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Various - Annie: DJ Kicks (!K7)
UK release date: 17 October 2005
Various Artists - Annie: DJ Kicks

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track listing

1. Rabbit Pushing - Toy
2. I Wanna Be Your Lover - La Bionda
3. Jukebox Babe - Vega, Alan
4. Nanny Nanny Boo Boo - Le Tigre
5. Bongo Song - Zongamin
6. Flextone - Liquid Liquid
7. Wedding - Annie
8. Black History Month - Death From Above 1979
9. 1939 - Motiivi: Tuntematon
10. Geared Up - Brundtland & Therson
11. Lady Bug - Bumble Bee Unlimited
12. Gimme Your Money - Annie
13. I Want Candy - Bow Wow Wow
14. My Love For You - ESG
15. That Girl - Gucci Crew
16. Paris Hilton - Mu
17. Fa Fa Fa - Datarock

Annie doesn't see herself as a natural DJ in the mixing sense, certainly not one that mixes records with flawless precision. Rather, it's about the choice of songs, the overall flow of the music and the personality of the jock in question and these three principles all come across in her set for !K7's reliably good DJ Kicks series.

Part of her endearingly child-like personality is immediately evoked in Toy Rabbit's Pushing Mover, a jaunty start. Still another comes across in the nonsense lyrics of Le Tigre and Bumblebee United that crop up later on.

As is customary in this series, the DJ contributes one or more exclusive productions of their own, and in this case Annie delivers the twisted groove of Wedding, its punchline "will you marry me?", whereas later on she asks, "Gimme your money" on the track of the same name. Hmmm, I'm sensing a theme here...

Meanwhile there's plenty of funk - Zongamin see to that almost single-handedly, then an impressive Elvis takeoff on Alan Vega's riotous Jukebox Babe, and also melodic synth pop in the form of La Blonda's robotic I Wanna Be Your Lover.

There's even room for angst, courtesy of DFA 1979, whose Black History Month gets a powerful remix from Alan Braxe and Fred Falke, for me the most affecting track on the selection. This is also the point where the mix threatens to self destruct, an extended burst of distorted effects from Motiivi: Tuntematon splitting the mix in two but almost losing the rhythmic thread.

Not that this bothers the carefree Annie, whose sunny disposition comes out to play once more in her choice of Brundtland & Therson's Geared Up, heading out on the electronica tip once more with a chilled vibe.

Towards the end there's an astonishing twenty seconds of Mu, containing a good impersonation of a cockerel on speed, then the mix ends with the enjoyable, throwaway lyrics of Datarock's Fa Fa Fa.

Hard evidence, then, that you don't have to be an accomplished mixer or know your cross faders to be a good DJ. Sure, the music occasionally lurches from one track to the next, but this proves to be rather endearing, ensuring a human element remains. What's clear here is that Annie just wants to have fun, and if we want to join her, we're most welcome at the party.

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