I Eat Music

Things for the team behind The Remix on Xfm were all a bit exciting last Friday night. Shortly before going on air, we heard that Akira The Don, who had been working hard on his All Time Top Ten mix for three straight days, was going to be close to Wizard’s record of squeezing 204 tracks into his ten minutes of Xfm airtime.

Now, when Wizard broke that record back in May, we pretty much gave up on the idea of it being broken any time soon. We thought it would take years. The competitive element, we felt, had been removed, because he’d just set the bar too high. Even though Wrongtom still claims he could do a 1000 track ten minute mix. We’ve advised him not to try, for the sake of his health.

But when Akira announced that he wouldn’t be with us in time for the usual 10.30pm slot, things started looking more interesting. He’d been working on the mix almost up until the point we went on air and he’d managed to cram a few more tracks in. So, when he finally arrived in the studio brandishing alcohol and a large grin, we knew something good was about to happen. And happen it did.

Yes, we have a brand new record – 210 tracks in ten minutes. Actually, it was more than that, but it was 210 recognisable tracks with many, many more tiny samples tucked away filling out any space there might have been left.

Akira has put together this YouTube video to accompany the mix:

Here’s the current leaderboard:

1. Akira The Don – 210 tracks
2. Wizard – 204 tracks
3. Wrongtom – 100 tracks [download]
4. Stereo:Type – 64 tracks
5. Slyde – 54 tracks

Friendly Fires – Kiss Of Life
I’ve been meaning to tip this for weeks, but kept getting distracted by other things. As you know, we’re already big fans of Friendly Fires, but this first taste of where the band are heading with their second album pushes things to a whole new level. Taking that carnival samba sound that was evident on their debut album and pushing it right up front, establishing a really distinct sound.

Friendly Fires online: Website, MySpace, Facebook, Last.fm, Spotify

The Prodigy – Breathe (NumberNin6 Remix)
Discovered by Eddy’s studio assistant Jono, himself an accomplished DJ, this dubstep remix of ‘Breathe’ by the Prodigy is just awesome. Just as you’re thinking ‘hmm, yes, I quite like this’, it hits you with a bass line that grabs you by the face and pins you to the wall.

The Prodigy online: Website, MySpace, Facebook, Last.fm, YouTube
NumberNin6 online: Website, MySpace, YouTube, Last.fm, Twitter

These musical tips were taken from the 24 Aug 2009 edition of The Xfm Remix Update. You can read it in full here.

Little Boots – New In Town
She may have been tipped as one to watch in 2009, but Little Boots hasn’t been rushing to milk it like some others have. If anything, she’s been irritatingly quiet. With tracks like ‘Stuck On Repeat’ and ‘Meddle’ she’s had our ears pricked for some time now. Meanwhile her cover of ‘Day N Night’ on YouTube convinced fellow tip-for-big-things, and the man responsible for that song, Kid Cudi, to retire from music. So, some nice little gems, but we want MORE. Luckily, she’s ignored our impatience and has instead been investing her time into creating single tracks as good as this one, ‘New In Town’, which got its Xfm premiere on Friday night’s Remix. Everything comes to those who wait as they say. That said, still can’t wait for the debut album in June, when we’ll finally get the MORE we’ve been shouting out for!

Little Boots online: Website, MySpace, Facebook, YouTube, Last.fm

Franz Ferdinand – No You Girls (The Grizzl Remix Edit)
Franz Ferdinand’s new single, ‘No You Girls’, has been stuffed in my head on a loop on and off for a few weeks now. Just one listen and it’s lodged in your head for days at a time. No such trouble with this remix of it by The Grizzl, though. Almost none of the original survives their attack on it, the focal point of which is the sound of Alex Kapranos’ vocals being stretched and squashed. It’s not until towards the end that anything you could describe as recognisable appears. Top stuff.

Franz Ferdinand online: Website, MySpace, Facebook, Last.fm

These track recommendations were taken from the 6 Apr 2009 edition of The Xfm Remix Update. Read the whole thing here.

Delphic – Counterpoint
We first played this track on the show as a demo two years ago. Now everyone’s talking about Delphic, Manchester’s hottest new property. Their sound is steeped in their home city’s musical history but they’re taking it forwards like no one has managed for quite some time. This single is released through R&S Records next, but the band have recently signed a deal to run their own label, called Chemeric, as a subsidiary of Polydor.

Delphic online: Website, MySpace, Facebook, Last.fm, YouTube, Twitter

Depeche Mode – Wrong (Thin White Duke Remix)
Okay, I have to admit that despite Depeche Mode being well and truly back, I’ve not heard the original of this track. But if this remix by the Thin White Duke, aka Stuart Price, is anything to go by then it’s something to get excited about. Dave Gahan’s vocals slip beautifully over some buzzy, swelling bass noise. It’s well worth checking out, as is the Trentmøller remix, which Eddy played in Midnight Madness.

Depeche Mode online: Website, MySpace, Facebook, Last.fm
Thin White Duke online: MySpace, Facebook, Last.fm

These recommendations originally appeared in the Xfm Remix Update on 23 Mar 2009. Read this issue in full here.