Girl Talk
“Night Ripper”
ILLEGAL ART
(Out Of 5)
Pittsburgh DJ Girl Talk’s new album, “Night
Ripper,” is to dance parties what tequila is to a quiet
night: a bombastic catalyst.
Girl Talk (real name: Gregg Gillis) is known for creating
mash-ups ““ that is, amalgams sampling songs together to
create one cohesive track. It’s been done before, most
famously on Danger Mouse’s “Grey Album,” a
mash-up of Jay-Z and The Beatles. Girl Talk, however, takes this
genre and injects it with 10,000 cc of ridiculous.
Instead of lumping two songs together to make something that
sounds cool, Girl Talk goes ballistic and samples over 100 artists
in 40 minutes. The album is already notable for this one reason
““ after all, sampling 100 artists in 40 minutes isn’t
something that is seen every day. Yet the skill with which Girl
Talk mashes these samples together is what makes “Night
Ripper” one of the best albums of 2006.
There is little point in discussing individual tracks, as the
album is really meant to be one giant listening experience. The
best way to describe what “Night Ripper” sounds like
would be through an analysis of the track “Too Deep.”
In a little over a minute, “Too Deep” flies through
samples of The Beatles’ “Come Together,”
Nelly’s “Grillz” and The Smashing Pumpkins’
“Today,” before coming back to a mash-up of Paul Wall,
Clipse’s “Grindin'” and Phantom
Planet’s “California,” better known as the theme
song from “The O.C.”
Don’t think for a minute that “Too Deep” is an
anomaly. Other mind-boggling highlights include a mash-up of the
Ying Yang Twins’ infamous “Wait” with The
Verve’s “Bittersweet Symphony,” Slim Thug’s
“I Ain’t Heard of That” with Oasis’
“Wonderwall,” and Notorious B.I.G. with a sped-up
version of Elton John’s “Tiny Dancer.”
Words can’t describe the aural madness that is
“Night Ripper.” To be appreciated, the album simply
needs to be played at a party. The record’s effect will show
on the faces of partygoers much like countless tequila shots:
glazed-over stares and embarrassing yet uncontrollable dancing.
The difference? “Night Ripper” won’t make you
lose your lunch. But its infectious danceability may cost you your
dignity.