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The right mix

Essential blends for the holiday season

by RAF KATIGBAK

Sometimes lumping together hit tracks, one after the other, just won’t cut it. A really great DJ mix CD, however, will not only flow seamlessly, it’ll throw in just enough surprise tracks, hidden gems and forgotten classics to bring a fresh context to all the newer cuts. And did we mention, a good mix CD is a gift that gives at home, in the car or on the bus, at the workplace and of course at your killer Friday-night house party?

This year was a great one for mixes, and each one mentioned here says as much about the year in music as it does about the DJ responsible.

The fast and furious How to Kill the DJ Part 2 (Tigersushi) by Glasgow duo Optimo takes 2manyDJs-style genre-bending to the next level by expertly blending everything from John Carpenter, the Cramps and Gang of Four to Basic Channel, Luciano, Langley Schools Music Project, Blondie and Art of Noise—and that’s just disc one!

Montreal duo Chromeo dig deep in the crates for Un Joli Mix Pour Toi (Eskimo) a wealth of old-school, ’80s electro-disco-funk, lovingly selected and deftly blended. A warm, comforting mix that goes down easy on a cold day like a steaming cup of Ovaltine.

DJ and producer Diplo takes us on a world tour of underground urban beats with Fabric Live 24 (Fabric), his wild-style mix of Southern crunk, New York freestyle, Detroit electro, Miami booty bass, U.K. grime, electro-pop, favela funk, Chicago booty, ’80s jams and indie rock—this guy is the perfect ADD DJ.

In the wake of last year’s “rock rules and dance music is dead” backlash, the post-mash-up bootleg scene happily proves that not only can the two peacefully co-exist, but they can get down and dirty. Evidence lies in the Glimmers’ self-titled mix on Eskimo. By the way: Re-edits are the new bootlegs.

While it’s still available as a digital download for 99 cents (until Dec. 31, that is), the excellent DFA Holiday Mix (DFA)—which crams together every one of this vital New York label’s singles from 2005, and some amazing remixes—is already sold out in stores. So what are you waiting for? Get clicking!