Remix the Beach: Absolute Hotness

Feed me Pet Tunes.

God Only Knows
Bullion
Pet Sounds: In the Key of Dee
2007
[Listen]

Let's Go Away For a While
Bullion
Pet Sounds: In the Key of Dee
2007
[Listen]

You Still Believe in Dee
Bullion
Pet Sounds: In the Key of Dee
2007
[Listen]

Recently I was tipped off to Bullion ["Boo-lee-on"], a dude whose Hip-hop has reigned dominance in my playlist, beating on my eardrums exclusively for the last 72 hours straight while seriously rocking everything else out of my personal soundtrack - Hey, sometimes there can only be room for one [+ Jello].

Acton, England based Bullion Ness has been playing the tune game for almost 5 years. He produces tracks with classic sources and current beats. These are the fruits of his unique tune-taste and the latest tools in creative audio technology [you know, like, computers and stuff]. Bullion has taken, what's referred to by many as the pinnacle Beach Boys album from 1966: Pet Sounds, and reworked it into a 25 minute session of refreshing Hip-hop. It's a sound that's bouncy, dark, progressive, confident and extremely smooth.

Additional to to the B-Boys' [not the Beastie Boys!] Pet Sounds, there are elements of Pet Sounds cover songs by various artists, as well as snippets from established Hip-hop deities like Slum Village. Bullion's affinity for J Dilla shines intense-immense by the quality of his manifested beats.

When taking The Beach Boys and flexing it up with various backings, one might comment that "Oh, it's like what Danger Mouse did with The Grey Album" - But, that would be a bit off base. DM's work was a brilliant mash, but Bullion's isn't another entry in the mash trend - it's an intelligent remix album of cut-and-paste proficiency that head bouncing can't resist. Another important difference is that Bullion's Beach Boys remix project is a labor of love and not meant for sale. Whereas those repping John, Paul, George & Grumpy Ringo had some serious issues when The Grey Album saw actual sales [albeit limited] - Brian, Dennis, Carl, Mike & Al should be flattered beyond legality. I'm hearing quality here that's got the ability to overtake the interest that aficionados had with The Grey Album - just as Pet Sounds propelled The Beach Boys' popularity past that of the Beatles with it's release in the mid '60s - which then motivated the Beatles to produce Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band. Aside from the differences though - Pet Sounds: In the Key of Dee has a lot in common with the work of the prolific RJD2 and the production genius Prefuse 73. It's a layered sound that's great for casual chillin' or astute listening. It screams "I'm the coolest kid on the bus and you know what? I'm not even taking the fucking bus." It truly is "Brian Wilson with an MPC."

'In the Key of Dee is equally impressive when taste-tested as individual tracks or consumed as a whole progressive mix. Offered above is the soul-full and supremely jazzy 'Let's Go Away For a While,' a track with relaxed beats and a sexy leading horn set; the head-nodding controller 'God Only Knows,' with it's organ-ic dense flow; and the swift party pleasing bouncer 'You Still Believe in Dee' [which battles 'I Just Wasn't Made For These Times' for my selection of best-track-on-the-album].

If you're digging this thick sound - and I know you are - you can download Bullion's entire remix session right here. Make sure to burn that to a disk, blast it in your car and send him a few praising messages on Myspace. Bullion is proof that surprisingly fresh sound can be true to the art and not about the money - unless you're saying "this album is straight money" - because it is.

Stay Tuned.
-- Silent K