Beatmixed

Last year, in its review of “The Best Mashups In The World Ever Are From San Francisco,” Remix magazine took note of the city’s “red-hot bastard-pop scene” and gave the underground compilation 4 1/2 out of 5 stars. Now, hot on the heels of that provocatively-titled CD comes its follow-up — “The Best Mashups In The World Ever Are From San Francisco 2″ — and it’s that rare sequel that actually surpasses the artistry of its predecessor.

Given the fact that the current concept of the “mashup” is still relatively young, it should come as no surprise that the genre is still developing and maturing. And no one is pushing the boundaries of the artform more than the DJs and mashup producers of the San Francisco Bay Area.

Featuring 19 tracks by 13 of the Bay Area’s best DJs and artists, “The Best Mashups In The World Ever Are From San Francisco 2″ proves once again why SF is known as ground zero of the American mashup scene. In March 2006, Marke B. wrote in the San Francisco Bay Guardian, “The Bay Area has proved a fertile ground, producing a freaky cadre of experimental bastard-pop artists that rivals London’s snider, status-obsessed lawsuit-baiters and New York’s hip-hop-flavored laptop jockeys.”

While the classic mashup formula of A vs. B is amply represented on this new compilation, there are also several trailblazing efforts that stretch the concept of what is known as bastard pop. “We’re just a freckle past the hair when mashups, those quasi-legal, bastard-pop children of sampling software and hit-and-run blogging, grow up into a genuine form of artistic expression,” writes Marke B. “Mashups can now stop adding up to mere punch lines and start to speak a complex language all their own.”

Nowhere is that more evident than on “The Best Mashups In The World Ever Are From San Francisco 2″ … and you can dance to it!

track listing:

1. A plus D - Beethoven’s Fifth Gold Digger
2. Tripp - Super Holla Tricka
3. Jay-R - My Other Car Is A Beatle
4. Jay-R - S.L.H. (Sri Lanka High)
5. A plus D - An Honest M.I.A.
6. Party Ben - Somebody Rock Me
7. DJ John - Victim of Da Funk
8. Party Ben - Walking With A Ghost In Paris
9. Earworm - Don’t Mess With Orgasmatron
10. Earworm - Since U Been Gahan
11. Matt Hite - Lovemakers On Video
12. Party Ben - Drop It Like It’s Whole Lotta Love
13. A plus D - I’m Really Hot Hot Hot!!!
14. The Silence Xperiment - Wannabe My Badd Bitch
15. Mei-Lwun - Neutron Disco
16. Tristan Shout - (Just Can’t Get) Enough Music
17. Evolution Control Committee - Fock It
18. Motion Potion - Break Yourself
19. Fidelski - Feels Like Making La-Di-Da

My sources tell me that the CD is currently in stock at Medium Rare and Tower Records (Castro) in San Francisco, and it should also be available at Amoeba in both San Francisco and Hollywood by the weekend. Within the next few weeks, online retailer outlets will also carry it — I’ll post more information concerning online availability soon.