Here’s the first mixtape of the year. Expect one each month (usually the first or second week each month). Unlike 2009, 2010 mixes will feature 12 tracks rather than 10 and will be released on Wednesday because Mondays are rough! So, here it is… enjoy.

1. “Lucky Cat” by Map is a track that was featured once before as a bonus track. I am featuring it here again to wet your whistles for an upcoming contest.

2. “Getaway” by MC Dub is a track by the talented laptop musician known to the non-music world as Mark Walker. MC Dub’s remix of CookBook’s “Solid Gold” was described by Cook as a “completely original take on the song“.

3. “Winnie Cooper” by Kwalified Emcee is a track from his new EP. Listen to this track, then go download the whole EP, then be on the lookout for a review in the upcoming days. HOLLA!

4. “Gimme What You Got by Slo-Mo Featuring Mic Wrecka is a HOT track from this HOT act based in my favorite city in the world, Illadelphia. Like other Illdelphia crews before them, Slo-Mo and Mic Wrecka infuse hip hop, rock, and blues to create a truly unique sound that can only be described as a taste of Brotherly Love.

5. “The End of Loneliness by All City Affairs is a track of this Lujo Records act’s album Identity Theft. Like all acts on Lujo, it is unique and well done. Enjoy this track and then go to Lujo and buy the album.

6. “The Descent by Firs is another track from a killer Lujo act. Off of their album Man in Space, this track is featured on the Lujo front page… and now, also on TPM.

7. “VR Bikeride” by Second Reality is the first original track by Second Reality that I’ve heard. Also featured on a previous mixtape, Second Reality won RemixThis! Ditka Style and has since continued working with the85bears on new material. See! Not only does TPM give you good music, but it also connects people!

8. “Hustle Beach” by Baby Teeth is a great example of why the Chicago three-piece has been praised by many outlets including the uber-trendy Pitchfork and the mentioned-in-High Fidelity Chicago Reader.

9. “Kin Weather by Cassowaries is another in a long line of wierdness from my favorite weirdos. Featured on this site a few other times, Cassowaries has all the talent and obscurity of Sigur Ros without the pretentious fanbase.

10. “Zebra by Bone Gunn is a track that was sent to me as a thank you for covering Bone Gunn’s Flies EP. Into music that can’t be described by genres? This is for you!

11. “Bring Out Your Dead” by Bluebrain is another rad track from a Lujo band. Seems like we’re chock full of ‘em this month… if you enjoy them, you can thank Eric. He’s a good dude… but enough about him, let’s talk Bluebrain. Bluebrain is the Holladay brothers doing their thing. Before this project, these talented guys worked with artists like Spank Rock, Ra Ra Riot, and Violent Femmes.

12. “A Shortness of Breath” by Young Livers is a great punk track from a great punk band on a great punk label. No Idea Records, the Florida indie punk powerhouse, is still putting out great tunes a solid decade after I first picked up release from Less Than Jake and Atom and His Package when I was in high school. Sorry, El Destructo, but this is how you SHOULD make good punk rock. But then again, I’m just a poser.

No beating around the bush today, the winner of the RemixThis! SOLID GOLD contest is Austria’s Markus Schuechner, aka N-Jin. His remix won because it was thoroughly enjoyable and executed best. Not only will his track lead off this mixtape, but CookBook will be including this remix on one of his upcoming releases and sending him a T-shirt. Additionally, another N-Jin remix will close this 10 track mixtape (with a bonus download at the end of the post), so enjoy Markus’s genius.

Make sure to check the bottom of this post for some additional notes about the other entrants to this contest… there are consolation prizes.

1. CookBook – Solid Gold (N-Jin Remix) (El Ganador!)

2. The Langley Sisters – Strange to be in Love (VBM’s newest angelic voices from the UK)

3. thekeenone – Legal Drug Addict (Keen returns to the mix)

4. BenKenoB – SEPTA (MC Frontalot Mashup) (BenKenoB takes Frontalot vox and creates something new)

5. Alexander Lowery – Quartet for Guitars with Percussion in G Minor (aka “theone3rd” for Decap users)

6. Ed E. Ruger – Chillaxin’ (One of my fave tracks from Big Ed)

7. The Zero Four – You Don’t (Check out their website for more info)

8. CookBook – Solid Gold (Kwillis’s Rider Remix) (Killer remix, ineligible for the contest)

9. Manchild – Whadiddido (Mars Ill’s Manchild throws a phat track our way)

10. Sleep – Talk About It (N-Jin Remix) (Another PHAT N-Jin remix)

Other Contest Notes…

…as noted last night, the most original and creative remix was the remix done by Cassowaries. Very weird, very entertaining. CookBook said it may have been the winner if it weren’t for the fact that Cook couldn’t hear his own vocals and, just like TO, Cook like him some him. For being Mr. Original, you’ll be entitled to the first pick of the CD grab bag courtesy of your friendly neighborhood TPM.

…I really enjoyed BenKenoB’s Remix, but it wasn’t CookBook’s favorite. Another pretty original take on the song that warrants a free CD as a prize!

…Cook had great things to say about other remixes by The Nemesis, Frozenmammoth, and MC Dub. The Nemesis was “kinda weird, but in a good way”. Frozenmammoth’s second remix was “funky”. And, MC Dub had a “completely original take on the song” that Cook also noted as “moody”. All three of you will also receive free CD’s are a consolation, nothing special, but free is always fun.

Thanks to all and stay tuned for upcoming RemixThis! contests featuring Shael Riley and the85bears.

OH and here’s an AWESOME bonus, if you actually hung around long enough to get down to this line of the post… CLICK HERE FOR ALL REMIXES SUBMITTED TO THIS CONTEST IN ONE HUGE .ZIP FILE… Kwillis is not included in this .zip file, so don’t miss out on that download above.

Judging is almost complete. While the mixtape will be a day late, I assure you it will NOT be a buck short…

Here’s the most unique of the “Solid Gold” remixes, albeit not the winner: Cassowaries Remix.

Chew on that for now and we’ll hit you you with the winner and the full October Mixtape tomorrow.

Thanks for stopping by.

thepaintedman rates this:

A Ghost with Teeth is the digital split EP from Cassowaries and pssprtt. Never heard of Cassowaries or pssprtt? That’s okay, neither have I. This presented me with the choice of either researching the two artists or composing an organic review based solely on the EP itself. I, dear friends, have chosen the latter, partially due to my laziness in the matter and partially due to my belief that listening to music free of preconceived notions can often produce the truest examination of said music. My ramblings aside, I present you with my organic, albeit relatively terse, thoughts on A Ghost with Teeth.

The digital EP is comprised of six tracks, the first three by Cassowaries and the latter three by pssprtt. All of the tracks have an ambient to them where the focus is never on the lyrical content, but rather on the music. If the tracks were not labeled as being by two different artists, one would unlikely be able to delineate between the two acts without a good amount of scrutiny, at least at first. The biggest difference to note is that Cassowaries seem to float into a harder, more abrasive realm in two of their three tracks.

The opening track, “Crystal Gazers on Fire”, is the only track where the vocals are such a prominent piece of the musical puzzle. Somewhat sung in a chanting style, the rapid paced choral group sings for a brief minute or so, presenting a solid introduction to the EP. “Werewolved”, which is the third track and, hence, the final track by Cassowaries, comes across as a mad scientist ranting with a musical backdrop. The vocal track is muffled and relatively incomprehensible, however this is undoubtedly intentional and is a perfect fit for the overall feel of the song.

All three of pssprtt’s tracks and the second Cassowaries track have a very similar, Sigur Ros-like ambiance. All vocals are understated and blend in as more of an instrumental element than a lyrical voice. These tracks are all very soothing, though at some times they are quite eerie.

Overall, for two artists that I’ve never heard of and downloaded for free, this was a great EP to stumble upon. Check it out for yourself by clicking here.