Top RankingSantogold & Diplo
(MAD DECENT)
At its heart, Top Ranking is a never-ending journey through the record collections of New York pop-rock artist Santogold and Philadelphia DJ Diplo. The two artists barely fit in to their own genres, so it’s no surprise that Top Ranking flosses reggae, rock, electronica and hip hop.
Regardless of former punk rocker Santogold’s well-received self-titled debut and her Bud Lime-friendly “Lights Out,” I get the sense Top Ranking was written based on the collaborators’ common love for diverse music.
The entire project is well-rounded: Diplo impeccably mixes, and remixes; Santogold pulls from her vault of songs she might never have shown. They sandwich B-52s tracks, Aretha Franklin, and Diplo’s Panda Bear remix of “Lights Out” (Diplo’s Panda Bear Remix) and the unreleased Santogold gem “Guns of Brooklyn,” a justified update of The Clash tune, “The Guns of Brixton.”
Adding a hip-hop twist to the project is rapper Kid Cudi, who makes impresses on on the Graeme and Switch remix of Santogold’s “You’ll Find A Way,” as does Spank Rock affiliate Amanda Blank on Diplo’s remix of Santogold’s “I’m A Lady.” Diplo blends the beat from “Posse On Broadway” with Santogold’s chorus from “I’m A Lady,” and Blank breaks through with one simple yet breathtaking verse, inspired by Biz Markie’s “I Need Love.”
With 35 tracks, it’s no surprise that this journey veers off course a few times. But Tony Matterhorn’s “Big Belly Guns,” Sister Nancy’s “Pigeon Rock” and Prince Jazzbo’s “Ital Corner” just don’t seem to fit on such a party-ready mix, and a half-dozen tracks could’ve been shaved off. Buy it for, if nothing else, Diplo’s incredible DJ skills and remixes and the unreleased Santogold. —Aaron Frank
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