I went to iTunes to download an album I had given to my mother, “hOMe For the Holidays” — an EXCELLENT mix of christmastime grizooves (check out the “Charlie Brown Cut Up” ) and one of the “top downloads” was from an album called Holiday Lounge. Lo and Behold, my boy Ohmega Watts (Portland’s own, from the group Lightheaded) had a track on there, which happens to also be my favorite on the joint! Called “I’ll Be Home For Christmas” –in his classic crate digging style, he takes some joint i hadn’t heard before and freaks it — simply but funkalicious.
“hOMe for the Holidays” provides a grip of absolutely new material (the
“Peace On Earth” and “Still Still Still” by Kaskade, are absolute Om loveliness), and does some treatments to classics (King Kooba’s
“O Christmas Tree” does hella well working a Charlie Brown-esque remix of the original). This album is perfect for entertaining friends, and just chilling out, really, anytime of the year.
The album “Holiday Lounge” is different from the Om Records joint, in that it takes old school christmas songs and updates them, to mixed results. There are some absolute fun (try “Baby it’s Cold Outside”–a remix of the Louis Armstrong joint), and bangers on the album…sometimes the tracks amount to nothing more than a mere loop with the old song mixed in. They did a great job mastering the album, however, to give it a consistent feel, given the amount of artists who did remixes for the album, including Dan the Automator and Future Loop Foundation, among others.
“Christmas Eclectic” is another album i picked up during my iTunes excursion. It’s got some mixes by Ming & FS and Juan Atkins among others. It’s just about in the middle of HFTH and HL, sound wise–with a few hip hop remixes, and a “neo-lounge” style. A good way to round out your party.
