mashups can be anything. What makes mashups amazing is that you can take any music you've ever heard and possibly mash it.

3) There are no boundaries to mashing

This follows up to 2): Anything that is music can be mashed (granted its in an MP3 format). They are totally free of "defining a new sound" because they are always basically making a new sound. Even though mashups sound the same, new mashup artists are starting to push the boundaries of what mashups can sound like.

4) Mashups are easy to listen too

If you put a mashup on at a party, everyone dances. Period. Mashups are easy to listen to and everyone can related to them. Even if you hate a certain song in a mashup, 30 secs later it usually changes and your favorite song might come up. Plus, mashups just make you want to dance. Also since a majority of the albums are continous you don't really need to concentrate and just let them flow. Set it and forget.

5) The Variety Is Numerous
Each mashup artist has a distinct sound. Thought a lot of the songs follow a similiar style or template, the creativity from some of the artists shine through. What I mean by this is that Girl Talk is considered the Godfather of mashups because he combines samples that are out of control while an artist like Team Teamwork uses super interesting samples that are simple but fun to listen to.



The Mashup music blog

I use to write a music blog last year that no one read but I don't care. Instead I'm going to make this thread my music blog and update it whenever I feel like. Here you will find a majority of the mashup albums that come out.

All major albums can be downloaded for free from: http://www.whatthemashup.com/
It is totally safe and super easy to use
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Best of... Multi-Sample Mashups (Albums)


Girl Talk - Night Ripper
Review Coming Soon


Torpeedoh - Buckwild
Review Coming Soon


Supermash Bros. - Fuck bitches, Get Scallions
Review Coming Soon


Milkman - Circle of Fifths
Review Coming Soon


DJ JewBoy - Keepin' It Real Vol. 2
Review Coming Soon


-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Best of... A v B Mashups

The Mashmaticians - Will a G6 Roll (The Far East Movement vs Yeah Yeah Yeahs)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OpWJsf87d4s
This is one of the newer mashes that I feel in love with immediatly. I'm not gonna lie, how overplayed G6 is, I still love it. Heads Will Roll is also on my Top25 played songs on my iPod. Karen O's wails on top of the G6 beat is so sick. I love everything about this song, nicely composed and it just sounds nice.


MTV Mashups - Staying Alive in Da Club (50 Cent vs The Bee Gees)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8uCoz6p0EL0
This is one of those songs where I'm gonna be completely biased about. Why? Because its on my Top 25 played list. Its so good. Discs that I burn for people routinely have this song on them because I think its just so funny and it flows so well. The Bee Gees acoustic is great and I'm glad that they kept the hook in. The vocals from 50 Cent were spot on as well complementing the upbeat from the Bee Gees. LOVE LOVE LOVE


The White Panda - What You Know About Little Secrets (T.I. Vs Passion Pit)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gjJIwaW9KaI
This was a solid effort from another mediocre album. The White Panda were fairly new on their scene and despite an entire album of A vs B, not many were on the mark. This one is interesting to listen to because I'm a huge Passion Pit fan. The T.I. vocals are nice as well, but my main complaint was the composition was slightly off. It was about as close as it could have been, but something sounded flawed in the song. Regardless I still love the song.


A + D - (Gold)Diggin' the 5th (Kayne West Vs Beethoven)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9jumopYHTTw&feature=related
This song is just goofy and yet it sounds great. All I can imagine is dancing to this in a disco in the 70s. I dunno why. Its defiantly not top production quality, but its original for sure. Throw this on your next disc for your friends. I'm sure they haven't heard this one.


DJ Kontrol - What A Night (Lil Jon ft Claude Kelley vs Journey)
http://listn.to/DJKontrolTheRemixJunkie/player
One of the newer DJs on the scene that has laid down some jams recently. This one featuring Lil Jon w/ Journey was great. Perfectly lined up samples. Lil' Jon's "Hey! HEY!" with Journey's pianos is like peanut butter and jelly. Great mix, plus its a great dance song because of the kick underneath everything.


DJ Kontrol - Hey Mafia! Pour me another one (Lil Jon vs Swedish House Mafia)
http://listn.to/DJKontrolTheRemixJunkie/player
The club banger from Europe gets tangled up with Lil Jon. Not going to lie, I had to listen to this one a fews times for it to grow on me, but shit, the bass is banging and Lil Jon's constantly energy and awful rap lyrics just seem to flow again. This another one of those dancing mashups that you can throw on at a party and people go ape shit over.


-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Best of... Multi-Sample Mashups (Songs)

Girl Talk - Let It Out (from All Day)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FtsxfquYHf0
Coming out of a mediocre album from Girl Talk, here was one of the bright spots. Getting some 80s with Jay-Z layered on top. Check. Then comes in Electric Light Orchestra with Mr. Blue Sky. WHOA. I was shitting bricks at the point. It sounded so beautiful and wrapped up the end of that sequence so tightly. Later in that song we get the Snoop Dogg w/ Beck sample overtop Wale. Simple samples that came together. Oh and "Ugly Girls be quiet/Pretty girls clap clap like this" part made me laugh. Solid track.


Girl Talk - Smash Your Head (from Night Ripper)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iDDdpxEf9hM
This was the defining song that got me hooked on mashups. The beginning of the song with the Fall Out Boy sample was "cute" on top of Lil' Kim. But the showstopper is the Elton John - Tiny Dancer with Biggie Smalls - Juicy. At the time, it was so beautiful. Even now listening to it I still get chills. Other artists (like my friend DJ Jewboy) have alluded to this sample also influencing them for their mashup careers. I was talking to him the other day and he told me, "If I could ever get something close to Tiny Dancer/Juicy mashup, I know I'm doing something right". Well said


Milkman - Let's Go (from Unreleased)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X3x05miXWu0
This was a spoiler from Milkman's new album he released 2 months ago. Solid track. The Owl City beat for most of the track was nice because it was looped interestingly (instead of the entire loop which I find bland on a lot of tracks other mashers have used recently). Rap vocals were good as well using Kayne's Golddigger well along with Lil Shorty's bit. The defining moment was the "One for the money/2 for the Show" w/ the Discovery loop. My friend pointed that out to me later because I missed it out on the first few listens. Great little bit of composition there. Well developed track


DJ Jewboy - I Ain't Breaking Your Sugar Touch (from Keepin' It Real Vol. 2)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X9ZP0CqIjXs
This mash came out about 5 months ago and its so good. I hate Flo Rida but somehow DJ Jewboy made him sound amazing. The Taio Cruz acoustic is great along with the Bloodhound Gang's dirty lyrics, you know you're in for some fun. Twista's bit is a little weak, but I think it balanced the song well since you get a different downbeat in the acoustic. Great mashup, definitely recommended


Torpeedoh - Thats Right (from Buckwild)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mZneYcgax1Q
I remember opening this album up not knowing what to expect. The bio for this kid was as reads: "Hi! My name is Zach, I'm 16 and live in Iowa. I hope like my album!" And I'm thinking, well this is gonna be a disaster. Boy was I wrong. From the first track I was hooked. Queen's intro was interesting. And then BOOM, The Who come in with Baba O'Reily, your kick starts up and then fucking J-Won starts rapping about getting tipsy. Amazing start. After that, you got your Biggie Smalls and The Verve which are way overused samples, but were well timed. Easily one of my favorite beginnings to a mashup album. It is a great stand alone track too.


Norwegian Recycling - How Six Songs Collide
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3JKKl95Ttrc
One of the most chill mashups I've heard with beautiful composition. Norwegian Recycling has created such beautiful layering combined with songs that flow into one another seemlessly. He has an ear for things that line up and it shines through here.


Norwegian Recycling - No Taylor, No Scar
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tran2ChS_Gw
Listening to this song for the first time gave me chills. When Missy Higgins came on with Honeywagon's guitar as the acoustic, it was beautiful. This is the pinnacle of mashing. Two beautiful songs that come from two different genres (Blue Grass and Pop) to become an eargasm. Colin Hay's portion was equally as good. Easily Top 25 mashup I've listened to.


2 Many DJs/Soulwax - Fuck the Pain Away
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KzEPOL6esng
2 Many DJs were the pioneers of mashups (along with DJ Z-Trip) and thus deserve a place in the hall of fame . This is probably their most famous of all the songs they do. I don't think this top notch compared to today's standards, but its a classic and has history. I picked this up after my first Girl Talk album and wasn't disappointed.


DJ Earworm - United State of Pop [Year]
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iNzrwh2Z2hQ 2009 ★★★★★
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XLaZ-8IMtt0 2008 ★★★★
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ls7yJmxAF9Y&feature=related 2007 ★★★★
DJ Earworm is a one in a million mashup artist. Although he doesn't release many mashes, he is a master when he does. Every year he releases his United State of Pop. Every year is great. It sounds flawless: 25 different songs that are used over the course in the song, multiple times. It is also funny to go back every year to hear songs that were popular each year. It flows seamlessly as he flip flops from one artist to the next. Beautiful composition that rivals Norwegian Recycling.


-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

User Recommended Tracks

Andrew Gentry - Give the Loot You Ghostwriter (Notorious BIG vs RJD2)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WDsr7jZHCiU
Really dug this song a lot. I know I like a good mashup when I only have to listen to it once to really appreciate it. Both samples are overused, but I don't mind. It was a good combo. The only large criticism is that the lyrics and the beat don't match up perfectly. Its not terrible, but it is distracting. Despite that, I like it a lot.


-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Artists to be reviewed in the future:
Team Teamwork
The Hood Internet
E-603
DJ Bahler
DJ Jewboy
DJ Fergie Ferg
Super Mash Bros.
Girl Talk (all albums)
Best of Bootie
MashMaticians
Milkman (all albums)
Norweigan Recycling
The White Panda
TopFlight
Bearbot
Torpeedoh
Tor / Sufjan Stevens
Mashup-Germany

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

P.S. This thread is a long W.I.P. so bear with me. Most notably will be my reviews which take awhile to write


Oh and for reference: Singles will get a few lines for reviews while albums will be much more comprehensive. A lot of the singles I'm pulling come from albums with the intent of getting people interested in the album so that can get an example.
 

makiri

My vast and supreme will shall be done!
is a Forum Moderator Alumnusis a Smogon Discord Contributor Alumnusis a Contributor Alumnusis a Battle Simulator Moderator Alumnusis a Three-Time Past SPL Championis a Two-Time Past WCoP Champion
I love the work Team Teamwork does. They mostly do rap+video game, but rap is one o my favorite genres and I grew up playing the video games that were mashed.

This might be my favorite from the first album Ocarina of Rhyme

And this from Vinyl Fantasy 7

Both of those albums are amazing, but Team Teamwork also did an album with rap+indie music which also works very well.

Kanye West & Nas ft Man Man - We Major

Killer Mike & Shawty Low ft Elliot Smith - Two Sides

Both of those songs are from the Good Ass Remixes Vol 1.

Another great mashup album is Gold N Fly by Alex Kresovich, another rap+video game but like Team Teamwork, it is absolutely amazing.

Tech N9ne - Everybody Move (Intro)

What I like about mashups is even songs I didn't really like the first time find new light and sometimes I finding myself really enjoying them. For example:

Rich Boy - Throw Some D's (Frigate)

Anyway I'll be paying attention to this thread, I love mashups, especially rap+anything so getting more songs and albums will be great.
 

matty

I did stuff a long time ago for the site
is a Tournament Director Alumnusis a Forum Moderator Alumnusis a Battle Simulator Moderator Alumnus
Haha Team Teamwork was one of the artists I was going to review, but kinda later. Ocarina of Rhyme was an amazing album and it was so creative. I never got around to listening to the Final Fantasy album.

I'm defiantly digging the Rich Boy song a lot. Super sweet song selections
 

Stallion

Tree Young
is a Tiering Contributoris a Battle Simulator Moderator Alumnusis a Three-Time Past WCoP Champion
I love that this thread has been made! I'll check out some of the ones posted in the OP, and I might post some mashups that I've made myself eventually :)
 

monkfish

what are birds? we just don't know.
is a Community Contributoris a Forum Moderator Alumnus
soulwax/2manydjs have made some very entertaining mashups, including beyonce vs nirvana, and eminem vs ACDC
 

VKCA

(Virtual Circus Kareoky Act)
not really an expert or even close to one on mashups but w/e, here are a couple that I like:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WDsr7jZHCiU
that is really really fucking good.


Suprised this hasn't been posted yet:
Intergalactic Robot Rock
Beastie Boys vs. Daft Punk
it works incredibly well.
It's a really intense song, with the beastie boys aggressive rap and the intense beat of daft punk

Ratatat has lots of good remixes as well
Kanye vs Ratatat



RJD2 vs Eminem (ghost writer/loose yourself)
The timing on this mash-up is quite literally perfect. It's just the two songs laid overtop of each other, but it is fantastic.
 

matty

I did stuff a long time ago for the site
is a Tournament Director Alumnusis a Forum Moderator Alumnusis a Battle Simulator Moderator Alumnus
@Popemobile: I've heard all of those minus the RJD2 vs Biggie Smalls. That one is great. I listened to it once and loved it.

@Paranoia Survivior: I'm not sure I would classify the Avalanches as mashup. I mean its pretty close I guess, but it is more remixes of songs that are just added up... I dunno. But you did make me remember one of my favorite mashes from a couple of years ago

The Hood Internet - When the Last Time I Left You (Clipse vs The Avalanches)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fYj2I0NqW4M

@Truthi: Thank you for reminding me about Tor, I'll do an album review later. I actually liked this song better, though the entire album as a whole was great

Tor / Sufjan Stevens - None Shall Pass the Star of Wonder (f Aesop Rock)
http://www.smogon.com/forums/showthread.php?p=3178897#post3178897

@monkfish: TBH, I remember listening to 2ManyDJs/Soulwax's album a long time ago, but I haven't touched it since then. I'll look it up when I have time one of these days.

I'll try to add up the mashes you guys post and put them in a different section so that everyone can quickly access them. I may hand select the ones that I like and the ones that people like as well.


----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
This popped up the other day on one of the music blogs I read. Its ok, nothing special but thought I should post it.


And here's another oldie that was pretty cool. Again, I have a weakness for any song that uses a Yeah Yeah Yeahs sample

The White Panda - Heads Will Smack (Yeah Yeah Yeahs vs A-Trak vs Eminem)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WKjI5-47AfQ


Another fucking quirky mashup that is fucking amazing. Check this out if you don't look at the other ones. Lion King is the shit

DJdoYOU - Stuntin' Like Mufasa - (Lion King vs Lil Wayne)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RlSMlUetZ_Y


Here is another pretty chill mashup from one of new favorite artists recently. Mashup-Germany is supposedly the Girl Talk in Europe (maybe you Euros can confirm this). He has some amazing mashes. One of the other ones I heard was a K'naan laid back one which I'll post later.

Mashup-Germany - I'll Be Missing You (Don't Raise Your Glass) (Pink vs Kelly Clarkson vs P. Diddy vs Mike Posner)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RlSMlUetZ_Y
 

Users Who Are Viewing This Thread (Users: 1, Guests: 1)

Top