Mash Up Mix, The (Mixed By The Cut Up Boys) - Various Artists

...a double CD called 'The Mash Up Mix'. Sounds intriguing (if nothing else).


THE MASH UP MIX

CD1 has more of a chilled out laid back summer vibe. It's slightly funkier near the end but it's not particularly upbeat so in dance terms it's close to easy listening. But how easy is it to listen to some half decent tracks being murdered?

The first few tracks are relatively inoffensive to the ear but the ...
...appreciate it. The bad mash ups by far outweigh the good, and the bad ones leave a lasting impression. Add to that the scattering of dodgy mixes and you've got yourself a typical night out at the local 'meat market' nightclub.

This would be a perfect CD for the kind of people who think they like dance music but really just want a good old sing along to something upbeat. If you're pissed after a night out and a bit of a townie I'm ... more

A 'mash up' in music terms, for anyone who doesn't know, is when you take the melody/backing track from one tune and the acappella (vocal) from another. So with this in mind, Ministry Of Sound have released a double CD called 'The Mash Up Mix'. Sounds intriguing (if nothing else).

THE MASH UP MIX

CD1 has more of a chilled out laid back summer vibe. It's slightly funkier near the end but it's not particularly upbeat so in dance terms it's close to easy listening. But how easy is it to listen to some half decent tracks being murdered?

The first few tracks are relatively inoffensive to the ear but the pain begins around track 7 where Marcella Woods' euphoric vocals of 'Beautiful' collide with a rather unsuitable garage track 'Girls Like This'. The next few tracks aren't amazing but they're pretty mellow so you can sit back and relax. The disc picks back up with Mylo's 'Drop The Pressure' melody with DT8's 'Winter' vocal as the two seem to gel together pretty effectively. The mood is then smashed to smithereens with the hideous bastardization of 'Drop The Pressure' and what I can only assume to be Commander Tom's 'Attention'. There is just TOO much going on at once, not helped by the fact this is then mixed into a cringeworthy melody clashing Wayne Wonder 'No Holding Back' acappella (which is bad enough on its own).

Ministry Of Sound take note - Michael Jackson 'Billie Jean' vocals have no place on a 'dance' compilation in 2005. Ditto for 'Whoomp! There It Is' (which sounds like a bunch of pissed beerboys in the local 'club')

* SAVING GRACE - The un-mashed up Armand Van Helden's MyMyMy (great tune! Only ruined by the fact it's badly mixed into that Re-Rewind garage track) and also unmixed (can you see a pattern?) uplifting 'Stupidisco' by Junior Jack - I bet you can't help but nod your head to that one!

* WORST TRACK - SNAP! vs Plaything 'Do You See The Light' vs Angel City feat. Lara McAllen 'Do You Know (I Go Crazy)'. I don't know what possessed the person/people who made this but it's absolutely shocking. Lara's vocal sounds like a child as they've obviously messed around with it too much - not to mention the fact it is nowhere even near harmonising with the other tracks.

CD2 is a bit more upbeat. It's got more of a clubby Ministry of Sound Annual feel to it. It starts with one of the 'Cut Up Boys' messing about with the record, which gets my back up immediately as it sounds terrible, plus already I hate 'Do You Really Like It?' by DJ Pied Piper. It's a shame they mashed up the gorgeously warm Latino vibe of 'Let The Sun Shine' with the accapella of 'Stand Back' by the Linus Loves because they're both pretty decent tunes but it clashes slightly around the bit where the woman sings the "stand back" chorus bit.

As if I didn't hate the shouty Basement Jaxx's 'Where's Your Head At?' enough, they had to kill an Old Skool piano classic by pairing it up with this to create an absolute crime against music. Also notably bad on this CD is Voodoo & Serano's 'Blood Is Pumpin' mixed with Junior Jack's 'E Samba'. 'Blood Is Pumpin' doesn't lend well to a vocal, especially one that's been so badly put together that it's not even in sync. At least both CDs end with un-mashed up tracks: this disc ends with the rather cheesy but unmistakably happy 'Sunrize' by pop-dance act of the moment, Angel City - which is some comfort after all the pain endured throughout the rest of the disc.

* SAVING GRACE - The submissive melody of Deepest Blue's 'Give It Away' blends excellently with Ilo's chilled out 'Rapture' (you might not know the name of this but you'll possibly recognise the vocal). I also liked the cheeky inclusion of Satisfaction's Steven Hawking style vocal saying 'Push Me' and 'Touch Me' etc. during one mix.

* WORST TRACK(s) - Club classics 'Time To Burn' and Tomcraft's 'Loneliness' vocal just DON'T GO! They're both fantastic tunes in their own right and don't appreciate accompaniment. And just because they didn't get this message I'll also include track 13 which is actually beyond words. It takes the girly vocal of DJ Sammy's 'Heaven' and puts it to the synth-pop backing track of 'Loneliness'. The "we're in heaven" is fine but they go all the way and add the whole damn vocal. To say it's a mismatch doesn't even come close.

Some people will enjoy this simply because it's got quite a few old 'classics' thrown in, things like 'I've Got The Power' and 'Re-rewind' (you know, with Craig David all over your..*boink*). However, I think this will be a hit or a miss with most as I really don't appreciate it. The bad mash ups by far outweigh the good, and the bad ones leave a lasting impression. Add to that the scattering of dodgy mixes and you've got yourself a typical night out at the local 'meat market' nightclub.

This would be a perfect CD for the kind of people who think they like dance music but really just want a good old sing along to something upbeat. If you're pissed after a night out and a bit of a townie I'm sure it'd be an excellent sing along because you'd not hear all the melodies clashing above all that girly wailing. If, however, you want something decent to listen to I'd strongly suggest buying something where the only time tracks are combined is when they are actually IN THE MIX!

Full tracklisting:

CD1

1. Cheryl Lynn/Liberty X - Got To Be Real/Just A Little (Acappella)
2. Prodigy/Khia - Poison/My Neck, My Back (Lick It) (Acappella)
3. Grandmaster Flash/Snap! - Adventures Of Flash On The Wheels…( Instrumental)/ The Power (Of Bhangra) (Acappella)
4. Earth, Wind & Fire/Deepest Blue - Let's Groove (Album Instrumental Version)/Give It Away (Acappella)
5. Armand van Helden - MyMyMy
6. The Artful Dodger - Re-Rewind (The Crowd Say Bo Selecta) (Radio Edit)
7. The B15 Project Feat. Crissy D & Lady G/Matt Darey Feat. Marcella Woods - Girls Like Us (Instrumental Mix)/Beautiful (Acappella)
8. Intenso Project/Starchaser/Yomanda - Luv Da Sunshine (Instrumental Mix)/Love Will Set You Free (Jambe Myth) (Acappella)/You're Free (Acappella)
9. Blockster/ Joey Negro Feat. Taka Boom - You Should Be… (Instrumental Mix)/ Must Be The Music (Acappella)
10. Spankox - To the Club (Highpass Club Mix)
11. Mylo/ DT8 Project Feat. Andrea Britton - Drop The Pressure (Instrumental Mix)/ Winter (Acappella)
12. Commander Tom - Attention!
13. D'Menace/ DJ Pied Piper & The Masters of Ceremonies/ Wayne Wonder - Deep Menace (Spank) (Intrumental Mix)/ We Are Here (Acappella)/ No Letting Go (Acappella)
14. Junior Jack - Stupidisco
15. Starchaser/ The Sound Bluntz - Love Will Set You Free (Jambe Myth) (Instrumental Mix)/ Billie Jean (Acappella)
16. SNAP! Vs Plaything/ Angel City Feat. Lara McAllen/ Deepest Blue - Do You See The Light (Instrumental Mix)/ Do You Know (I Go Crazy) (Acappella)/ Deepest Blue (Acappella)
17. Michael Woods' Warrior Feat. Imogen Bailey/ Dana Rayne - If U Want Me (Antillas Remix)/ Object Of My Desire (Acappella)
18. StoneBridge Feat. Therese/ BM Dubs - Put'Em High/ Whoomp!…There It Is (Acappella)
19. Freefall - Skydive (I Feel Wonderful)
20. Uniting Nations - Out of Touch

CD2

1. Deepest Blue/ DJ Pied Piper & The Masters of Ceremonies/ Angel City Feat. Lara McAllen - Deepest Blue (Instrumental Mix)/ Do You Really Like It? (Acappella)/ Love Me Right (Oh Sheila) (Acappella)
2. Milk & Sugar Feat. Lizzy Pattinson/ Linus Loves Feat. Sam Obernik - Let The Sun Shine (Instrumental Mix)/ Stand Back (Acappella)
3. ATB/ Angel City Feat. Lara McAllen / Benny Benassi Presents The Biz - 9pm (Till I Come) (Sequential One Remix)/ Touch Me (Acappella)/ Satisfaction (Acappella)
4. Deepest Blue/ Iio - Give It Away/ Rapture (Acappella)
5. Stellar Project Feat. Brandi Emma/ Rozalla - Get Up Stand Up (Phunk Investigation Mix)/ Everybody's Free (To Feel Good) (Acappella)
6. Sonz of a Loop Da Loop Era/ Basement Jaxx/ Sabotage - Far Out / Where's Your Head At? (Acappella)/ Engine Trouble (Acappella)
7. Eric Prydz - Call On Me
8. Voodoo & Serano/ Junior Jack - Blood is Pumpin (Club Mix)/ E Samba (Acappella)
9. Storm/ Tomcraft - Time To Burn (Club Mix)/ Loneliness (Acappella)
10. Alter Ego / SLK - Rocker/ Hype Hype (Acappella)
11. Peran/ Snap! - Good Time / Rhythm Is A Dancer (CJ Stone Club Remix Acappella)
12. Slusnik Luna/ Magnolia - Sun/ It's All Vain (Acappella)
13. Tomcraft/ DJ Sammy & Yanou Feat. Do - Loneliness (Club Mix)/ Heaven (Acappella)
14. Zombie Nation/ Danzel - Kernkraft 400 (DJ Guis Radio Edit)/ Pump It Up (Acappella)
15. Benny Benassi Presents The Biz - Satisfaction (Isak Original)
16. QFX/ Divine Inspiration - Freedom (Voodoo & Serano Intrumental Mix)/ The Way (Put Your Hand In My Hand) (Acappella)
17. Angel City - Sunrise (BCD Remix)

Sadly, for me, the best thing about this CD was finding out the real lyrics to that Khia tune "my neck, my back, lick my ***** and my *****" I'd better not fill in the gaps here though as kids can read it but it's pretty rude!

So you decide, at 70 tracks crammed onto a double CD for £13.99 is it great value for money; or have they chosen quantity over quality?

Hmm. 

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