Mix Tape

The Kevin Bacon Game -- February 2008

There's a giant poster of Kevin Bacon at my gym, with a thoughtful quote about why he enjoys working out and how much he loves said gym. He's not alone -- he's standing next to his brother Michael Bacon who shares the same piercing blue eyes and apparently, the same gym. That's how I found out that Kevin Bacon is not only an incredibly prolific actor but also an occasionally gigging musician in the band The Bacon Brothers. Which, of course, got me thinking about the Kevin Bacon Game, the oddly addictive trivia game that swept across US high school and college campuses (and depressing cocktail parties) in the late nineties. So this month's Mix Tape traces the ties that bind awesome new artists from one to another, all the way back to...that's right, Mr. Bacon himself. Let's get this party started, shall we?
Mix Tape compiled and written by Deepthi Welaratna.

We'll start in France, where head-banging electro and house has taken over and run buckwild, transforming everything in its path. Yelle, a young pop dance artist with a snotty attitude and New Wave fashion sense, has achieved unexpected success with a voracious remix of "À Cause des Garçons" by frequent remix partner TEPR. I HIGHLY recommend watching the video (on YouTube), which features awesome dancing from French street kids who've embraced their inner Dieter with flailing dance moves and outer hipster style -- check out the sick sneakers! Yelle will be appearing at this year's Coachella Festival in April on the same day as...

SebastiAN is a DJ and producer found on trailblazing French house label Ed Banger Records. "Ross Ross Ross" offers an excellent introduction to the insanely energetic yet somehow minimalist aggression of SebastiAn, with its hodgepodge of clipped samples and constant changes. I'm guessing the live performances are fuelled by some serious energy-inducing concoctions -- this song just does not quit. SebastiAn's star is still on the rise with a coming appearance at the Coachella Festival in April, while their labelmates ...

Justice have provided Ed Banger with their greatest success to date. A French electro house duo, their 2007 debut album, named simply †, landed on top ten/20/50 lists everywhere, while the video for breakout single "D.A.N.C.E" -- which I urge you to check out (on YouTube) -- has won awards across Europe. While a lot of † is basically a high powered blender's interpretation of hard rock, disco tunes and lo-fi electro, the single "D.A.N.C.E." features Jackson 5-style kid vocals and infectious retro synth sounds in an insanely catchy pop arrangement. Take a listen and see if you can resist the appeal to just "do the dance," which you'll be able to do in March at their SF show at the Concourse...

Spank Rock, who you can hear trading rhymes on top of "D.A.N.C.E." opposite Mos Def, is based out of Philly. Spank Rock's album YoYoYoYoYoYo makes underground hip hop rub shoulders with minimalist electro in a unique mix that marks another high point in the continual reinvention of hip hop. With cool rhymes that just slide right over the music and into your ear, the single "Bump" caught fire with its slowly unfolding synth lines and a star performance by Amanda Blank, another Philly-based MC who astounds on this track with her speedy, smooth and sexy delivery. Look for Blank's debut album coming out in '08. Spank Rock is also working with another Philly artist with a debut set to come out this year ...

Santogold hails from Philly, but now lives in Brooklyn. Santi White is the ex-punk core of Santogold, along with longtime collaborator John Hill. The Santogold sound marks a new day for Stateside underground hip hop -- a happier, grimier, dubbier day. Her single, "Creator," features insistent dub and rock beats and analog loops, which she combines with wails, raps, and chants. Watch for Santogold's debut album to be this year's soundtrack to global pop culture, and check her out on Day Two of Coachella. Tracing our way through the collaborations, White has loaded up a roster of eclectic musical partners on her resumé, from Spank Rock to Mark Ronson to London producer Switch. She's even written songs for Lily Allen and Ashlee Simpson along the way. But one name that pops up in connection with a lot of these artists is...

Diplo is yet another Philly-based DJ and producer whose mashups and mixtapes are usually eclectic and often 80s-inspired. Credited with a central role in bringing Brazilian Baile Funke to the States a few years back, Diplo is currently working on a documentary about the genre, while simultaneously handling a million other projects. He's also started his own label, Mad Decent, which puts out a podcast of world music in addition to signing seven other artists including DJ Blaqstarr and Bonde Do Role, and issues plenty of remixes and sets to keep his own fans satisfied. Plus, he'll be touring with Justice this year, so at that same Concourse show mentioned above? You can get 'em both there. Diplo's prolific collaborations span countless genres, and he's often associated with Spank Rock, Amanda Blank, and perhaps most famously...

M.I.A.'s success in the States was helped massively by the jointly-produced mixtape Piracy Funds Terrorism Vol. 1. In addition to collaborating, M.I.A. and Diplo actually dated for quite a while, the breakup documented through cryptic messages on M.I.A.'s mySpace -- one eccentric reason why this unpredictable Sri Lankan rapper is so much fun to follow. Being Sri Lankan myself, sometimes I cringe slightly at the old Sri Lankan lady squawk she can, on occasion, drop into in her rapping, but there's no questioning M.I.A.'s staggering impact on the underground hip hop scene, with her mix of baile, hip-hop, grime, dancehall and electro (Santogold's sound certainly owes a fairly obvious debt). Last year's Kala was just as good as debut Arular, quite a feat given the hype surrounding her. The single "Paper Planes" has faced some unpleasant censorship of the gunshot samples on MTV, which is really too bad, since how the gunshots work in the song is one of the best things about the track. M.I.A.'s big break was given to her by...

Peaches is the Canadian elementary school teacher turned electroclash androgyne queen. Peaches is at the forefront of sexual politics and culture, with songs and videos that make "gender-bending" seem like a quaint term from a bygone era. She shares a fearlessly nasty vibe with Spank Rock, but with more of an electroclash sound. Her single "Lovertits" does lo-fi punky electroclash perfectly, and inspired a cover by fellow Canadians Feist (who once roomed with her) and Gonzales, which reinterprets the song as a lightly sleazy adult contemporary track. Peaches has a central place in pop culture, with her songs appearing in Mean Girls, The L Word, and Ugly Betty and was on the soundtrack for Lost in Translation, which featured karaoke by...

Bill Murray. The comedian and occasional lounge singer does an inspired version of the Star Wars theme. And Bill Murray appeared in Wild Things with, drumroll please...

Kevin Bacon! The Bacon Brothers make mellow country rock, as you can hear above. But I'd recommend sticking to his movies. Happy Listening.

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