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Monday 31 December 2012

One Way To Finish


About a month ago I was approached by my good mate Brian K. and was asked if I would like to contribute towards a highly worthy cause, the Kyle's Heart Foundation charity, who are planning a fund-raiser CD. Honoured, and to be honest - humbled, to be asked, this was the resulting track - I hope I've done you proud guys and that the CD has all the success it deserves!

The last of 2012 from the Mash Cave and possibly my personal fave of the year from me, there is only one way to finish my year and it is this....

One Way To Finish

Jean-Pierre Taieb - One Way To Life
Florence & The Machine - Dog Days Are Over
Four Tet - And the Patterns



Show some love to the guys over at www.facebook.com/KylesHeart and let's make 2013 a great year for someone who needs a little help in life.

And from me, a huge thank you to all the boys and girls of the Mashie Nation this year for your tracks, your support, your advice and your friendship (and thank you Lord Fissu for the inspiration behind this track!). I love you all.

And to the Cola-fans out there, a HUGE thank you to you guys and gals for liking what I do and supporting me this year. If you didn't listen, I wouldn't make.

Happy New Year everyone! Wishing you all much success and happiness for 2013, and I'll see you sooner than you think

Much love
Andy CLT

Wednesday 26 December 2012

Fissunix (w/ CLT) - Kara Wants To Know What Love Is


For the last time this year, I once again got together with my good friend, the legendary Fissunix (for me, the greatest mashup producer in the world right now) to deliver you a tale of sexy robots discovering love, to the sound of blistering mecha-beats.

Straight from the lab of Fissutron, we proudly give you...

Kara Wants To Know What Love Is

Foreigner - I Want To Know What Love Is
Nalepa - Monday (Glitch Mob Remix)
Kara - spoken dialog (PS3 tech demo)
Kraddy - Android Porn (filtered samples)



A HUGE merci to mon frère d'un autre pays, it's been a huge year for us both and you KNOW I'm looking forward to hooking up with you again in 2013.

Much love,
Andy CLT

Saturday 22 December 2012

Pretty Lies


An early Christmas present from the House of Colatron. The one I would make if I were feeling particularly schmexy.... which I currently am...

Pretty Lies

Pretty Lights - If I Gave You My Love
Charles & Eddie - Would I Lie To You



Smoochies!

Sunday 16 December 2012

CLT's The Best of 2012

So, it's that time of year again. With Christmas fast approaching, it's time to kick back, slip on the festive bad sweater, pour a cognac or 3 and reflect upon what we have achieved this year in the world of Mashup.

It's been a heck of year, as the length of my list below will attest to. Compilations galore, some mainstream success and recognition on a national scale for various friends, the sad death of our spiritual home GYBO (RIP and a huge thank you to all who sailed in her), the rise of my mates over at UKN, the Queen of the Peppers BigSammy, the return of old friends, the disappearance of others, the making of many more new friends (hey Rino and Luca!), and above all else - just some cracking, amazing productions in this crazy world of the Mashie.

So without further a do, here in no particular order of merit (those in the know, know whom won my favourite mash of the year), are what I consider to be the greatest released this year.

10000 Spoons - A Supreme Error
The Supremes vs. Moderat vs. Steve Miller Band



A GYBO legend and thoroughly nice chap, Spoonsy doesn't need to mash anymore, but when he does, he comes up with slamming aceness like this!

Amoraboy - Babylon Summer
Ace of Bass vs. Martin Eyerer & Oliver Klein vs. Banarama



An absolutely fantastic slab of dark brooding goodness from Amora, which makes an already dark pop classic even more menacing. This is music to learn Karate to.

Bynar - Dazed By The Waves
IAMX vs. Heretic vs. Deine Lakaien vs. Paradise Lost vs. Chiller feat Heppner vs. Rack 'N' Ruin



Talking of dark, no one, repeat NO ONE does dark like my mate PaF. The king of dark, brooding, swirling industrial soundscapes and the master of the multi-instrumental mash - this is possibly the darkest track you'll hear ever, let alone this year. Just sublime, and evidence you don't always need to include LMFAO or PSY in a mashup for it to be a mashup.

Bynar - Wretched Kind
KoRn vs. Nine Inch Nails vs. Dr. Cryptic vs Mt Eden vs. VNV Nation vs. The Great Hand vs. Gary Numan vs. UNKLE



And just when you think it's safe to turn on the lights PaF goes and knocks it out the park with one of the most disturbing slices of metal-step I've ever heard. Skrillex fears Bynar. Just gorgeous.

CjR Mix - Sweet Freedom
Michael McDonald vs. Adele



Change of pace and style now, c/o my mate Mr. Russell - that last bastion of all things good n' cheesy. But don't let the sources fool you - this is a stone-cold killer of 80s-tastic-ness that, not for the first time in this post, takes my nemesis Adele (it's no secret I can't stand her) and makes her pleasurable to listen to.

CjR Mix - Missing In The Fog
Everything But The Girl vs. John Carpenter



Christian alsodoes a natty line in all things horror through his mad artistic skillz - be sure to seek out his zombie make-overs on FB - and this Halloween just passed, THIS was the sound of beautiful horror. If I ever made seasonal or festive mashies, this would be what I would want to make. Beautifully haunting

CjR Mix - Hit Me Skyfall One More Time
Adele vs. Britney Spears



The last minute entry to this list only being whipped out the other day by Cj, in less than an hour, to celebrate his own birthday! Insane combo of two artists I can't abide, and yet together, they easily overcome the sum of their collective parts. THAT Britney track never sounded better, though I need to scour my mind, the mental imagery of London's whingiest in a schoolgirl outfit with blouse tied up tempering my enjoyment of the mash....

Dan Mei - Faster Titanium Bromance
Within Temptation vs. Tim Berg vs. David Guetta feat. Sia



As mentioned, 2012 was the year of the compilation, with many projects running all year along featuring the cream of the crop. For me though, the perfect album was the Mixed Temptations album, organised by my mate Dan Mei - the mashup tribute album to Within Temptation. Just perfect all the way through, and my fears about an entire album of symphonic metal were unfounded - it really was the EPIC concept and execution.

And of course, Dan himself just smashed it on every track he himself provided, in particular this fist-thumper of a guitar anthem. No one masters a mashup quite like Dan and this is proof he could easily transfer to the 'legit' world of metal and pop....

Be sure to grab the entire double album from http://mixedtemptations.wordpress.com/

Dan Mei - Burn Moscow Down
W&W vs. Linkin Park



It's also no secret that Dan is easily the greatest masher of Linkin Park out there. Again, he should be given a job as their official masher in residence.

Dan Mei - Good Time Gangnam Style
PSY vs. Alex Clare vs. Nicky Minaj vs. Ram Jam vs. Owl City feat. Carly Rae Jepsen



Throughout the history of mashup, there have been several fads and crazes whereby a certain source file becomes available - Leona Lewis, Rick Astley, Adele, etc. - and they become nauseating to the point of actually wanting to destroy the internet. PSY is one such source file. An amusing throwaway track becomes the bane of my ears.

But it wouldn't be a best of list without at least one mention of the damned thing. And in the hands of the world's finest multi-source masher, suddenly (along with several other guilty pleasures), the track becomes credible again, and **gulp**... enjoyable...

The greatest mult-track party anthem of the year and once again, Dan deservedly went viral from it.

DeeM - SilenceCalifornia
The Eagles vs. Sarah McLachlan



Ah, Davbear! One of my new friends made this year and what a great guy. One of the most consistently great mashers from 2012, this typifies what makes DeeM great - two well known tracks that you wouldn't even consider would match, but they do and boy, HOW they do! One of those so obvious, I'm amazed that no one made it previously tracks, that emphasise why I love this scene so much

DeeM - I Follow the Hot Killer
Adamski feat. Seal vs. Luciana



Another fine example of what Dav does best - one of the best pop source mashers out there, this had a fine nostalgic crossed with cutting edge pop feel that is irresistable

DeeM and Mister Nono - Battle Bridge
Tomoyasu Hotel vs Fergie vs. Led Zeppelin



And finally from DeeM, a team-up with the ever excellent Mister Nono, resulting in possibly the hottest slab of pop rock I heard all year, with DAT riff. The greatest riff in the history of rock. This made me want to take my revenge upon a crazy bunch of assassins and look cool in yellow whilst doing so. Brilliantly awesome and a great example of how a collaboration should work

DJ ATHOM - Legal Run
Snow vs. Morcheeba



Another compilation I had the pleasure of being involved with, came via my mate Dimitri Athom - after the brilliance of his first Morcheeboot album, he threw the challenge open to a range of mashers, and the results were simply incredible (it's no secret I love to make Morcheeba mashups!).

This was for me, the most 'earworm' of the tracks on the album, and one I just couldn't get enough of. That irresistable guitar hook and... Snow!!! One of my absolute favourites of the year, absolutely hypnotic and one for fist-thumping drives. And more evidence if any were required that the best mashers come from France!

Grab the whole album from - http://djathom.wordpress.com/morcheeboot-2/

DJ ATHOM - Only Dub Be Good To Me
Beats International vs. Rob Dougan



Another fantastically evocative track from Dim, that proves sometimes, you just can't beat a good, simple, old fashioned A+B mashup. Stirring, and deserves mention for injecting new life in to an old pella.

DJ Rick Lee - Fame Fly Away
David Bowie vs. Lenny Kravitz



Our resident burper over at mashstix.com, and an all round top guy - this was the sound of my imaginary lap-dances here in the Mash Cave in 2012. All round sleazy rock goodness, and masterfully produced by Rick as always. Buuuuuuurp

DJ Schmolli - Ikobahton





Thomas - possibly the most prolific (and world reknowned) of all our little scene - pulled off a blinder of a sizzling, sexy moombahton remix of earworm noodle botherer Iko Iko. I defy you to not move your rump to DAT bassline. This is music to make love to your other half to. And as for the video... **giving himself 5 minutes**. The sound of Summer encapsulated in 3m 18s of awesome

DJ Schmolli - Beautiful
Christina Aguilera vs. James Blunt



Quite simply, does exactly what it says on the tin. I'm no fan of James Bland, but holy schmolli this tugs at the heart strings. The track that gives you a feeling of self-worth. J'adore. One that I wish I'd made myself, this is pure melancholic brilliance

DJ Schmolli - Faster Game
Within Temptation vs. Chris Isaak



The 2nd track from Mixed Temptations - this is pure symphonic EPIC excellence. Taking one of my all time favourite vocals and revving it up to supercar levels with a ton of horsepower under the bonnet. And knowing what I know of the source files, Thomas deserves a HUGE round of applause for the way in which he's handled that vocal and tamed it. Bravo and well played sir.

DJ Schmolli - Get Up Youth
Friction vs. Bob Marley vs. P.O.D.



And proving his versatility, here's another blinder from Thomas, this time in the Nu-step style. 2012 was awash with dubstep mashies, and mostly awful ones at that (Skrillex does NOT equal dubstep, despite what you may think you know!), but this track just pounds at your head and those sawtooths demand you skank, especially with the king of reggae's vocals imploring you to get up and stand up... don't give up the dance.

DJ Y alias JY - Sunny Happy (Easy - Part 2)
Cro vs. Gorillaz vs. Bobby Hebb



Jives was on fire this year, knocking out high quality track after high quality track. This track just rides along on a wave of downtempo bliss, making the listener feel they're cruising down the coast in a convertible with the sun beating down on their neck - a little slice of heaven. And to use Bobby Hebb! For that, I bow down and worship at JY's feet. Amazing

DJ Y alias JY - Summertime Madness
Lana Del Rey vs. Kool and the Gang



2012 was arguably the year of one Lana Del Rey, and on the mashie scene, it was no different. Here's the first of several incredible tracks made with my beloved Lana's timeless, anachronistic voice, in a smooooooth funk-soul setting.

DJ Y alias JY - Teardrop Madness
Muse vs. Massive Attack



A fantastic example of vocal re-pitching and an epic builder of a track that proves why all these years on, why Muse are still crucial in a world where many guitar bands have fallen. Jives, we salute you sir

DRA'Man - Waiting Without Me
Wax Tailor vs. Bob Marley



No one put out more mashies of a consistently high quality this year than Alex - like seriously, how many tracks this year? In triple figures? The guy is a mashing Terminator! And no one made more low down, funky and soulful tracks than he... this is the prime example. Elle est parfaite.

DRA'Man - Peace & Trouble
The Sound Defects vs. Keren Ann



The one that blew my mind, and inspired my own Keren Ann mash - I just HAD to get my hands on that vocal following my first listen of this. If DRA'Man were a club, he'd be on Carnaby Street and only the coolest swingers in town would gain entrance. This is just beautiful.

Dunproofin' - Cheeky Track
The Human League vs. Chic



Another GYBO great, again reminding us why that site was just so chock full of talent. Andy is just the king of using multiple source stems, layering them to give something that is truly textured. This is sublime mashing from one of the legends.

Elocnep - Helix Is A Hot Mess
Justice vs. Chromeo



No one can spell his name, right? But everyone remember his name after this slab of electro brilliance. Absolute slammer from Nicholas and more proof that France is on fire right now with excellence in mashie.

Fissunix - Living for Love
Stevie Wonder vs. Rihanna



And how can I talk of France without mentioning my brother from another mother... my running partner... the incredible Fissunix. It's no secret that I adore Fred... hell, I've asked him to marry me on more than one occasion. The guy is possibly the greatest masher on the planet right now. And with tracks like this, I'll forever proudly call him mon ami. Joyous, uplifting, urging you to dance AND sing. Just off the charts.

Fissunix (featuring CLT) - River & Lights
Bruce Springsteen vs. Chase & Status vs. Drifta



It's a bit cheeky of me to include this, as it may indicate bias and self-adoration, but hey - my contributions were minimal. The idea was purely Fred's and the results captivating. Dum n' boss! Boss-step! Insane brilliance. And a Colatron driving anthem, you will often see me singing my heart out to this one in the Cola-mobile. Oh, how I love working with Fissunix...

Fissunix - HitzBreaker
Led Zeppelin vs. Sugarhill Gang vs. Chase & Status vs. James Brown



Fred is the greatest masher of Led Zeppelin in the world

Fissunix - Fugue to Die in E Minor
J.S. Bach vs. Jean Pascal Boffo vs. Lana Del Rey



Did I also mention that Fred is more Colatron than Colatron? When he does melancholy, the world weeps. Another example of why he is so versatile, and breath-taking in ability to use classical music as source files - this is the modern classical. Just heart-breaking and uplifting at the same time. Lush

Fissunix - Ramble On Blues
Led Zeppelin vs. David Holmes vs. The Doors



Did I mention that Fred is the greatest masher of Led Zeppelin in the world? Well...

Fissunix - One Way To Die In Your Arms
Jean Pierre Taieb vs. Cutting Crew



Ok - I know I said I wouldn't put these in any particular order, but hell - this is without doubt, my favourite mashup of the year. Everything about it is just perfect. It's very existence is just perfection - having watched The Divide, I mentioned to Fred that the soundtrack was incredible. I shared it with him and within a day, this was born. If a mashup was ever made to rip your heart out and make you cry whilst the Apocalypse occurs around you, this is that mash. No.1 track of the year, and easily one of the most beautiful of all time. ~Le sigh~

Frail Limb Purity - The Helixed Look
Roxette vs Justice and Don Diablo)



The incomparable FLP showed in 2012 why he's one of the most inventive, most original and breath-taking producers on the scene. Glitch? No problem. Crunk with booming dubstep beats of dooooom? Easy peasie. Tight edits that make you wonder if he was born half-robot? Does it in his sleep. This is prime example - a dancefloor killer of a guilty pleasure vocal. But I'm not mad bro.

Frail Limb Purity - 2Pac & Nas vs. John Denver and Pretty Lights



The one that introduced me to the amazing Pretty Lights (and more of that to follow from me soon)... this just makes me wanna ride the West Coast with that sun on my neck again and a low-rider full of honies (or maybe just the one, who knows who she is...). Sublime hip hop mashing.

Frail Limb Purity - Lullaby (FLP Edit)
The Cure



The one that just blew me away - a piece of Brit musical history given the 21st century spin that would make Robert Smith stand up and crack a smile. I really don't know how Ty does this stuff, and in my beloved DAW Sony Acid of all things!

G3RSt - Need Peace Tonight
INXS vs. The Sound Defects



The G-Man needs no introduction and 2012 again was a fantastic year for him. This track took the swinging sounds of the fabulous Sound Defects and turned it in to a low down, chilled sexathon. Yeah, sexathon. One to whisper to your beloved by.

G3RSt - No Digghetto
Blackstreet vs. Donny Hathaway



Another of my all-time vocals given a new/retro lease of life. Full of groove and soul, the G-Man had me reclining on the mash-sofa with a huge grin on my face listening to this piece of brilliance.

Hifi Banjo Strings - I Wanna Kiss You
Lady Antebellum vs. Keith Urban



Oh....hai, it's Olibear - the new kid on the block and one I can gladly call my friend, having seen the genius in action firsthand. This was the first track of his which made me stand up and say woah... One of those mashes where I didn't know either source song (though I'm familiar with the artists) and so the end result is so masterfully produced it sounds like an original. And it's just one big smoochie of a love mash. Brilliant

Hifi Banjo Strings - Young Highway
The Naked and Famous vs. Rascal Flatts



Oh Olibear - using one of my all time favourite instrumentals - it's just the most uplifting piece of music, that Naked and Famous track - he crafted a piece of sheer ingenious beauty with this one. A bona fide singalong anthem

Hifi Banjo Strings - Kill My Desires
Muse vs. Blue Stahli



Mr Stahli is fond of mashups and is quite keen to supply his source files for use, so when someone comes up with something as good as this, he must feel vindicated in his belief in our craft being a genuine musical art. This is a killer track.

Hifi Banjo Strings - Guardian Sail
Tyler James Willams vs. AWOLNATION



Quite simply the most powerful track I heard all year - it puts me in mind of one of those excellent songs used on the Assassin's Creed trailers (Woodkid and Imagine Dragons - j'adore!) and this could easily be used in advertising for some cool drama tv show or movie. And Disney does dubstep? Who'd have thunk it. Just brilliant!

LeeDM101 - Anti Jesus
Depeche Mode vs. Blue Stahli



The undisputed king of Depeche Mode mashies (he's named after them for god's sake.. you know he's legit), and the Anti-CLT as he's lovingly known to me - Lee just hit this one out of the park, with one of the finest pairings I've ever heard. An already hard slamming classic tune suddenly ramps up to feel like a hard slamming apocalyptic tune. If I were a Zombie hunter, this would be the soundtrack on my iPod

LeeDM101 - A Bluer Monday
New Order vs. Orgy vs. Zook vs. The Chemical Brothers vs. Cliff Martinez vs. Mad Professor vs. Suba vs. Trent Reznr & Atticus Ross vs. Girls Under Glass vs. Christina Marie Margenta vs. Nine Inch Nails



THIS is how a multi-source mash should be done. Intricately weaving several stems from a ton of sources, this is just insane. And the concept of having 3 different acapellas of the legendary Blue Monday at play - it's like a main course in a 3 Michelin Starred restaurant featuring various differently cooked piece of the same meat - first class musical dining. The raw emotion and power, the sublime structure, the sheer bravado of it... this is my 3rd favourite of the year. I bow down Anti-CLT

And check out the incredible video made by me good mate The Reborn Identity. Oh you KNOW he went and included my beloved Blade Runner... **airpunch**



LeeDM101 - Crazy Rabbit
Seal vs. UNKLE vs. Miles Davis vs. The Doors



Most people know, Rabbit In Your Headlights is one of my all time favourite tracks for various reasons, so when I first heard this work in progress when Lee asked me what I thought, it took me some time to respond since I had trouble picking myself up from off the floor. There was a pella of Seal's Crazy??? I had to find it, and that's were my own "I Reckon I'm Crazy" came from...

But then by the time this came out and the addition of Miles Davis and The Doors were complete?? Well, I nearly considered quitting the scene - I can't come close to this. The Anti-CLT finally won his war with me....

Loo & Placido - Beat It Freaks
Michael Jackson vs. Yuksek vs. The Noisy Freaks vs. Richard Cheese



The legendaary Loo & Placido returned this year with Retro Future Schok (vol 1) and a whole new generation of mashers was no doubt born in that instant. I can't state enough how influential these guys are and how many of us do what we do because of them. And now they've gone dubstep (Skrillex aside)... well, it's a pure game-changer.

This was the standout moment amongst a perfect mix. How to choose which one to go with? Well, that cheeky breakdown with Richard Cheese was the clincher...

Grab the whole thing here and give some love to true innovators of the scene



MadMix Mustang - What Have You Crushed Now
Within Temptation vs. Pendulum



The 3rd of my picks from Mixed Temptations, the mighty MMM stepped up to the plate and killed it with a wicked slab of d'n'b mashing with THOSE vocals. I was doing my own version when I heard this and promptly gave up. Just incredible vibes

Michmash - Intouchables
Ludovico Einaudi vs. Morcheeba feat. Thomas Dybdahl



Ok - Michel got me with this one... I love mashing film scores (and Ludovico!) and I love mashing THAT Thomas Dybdahl vocal. So... this is the perfect combination that I wish I had made myself. Best listened to with a fine Chardonnay on the sofa with the lights down low and your beloved next to you. Beautiful work.

Michmash - Ramble On
Led Zeppelin vs. De Palmas



Ramble On is probably my favourite Zep track so to hear it in this setting with a mellow rock track behind it - fantastic. Michel gave us such a smooth production on this, I couldn't help but fall in love upon first listening and I still love it now. And that cheeky intro! Bravo mon ami, bravo.

Mighty Mike - Remember My Dollar
Blue Boy vs Aloe Blaac



The first truly brilliant track I heard in 2012, my mate Mike took a long forgotten but much loved dance classic and spiced it up with the breakout soul sensation Aloe Blaac and created a soulful, smooth classic in it's own right that I just couldn't get enough of.

Mighty Mike - City Down Under
M83 vs. Men At Work



The 4th best mashie of the year, this one came out of leftfield. Men At Work is a huge guilty pleasure of mine, and my friends and I will often be found singing our hearts out to it in the pub, at weddings, for the sake of it, etc. so to hear it suddenly paired with the incredible sounds of M83 - just visionary stuff from Mike and one of those mashies that completely changes the context of the vocal. Beautiful

Phil Retrospector - Roxanne's Video Games
Lana Del Rey vs. The Police



The maestro. The guy who more than anyone else is responsible for the sound of CLT as you know it today. Phil is just quite simply an artist. And this is music made for melancholics.

Phil Retrospector - The Joy Is Getting Married
Joy Division vs. Sinead O'Connor



No words necessary. Just listen. Wow.

Phil Retrospector - Lana Adele Rey
Lana Del Rey vs. Adele



As Phil himself says "Best listened to with a big glass of gin and mascara runnin' down your face". The two biggest female vocalists of the year combine in one amazing 4 and a half minutes of melancholy that will have you picking your heart up from the pavement by the end of it. Lush like green turf.

Rrodd - Spectrum's Cave
Zedd feat Matthew Koma vs. Mumford & Sons



Rod wins my award this year for the Most Improved Masher of 2012 - in 12 short months it's been an absolute pleasure to watch/hear him grow, develop and hone his skills in to a great masher who I tip to do amazing things in 2013. And all of his hard work and effort culminated in this - the sound of now encapsulated in a brilliant piece of mashing that has that awesome ethereal vibe. Again, this is a track I wish I had made myself. Stunning.

Rhythm Scholar - Figure It Out (remix)
Serj Tankian



There's a handful of guys on our scene that work mainly in remixes, and the legendary Copycat aside, RS is THE man when it comes to remixes. Seriously, how he's not professionally employed in this art is over my head. He just smashes every remix he touches out of the park. And THIS is a prime example, in a seamless fusion of rock meeting funk. The SOAD vocalist never sounded more now than in this amazing remix.

SpareElbowSkin - She Loved Fireflies
Owl City vs. Maroon 5 vs. SpareElbowSkin



The dude with the greatest producer name in mash today came up with something so blindingly obvious and yet so much better than both the original tracks, it's just a small piece of perfection in pop format. And much kudos for the additional production too!

SpareElbowSkin - Landsmile
Fleetwood Mac vs. Lily Allen vs. SpareElbowSkin



Incredible stuff from SES and my 5th favourite of the year. The structural arrangement of this is just off the charts, turning the usually annoying Lily Allen in to some kind of lounge crooner with a ton of heartbreak upon her shoulder. Tempered by the beautiful guitars of Fleetwood Mac and more additional production from SES himself, this is the song I want to sing to my beloved and she will just KNOW she makes me smile.

The Bootleague - Jump On The Fifth
House of Pain vs. Soulwax vs. Walter Murphy vs. Beethoven



Channelling the spirit of old-school A+D, the guys at the Bootleague took an old disco classic and turned it in to an absolute beast of a party chooooon for my mates at the mashupradio.com. I defy you to not throw your hands up in the air and jump around to this.

The Kleptones - I Want You Back (Kleptones "Reunited" Remix)
Michael Jackson vs. The Esso Trinidad Steel Band



Some guys on this scene can do no wrong. Everything they touch literally turns to gold. The Kleptones are one such unit. I have never heard a track from them that didn't make me grin, dance or air-punch. They're simply one of the greatest acts in the world, and if you are ever lucky enough to catch their live show - it's an unbelieveable treat. They just capture the very essence and fun of mashups. So it was fantastic to have them back this year with a couple of new tracks, this one just capturing my heart for sheer cheekiness and fun.

The Reborn Identity - Rocket to the End of the World
Elton John vs. Alex Metric & Charli XCX vs. UNKLE vs. Jusky Rescue vs. Dead Can Dance



What - you didn't think I was going to have a best of 2012 without my best friend Gav mentioned did you?? It's been a crazy old year for Gav which is ending on a very high note as we speak which for him I am chuffed to bits, but for us, means new RI material few and far between. Which gives me sad face. But all the more reason to celebrate his genius via the music he did give us.

This track was a part of his planned space opera, which I truly hope one day gets finished because on the back of this, it's would be one huge trip through the melancholy cosmos. Tension, bliss, and Elton John all in one glorious audial package.

The Reborn Identity - This Charming Video Game
The Smiths vs. Lana Del Rey



The one that went viral. There aren't superlatives enough for this track, and this was captured in it's huge numbers of plays and inclusion on UK national Radio One playlists. The Smiths are legends and off the back of this, so is Gav.

The Reborn Identity - Rumours Have It
Fleetwood Mac vs. Adele



And here you have my 2nd fave mash of the year (was SOOOOOO close to coming first). Again, something so simple, yet so perfect in tone and exectution. Maybe I'm going soft with all the Adele tracks that have made this list this year, but this is by a country mile the best. I can't put my finger on why it moves me so much (it could be the pure sex-ness of THAT Fleetwood Mac hook or the pitch perfectness of Adele's vocal to the guitar plus the fact that the backing vocals just melt in to glorious harmony), but it just does. I bow down once again to the Reborn Identity and his awesomeness.



The Reborn Identity - Tarzan and Rain
Adele vs. Baltimora



And for completeness' sake - here's my ultimate guilty pleasure choooon of the year. Campy tracks with psuedo-yodelling never sounded so ace.

Well done Gav - hurry back soooooooon!

ViC - Michael83
INXS vs. M83



Another track featuring the sublime M83 track and another track featuring that classic INXS vocal, so interesting in context to hear them both appear in this format. ViC was on blinding form this year and everything he touched was just standout mashing moments of the year for me. This is a pure dancefloor killer for me. Perfect

ViC - Blind Faith In Morcheeba
Chase & Status vs. Morcheeba



Another killer dancefloor track to my mind, and another blinding Morcheeba mash from the Morcheeboot 2 album. The harmony and beats just combine to create some kind of epic chemical reaction in my body that makes me just want to thrown my arms to the sky and sing/dance along. Bloody beautiful and invigorating.

ViC - Daft Road
C2C vs. Daft Punk



Again...speechless. Just listen. And tell me this isn't awesome. Viva la Belgique!



Wax Audio - Golden Teardrops
The Beatles vs. Massive Attack



One of the standout moments for me in 2012 was the long awaited return of my friend, the legendary Wax Audio. Anyone who knows Tom knows he is simply the nicest guy in mash and a true audiophile who crafts things to within a fraction of perfection. His Mashopolos albums are just flawless.

Yet amongst all the expected metal solos and funk basslines was this - a moment of tenderness and sheer beauty which comepletely took me by surprise. I mean, who on earth would think to try and drop Golden Slumbers, let alone in that setting? Tom Wax - that's who.

Genius doesn't become to come close to describing this. Yet another track I wish I'd made (though I seriously doubt I would have the skillz) and on the list of tracks to be played at the Cola-funeral, I want this near the top of the bill.

Be sure to watch the sublime video in fullscreen HD



Wax Audio - Master of Doin' It
Metallica vs. Herbie Hancock



And what better way to complete the list than with this funk soul odyssey of a metal behemoth? Oh god, this is awesome. Sex rock. The funk progressions and the integration of riffs from the Metallica track just convey again why Tom is simply the best. **making hand gesture of the Devil**. You will not hear a better rock track ever again.

Please oh please, I know you're a busy guy my friend but you know I'm begging you for Mashopolos IV - Music for Andy.




And so dear Cola-fans, there you have it. 70 of the best tracks from not just the mash scene, but music in general. I apologise to anyone I missed from the list - it was just so hard to nail down a concise (!) list of brilliance when it's just been such a fantastic year, but you know Colatron loves you all anyway!

A huge thank you this year to the boys and girls at Mashstix, to my good friends at Mashupradio.com, to all the fans who have clicked play just once and to those that actually downloaded anything, the Cola-tab is open at the bar and you're all welcome to have a beer on me. And finally of course, thank you to every single guy or girl that opened a DAW this year and tinkered, toyed, sculpted or crafted a mashup. You keep this scene alive and keep me feeling young and trendy. I LOVE YOU GUYS!

Happy Christmas and/or Festivities everyone.

Looking forward to 2013 already

Much love
Andy CLT