At Road 2 Nowhere one of my many aims is to share awesome remixes with anyone who will listen, it’s a series I call Mix-tastic! On with the mixes!

Animal (The Crookers remix) – Miike Snow

There is little to know out there in the intertubes on this Miike Snow entity. The Miike Snow myspace page is incredibly minimalistic, featuring only a large bunny with antlers silhouette and the myspace the music player, with several fun offerings, including this track, and the original.

The Crookers, on the other hand, are quickly becoming a household name, well at least within certain demographics. They still cannot seem to secure a page on Wikipedia though. This remix is a little different from The Crookers, as it lacks that super thick base we’re accustomed to hearing from the Italian pair, but that doesn’t mean it lacks funky rhthyms! The track has a subdued base line and dancable percusions that perfectly acompany Miik Smow’s vocals. A track well worth the download!

Infinity 2008 – Guru Josh Project

The Guru Josh Project website describes its members as “three people who have a love for electronic music and old school 90 rave music…” who want to “…bring back the magic of the 90’s dance scene with a fresh and up to date new sound”. From listening to Infinity 2008 I believe that they are in fact bringing back the magic. Once this track finds it’s way onto your mp3 player there is so going back. The addictive tune finds it way to the front of the playlist to make you dance, late 90s style.

The remake of Guru Josh’s 1989 single,Infinity, has a fresh feel while maintaining just enough nostalgia for those of us who remember 1989. There’s no word on any future projects by these 3, though they each have independent efforts in the works.

I just got home, and the house is empty… I though Perfect would be here, but he’s not. It’s feeling a little lonely in our tiny apartment, and I’m not sure what to do with myself. I guess I’ll find some music for feeling lonely to, and share it with you!

Four Ton Mantis – Amon Tobin

The image of the great Mantis weighing four tons created by Amon Tobin’s instrumental piece, Four Ton Mantis, is that of powerful, strong and scary creature, but at his core, he is lonely,Very lonely. The Mantis had no one to travel the Earth with, no one to share his experiences with, no one to tell his stories to. He is searching for something, anything to fill the void in his soul, as the screams of terror follow in his wake.  At least that’s my interpretation of the song.

From Amon Tobin’s turn of the century album, Supermodified, the track showcases Tobin’s originality. The track paints a full picture of a gigantic insect terrorizing the city streets with his sampling and mixing. It has been nearly two years since Tobin’s last release, but watch for new stuff from the Brazillian electronic musician early 2009, as he’s been working with Doubleclick, together as Two Fingers.

Another Lonely Day – Ben Harper

This track has been breaking my heart for over 12 years now. From Ben Harper’s 1995 debut album, Fight for Your Mind, the song strays from the politically driven album to tell the sad story of a breakup, and the heartbreak that goes with it. The song is simple, with just Harper’s vocals and acoustic guitar, but it is powerful, ripe with emotion to keep you company at times like these.

Ben Harper hasn’t released anything official since 2007 either, but you can find him playing with Tom Freund on Last Call with Carson Daly from earlier this week, and watch for him on the festival circuit next spring, he already has a few dates listed on his myspace page.

I hope Perfect comes home soon!

I Got You Dancing – Lady Sovereign

After a month away from home, I’m back in step with my usual routines, which includes be-bopping at my desk to Annie Mac’s Mashup via the listen again feature. This week she expressed her surprise at how decent Lady Sovereign’s new track is… I’ll admit, it’s a good one, and I’m surprised too! Lady Sovereign is offering this track as a free bonus to fans as we wait for her to put the finishing touches on the new album,  Jigsaw, which is due out in April.

I’ve noticed an interesting phenomenon here in Peru: Latin America has a certain selection of North American entertainment that didn’t make it to the masses back home (or at least, I’ve never heard of them). For example, I watched the film The House of the Spirits last night, it’s a star studded (Jeremy Irons, Meryl Streep, Glenn Close, Winona Ryder, and Antonio Banderas), fairly decent drama from 1993. The Bille August film follows the lives of a Chilean family, ending during the 1973 military coup d’état. I enjoyed the movie because of the incredible cast, the beautiful filmography, and the unexpected history lesson.

No Hay Egual – Nelly Furtado

Nelly Furtado, a talented musician from one of my favourite Canadian cites, Victoria, also snuck one by my with her 2006 Spanish release of the single No Hay Igual. Timberland produced this very dancable, fresh track with a latin flare (beyond the Spanish lyrics), as he did the full album Loose, which this track was released on. My exposure to this track was from MTV Latin America. The video was filmed in Puerto Rico with Reggaeton artist René Pérez (from Calle 13). Enjoy:

Note: I wrote this post, and the next one in Peru this past month, but was unable to post them at the time. I’m now back safe and sound in North America. Needless to say, the New Years show mentioned below has come and gone.

I have been in Lima, Peru for the past 2 weeks. I’ve been having an amazing time! The people are amazing, and I have seen so many brilliant things. I’m sadened to admit that my trip here is already half over. But there is one thing about Peru that is driving me banana sandwich… the coffee! As a complete Pacific Northwest coffee addict, I am finding it difficult to adjust to the coffee culture, or the lack thereof, here in Peru.

Lima dosen’t quite have as many Starbucks’ as Vancouver does, but it doesn’t take very long to find one, but they do not provide the same coffee experience as at home. The fresh brew is weak, and there is no cream, just milk or evaporated milk. On occasion if you ask for an americano con leche, you get a lovely, strong caffinated delight, but at other times the use evaporated milk instead of hot water… in the same cafe! What the ef is that about?

This morning I ordered an americano con leche at a new cafe and the added two spoonfuls of sugar without asking me. I was annoyed and thought the act was terribly presumptuous. Perfect says I should respect the culture. Either way, the lack of a proper coffee by my humble standards, is starting to make me mean.

I don’t want no sugar in my coffee
Makes me mean, it makes me mean
I don’t want no sugar in my coffee
Makes me mean, makes me mean

Sugar in my Coffee – Big Sugar

From Big Sugar’s 1994 album, Five Hundred Pounds, this track certainly embodies how I feel right now in classic Big Sugar style. This great Canadian band blends Blues and Reggae influences into a rocking, unique sound. I have long loved Big Sugar, and recommend anything that they put out during their decade recording together. If you are going to be in Edmonton this New Year’s Eve, check out Gordie Johnson and Mr. Chill play Big Sugar favourites with The Trews! Click link for more details.