All the cool kids (or the talentless, depending on how you look at it) have been flocking to mash-ups for a while now. What (somewhat) hit the mainstream in 2004 when Danger Mouse released “The Grey Album” has now become a cottage industry. Starting to rise up in the ranks however, and the one we’re highlighting today, is the Chicago-based The Hood Internet.

THI, comprised of two guys who release playlists via their blog, specialize in A vs. B mash-ups, playing hip hop against indie rock beats. You’d be right to expect several MGMT references in there, but they’ve put out some eyebrow-raising material in the past as well (Ludacris vs. She & Him, anybody?).

But they’ve just come out with their seventh mixtape, “Trillwave”, described by them as “the soundtrack to the party after the afterparty or maybe to a sun-drenched backyard barbeque the next day.” The duo delivers on the promise- playing the likes of Kanye and Jamie Foxx alongside the shoegazing, neo-New Wave segment of the indie scene delights in creating the perfect sound for a lazy Sunday, or lazy any day.

The mix, with its seamless transitions from song to song, takes a couple minutes to get going. But don’t be deterred. It hits full stride with “Feel It on the South Side”, mashing Birdman’s “South Side” with Washed Out’s “Feel It All Around” to make a near-quintessential poolside sound. It’s all uphill from there, throwing together the likes of Lloyd Banks with Neon Indian (“Beamer, Drips”), Iyaz and The Big Pink (“Velvet Replay”) and a superb denouement with two of the brightest rising stars in their respective genres, Drake and Beach House (“Walk in the Park is Over”).

The link to download “Trillwave” is here. Check it out. It’s free, it’ll complement the remainder of your summer and it’ll expand your knowledge of mash-up artists beyond Danger Mouse and Girl Talk.

Marc

Photo Credit: http://twitpic.com/23t6ld