Let’s Keep Milking This

Hullo, there! Could you deliver me a visual gag, please?

This isn’t the first time I’ve posted while writing a paper for my Homer class, but it will be the last. I know, let’s start getting sentimental already. I will never be reading the Iliad again in college. Can you believe it? The end of an era. Luckily for you dudes, I only listen to the hoppingest jams while writing papers. Maybe you’re in the midst of finals, and can relate. Or maybe you’re lucky, and it’s going to be a typical Thursday night, replete with chicken-noodle-souping ’til your legs are jelly, in a completely bizarre turn of food-related events. Either way, here comes Milkman, ready to bring you the music you need. And it’s all courtesy of the Show.

I’m a sucker for a good compositional sampling album, and even more so when it employs samples I haven’t heard mashed up before. At this point, a lot of the samples you hear you’ve already heard in an album or three. Yes, part of the novelty of these albums is the recognition effect, which Girl Talk recognized and capitalized on in his live shows, which led most directly to the proliferation of CompSampling acts. (And yes, I know all about 2 Many DJs, but it would be hard to argue they did more to popularize mashups than Girl Talk.) Milkman, a college-student DJ from California, has won all kinds of critical acclaim, so I’ll save my own personal accolades. He’s not my favorite mashup DJ ever (that distinction still goes to E-603, though he needs to get that new album out. Amirite?), but he does provide amazing mashups, which are sure to please.

Unlike all the other mashup artists I’ve heard, Milkman chooses to keep his songs as discrete tracks, meaning there’s no seamless transitions between tracks or continuity of samples. This does mean, however, that the good moments don’t end up getting played out as much as in, say, my least-favorite mash-up artist EASTER EGG’s albums. And there are some awesome moments in the album. Keep your ears peeled for some real gem-samples, like Israel Kamakawiwo’ole’s take on “Over the Rainbow,” Hanson’s immortal “Mmmbop,” or the moment where “Mr. Jones” and “Say Yeah” come together to melt your brain. Tasty tasty milk, man (sorry, I couldn’t help myself).

Circle of Fifths – Milkman (mega) (YSI)

Want It All – Milkman (mega) (YSI)

Good Sex – Milkman (mega) (YSI)

Touch – Milkman (mega) (YSI)

Buy his newest album, Circle of Fifths, here. You’re gonna need it for your next paper/party. And while you’re at the site, be sure to grab his first album, Lactose and THC, which is available for free there.