Nialler9’s top 20 compilations/mixes of 2008

Counting down the top 20 compilations and mixes that rocked my world this year.

• 20. Simian Mobile Disco – Fabric Mix
  Number 41 in the Fabric mix series from SMD was predictably dancefloor-orientated with tunes from Metro Area, Hercules and Love Affair, Shit Robot and DeadMau5 culminating in a classic Green Velvet track and eh, The Walker Brothers.
• 19. Amplive – RainyDayz remixes
  Amplive’s superb 8-track remix compilation of Radiohead’s In Rainbows almost didn’t see the light of day. I’m pretty happy it did though. It features Zion-I and Del Tha Funkee Homosapien. Download it here.

  Amplive – Weird Fishes

• 18. Arabian Prince – Innovative Life
  Stones Throw released the anthology of 80s electro-funk rapper Arabian Prince. Like Egyptian Lover except for this guy used to be in NWA.

  Arabian Prince – Innovative Life

• 17. Jeff Martin – Spoons
  The Halfset guitarist released a lovely remix album of his solo work earlier this year featuring reworkings from Minotaur Shock, Decal, The High Llamas, John Parrish, John McEntire and more.

  Jeff Martin – Balancing Act (Decal Remix)

• 16. Buraka Som Sistema – Mixtape
  Portugal’s BSS released this 20 minute mix to promote their debut album Black Diamond. It’s full of banging ghettotech tunes and never lets up.

  Buraka Som Sistema Mixtape

• 15. Dancehall (Soul Jazz Records)
  As with all other Soul Jazz record releases, an aural journey which throws up hits and essential cuts from a genre. In this case, Jamaican Dancehall culture of the 1980s with superb liner notes on each track.
• 14. Noble Society Live from the Frontline mixtape
  Fans of Diplo’s global soundclash will love this dub/hip-hop/dancehall hybrid from Brooklyn. Downloaded from eMusic. Myspace.

  Noble Society – Living the Life (feat. Jah Dan)

• 13. Nigeria Special: Modern Highlife, Afro-Sounds and Nigerian Blues, 1970-76
  A fascinating document of Nigeria in these six years in the 1970s, a fertile time for Nigerian afrobeat, blues and highlife songs.

  The Nigerian Police Force Band – Asiko Mi Ni

• 12. Flying Lotus – Essential Mix
  A extremely chilled out two hour mix taking in Alice Coltrane, Samiyam, Burial, Baron Zen, an abundance of Fly Lo tracks and loads more. Pretty aptly titled and since it’s appeared a few weeks ago, widely hailed.

  Download in full.

• 11. The Very Best mixtape
  Esau Mwamwaya and Radioclit team up for an Malawi meets UK via France and Sweden pan-global explosion. Download the zipped mixtape. Myspace page.
  The Very Best – Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa
• 10. An England Story (Soul Jazz Records)
  Another Soul Jazz release charting the culture of the MC in the UK from 1984-2008 including luminaries such as Roots Manuva, Wiley, Papa Levi, Tippa Irie, Warrior Queen and more. More info.

  Jah Screechy – Walk and Skank

• 9. The Vinny Club – State mix
  Mental mix of “early to mid 1980s pop slash rock” taking in loads of scary German music. Tracklisting.

  The Vinny Club State Mix

• 8. SEBP – Appetite for Reconstruction
  16 track free download reimagining of SEBP’s debut by the likes of Decal, Jape, The Vinny Club, Cadence Weapon, T-Woc and loads more. Download in a variety of lossy and lossless formats from Bandcamp.

  SEBP – Everything Flows (Jape remix)

• 7. DJ Halfdutch – State mix
  Another State mix which took a hammering from me throughout the year. Halfdutch is a talented lady. Tracklisting.

  State Mix #2: Jumpjive, Reggae, Ska, Funk by DJ Halfdutch

• 6. Keb Darge / Cut Chemist -Lost and Found
  A suberb two-disc collection of jumping, jiving, rockabilly, blues and rock and roll.

  John Fred And The Playboys – Boogie Children

• 5. Neon Neon Mixtape
  Weird songs from Neil Young, Goblin and Paul McCartney clash with songs from Janet Jackson, Prince and Kraftwerk. Bizarre. Download with left click.
• 4. DJ /Rupture – Uproot
  A much more relaxed, vibey mix of dubstep, global rhythms and ambient electronica from the king of world DJs.

  Clouds – Elders

• 3. Benga Breezeblock
  The most exhilarating 30 minutes of dubstep in 2008.

  Breezeblock Mix

• 2. El-P – We Are All Going to Burn in Hell Megamix 2
  Leftover ideas in the form of a tour CD from last year’s I’ll Sleep When You’re Dead album which are just as vital as its predecessor. Free download from the Def Jux Store as long as you sign up first.

  The Mars Volta – The Widow (El-P remix)

  
  
• 1. Santogold & Diplo – Top Ranking mixtape
  Simply the most fun mixtape of 2008 with some old stuff like B52s and Aretha Franklin, some dubstep and Santogold finally coming good on her considerable promise.

  Santogold / Diplo – Gerri and the Holograms

More 2008 goodness to follow this week.

Niall Byrne

Niall Byrne is the founder of the most-influential Irish music site Nialler9, where he has been writing about music since 2005 . He is the co-host of the Nialler9 Podcast and has written for the Irish Times, Irish Independent, Cara Magazine, Sunday Times, Totally Dublin, Red Bull and more. Niall is a DJ, founder of Lumo Club, club promoter, event curator and producer of gigs, listening parties & events in Dublin.

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