Bugged Out! presents Suck My Deck: Mixed by Friendly Fires

Bugged Out! presents Suck My Deck: Mixed by Friendly Fires
More mixed compilations got promoted to me in 2010 than in any other year. Somehow Bugged Out!’s latest installation mixed by Friendly Fires slipped through the cracks when it was released back in October. The album recently resurfaced in my “to be reviewed” pile so I decided to throw it in and see what it had to offer more than the four volumes of DJ-Kicks released last year.
I know it might not seem fair to compare compilations to legendary DJ-Kicks series but DJ-Kicks is the industry standard in my opinion so I feel like I have to. Last year DJ-Kicks released mixes by Juan Maclean, James Holden, Kode9, and Apparat. Friendly Fires probably has as much name recognition in the states as all of those artists with the exception of Juan Maclean who is probably slightly more famous because of his association with DFA Records. Friendly Fires’ popularity is much more pronounced in their native UK where they have been nominated the Mercury Prize in 2009 and won two Brit Awards in 2010. The group is popular for their mixture of dance punk and shoegaze influences. Their Bugged Out! mix explores their dance punk side.
The compilation starts off with a track from the 1980’s rapper Egyptian Lover. His track 1986 single “Freak-A-Holic” sets the tone for the entire compilation. The track is a dance-tinged hip hop track that is heavy on quirkiness.
The album goes on to feature tracks by the likes of Lindstrom & Christabelle, Rebotini, and George Kranz among others. If you read that list and knew none of those artists, don’t worry you’re not alone but sadly those are the most noteworthy artists included on the compilation. The compilation is heavy on schmaltzy 80s dance vibes from relatively obscure artists. The vibes actually work for a while but after about a half hour of the mix, I found myself wishing to hear something slightly more modern sounding. The compilation rebounds towards the end with George Kranz’s classic “Din Daa Daa” but overall, the mix does not stand out in last year’s abundant crop of compilation mixes.
Rating: 7.7/10
MP3: Friendly Fires “Stay Here”
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