Santogold & Diplo - Top Ranking

Hot on the heels of her critically acclaimed self titled debut album, Santogold returns alongside mash-up king Diplo with Top Ranking, a mixtape of epic proportions. The album morphs her previous work on the Santogold album into another universe, with the DJing skills of Diplo giving her exquisite tracks a completely transformed set of meanings.

The album beings with a hip-hop inspired set of remixes of her tracks Shuv It and I’m A Lady, mashing it up with Three 6 Mafia and Sir-Mix-A-Lot. The vocals of Santogold’s originals are interspersed between tracks effortlessly. Diplo also went for older gems from Aretha Franklin, Devo and the B52s, and to his credit it sounds as if they’re the most natural progression of tracks. Moving through completely unrelated spheres of music and journeying through the decades of popular music, the final result sees Santogold and Diplo show why they’re two of the most unique artists in the business today. The remixes of Santogold’s original tracks are compelling; it is as if they are completely different pieces of music. Think of the original of You’ll Find A Way and compare it to the Graeme & Switch remix and you’ll get what I mean. This album features remixes from the finest in their league, including Switch, Radioclit and XXXchange of Spank Rock. Not to mention guest performances from Mark Ronson, Kid Cudi and yes, you guessed it, M.I.A.

Dancehall and dub are prominent around the middle of the album, with Jamaican and tribal African sounds providing a glimpse of Santogold’s passion for a wider range of music. Fans will also be thrilled with three new tracks from Santogold, which are positioned to further highlight how they’ve inspired her musical style. The album’s shining star is the Radioclit remix of Get It Up, featuring Gorilla Zoe and M.I.A. It is Galang Part II, with a world music inspired stomp. The distorted antique vocals of another new offering, Guns Of Brooklyn, make it seem like the track is straight from the 1950s. It sounds weird, but it works oh so well. The latter half of the album reveals even more choice of the pioneers of the reggae and dancehall genres, including Sister Nancy, Desmond Dekker and Shinehead. It becomes obvious that this is a structured album, despite the randomness of many of the choices.

There is so much to say about this record, it’s as if everything is meaningful and every track included displays something totally fresh. Yet, it all comes down to the eclectic tastes of Diplo and Santogold, as they make the mixtape work so well. This album touches on soul, hip-hop, new wave, pop, dancehall, dub, reggae, punk and rock. Not to mention traditional world music. It is obvious when Diplo is exerting his skills and when Santogold is the more prominent feature, and the two have their time to shine. By the end of the album you feel you know a little more about their musical influences, from high-school inspirations to current trends that have shaped their styles. An essential listen!

Tracklisting:

1. Dub Selection – Intro
2. 3-6 Mafia – Late Night (Unstoppable Mix)
3. Santogold – Shuv It (Disco D Blend) [EXCLUSIVE]
4. Santogold – I’m A Lady (Diplo Mix Ft Amanda Blank) [EXCLUSIVE]
5. Sir Mixalot – Posse On Broadway
6. Santogold – Lights Out (Diplo’s Panda Bear Mix) [EXCLUSIVE]
7. Aretha Franklin – Save Me
8. Devo – Be Stiff
9. B52’s – Mesopotamia
10. Gerri And The Holograms – Gerri And The Holograms
11. Santogold – Anne (Switch Mix) [EXCLUSIVE]
12. Santogold – LES Artistes (XXXchange Mix Ft Movado)
13. Cutty Ranks – Dutty Six Pack [EXCLUSIVE]
14. Santogold – Find A Way (Graeme and Switch Mix Ft Kid Cudi) / Lunar Camel [EXCLUSIVE]
15. Richie Spice x Ratatat – Marijuana
16. Desmond Dekker – Shanty Town
17. Santogold – Guns Of Brooklyn [EXCLUSIVE]
18. Dixie Cups – Iko Iko
19. Tony Matterhorn – Big Belly Guns [EXCLUSIVE]
20. Santogold – Get It Up (Radioclit mix Ft MIA & Gorilla Zoe) [EXCLUSIVE]
21. Mark Ronson In Studio
22. Trouble Andrew – Run – Hide
23. Sister Nancy – Pigeon Rock
24. Nora Dean – Barbwire
25. Shinehead – Know How Fe Chat
26. Clash – Ghetto Defendant
27. Warrior Queen – Check It
28. Santogold x Benga – Unstoppable / Night Dub [EXCLUSIVE]
29. Shawty Lo x Skream – They Know / Stagger
30. Santogold – Creator (Mumdance Mix ft Jammer, Badness, Chronik Rage, Slikman & Tempz) [EXCLUSIVE]
31. Xray / Turbulence Duplate (Starstruck Diplo Mix) [EXCLUSIVE]
32. Barrington Levy – Send A Moses
33. Prince Jazzbo – Ital Corner
34. Santogold – Icarus [EXCLUSIVE]
35. Santogold x Diplo – Right Brigade (hidden track) [EXCLUSIVE]