With You Everything Feels Ecstatic

Nump featuring M.I.A. “I Got Grapes (Remix)” – Aside from the extremely high quality of its hooks and beats, the most compelling thing about Arular was the very sound of M.I.A.’s voice. Everyone who ever compared her to Johnny Rotten was completely right on; she has the same sort of imperious tone, evil wit, and nihilistic glee. The latter most often manifests itself in apparently value-neutral references to terrorism, which in in this remix comes in the form of name dropping Osama bin Laden as she hijacks the first minute and a half of Nump’s track. Her style is so overpowering that by the time she’s gone, it sounds like the DJ has mixed into another song completely though the beat remains exactly the same. Don’t tune out when she leaves — the Nump single is strong enough to merit your attention with or without her. (Click here to buy it from DJ Shadow Merchandise.)

Revl9n “The Box” – Long term readers may remember Revl9n’s “Walking Machine,” one of the leftfield highlights of this blog circa 2004. At long last, Revl9n have a full length record featuring the track, and though to be honest it’s not all up to the high standard of “Walking Machine,” the group turn out some impressive tracks when they are aiming less for fashion mag sleaze and more for angst-ridden existential synthpop. “The Box” is overflowing with neuroses and emotional distress, with a track that sounds jumpy and anxious except for in the brief moments when it finds some peace of mind in a high pitched-keyboard break that sounds like something out of a mid-80s Madonna knockoff. (Click here to buy it from Amazon.)

Elsewhere: It’s a little late, but my review of You, Me, and Dupree is up on The Movie Binge. Coming tomorrow: My review of The Lady in the Water, which is easily one of the worst films that I’ve seen in a good long time.