Don’t you just love it when you discover something new?
A little coffee shop that serves fantastic char kuay teow that only you know about, perhaps?
What about a bar packed with sweet 20-somethings with great music but no cover charge?
In the same vein, I just made a rewarding discovery over the weekend. It’s the musical misfits who call themselves by many names (just like God, or the Devil) : 2 Many DJ’s/Soulwax/Flying Dewaele Brothers/Samantha Fu/Kawazaki. I refer to them as Soulwax because that is the moniker by which I was acquainted with.

I do not want to introduce their music any further without first introducing the aforementioned interesting piece of mashup. Imagine: Nirvana’s “Smells like teen spirit” on one side, Destiny’s Child’s “Bootylicious” on the other. Head on collision. Would never work rite? Try giving the song a listen, then reconsider.

To listen:
1.Visit this website.
2.Click on the heading that says “JUKEBOX”.
3.Scroll through the leftmost column that says “Audio” until you reach ‘Soulwax Mashups’.
4.Click on the song title “Smells like Booty (Nirvana vs Destiny’s Child)”.

After listening to that explosive track, you’d probably reckon that these fellas spend their musical career ripping off other people’s music and call it their own. If you did, then you are right in a sense. But mind you, they do it with a can of whoop-ass.
Soulwax is an electro-alternative band, and by the looks of their discography, they did tonnes of covers, remixes and mashups of other bands songs. They are also musicians in their own right who create fantastic music of their own as well.
I like the way their bad(-ass?) electric guitar riffs and thumping bass and driving rhythms seem to give a midas touch in pushing the energy levels of the original song through the roof. They remake many songs that were originally tame indie or pop standards with a mean rock ‘n roll twist, which is what I like.

If you don’t believe me, browse the jukebox and check out some other tracks they did. Some notable ones that I had time to hear were:

1. The Gossip’s “Standing in The Way Of Control” (Soulwax Nite Version)
2. The Clash vs Basement Jaxx mashup “Magnificient Romeo”
3. Kyluss Minogue “Can’t get you out of my head”
4. Sugababes “Round Round”

I am certain you’d be, at least, tapping your feet to either of them songs. Provided, you are a fan of indie/electronica/indie-electro/dance music. My earlier exposure to indie-electro music had resulted in me abandoning this subgenre in favour of their separate genres (indie and electronica), concluding this subgenre as a dull, unimaginative offshoot that would be hard-pressed to bring the house down. Discovering such fresh sounds now however, prompts me to reconsider my position on this type of music. Thank you, Essential Mix on BBC Radio 1, for featuring them in 2005, and re-featuring them in 2007. You always know how to cheer up a disappointed music fan.

KL clubbing event managers, bring them in and I’ll kiss your shoes. I got enough of the lame stuff I’ve been fed with lately.