I don't fanboy over many artists or groups anymore, but Soulwax has always kind of defied that for me. Through both their 2ManyDJs and Soulwax monikers, Stephen and David Dewaele have pushed the boundaries of dance music before many of us even knew what it was. Their 2002 mix album, As Heard On Radio Soulwax Part 2, was an effort far ahead of it's time - initially dismissed by Pitchfork (who actually premiered this video) as a mix that "isn't the kind of thing you're going to come back to in five years (or even two)," they did also note it as a beacon of potential in the bootlegging craze that led to mash-up styles of sampling we know with such familiarity today. Classically critical Pitchfork reviews be damned, Soulwax combined a series of then-contemporary pop hits, many of which have prove timeless even today, and mixed them with tracks no dance DJs would even dream of putting in their sets at the time. Forget Girl Talk - Soulwax were doing mashups and releasing them for purchase on PIAS before we even had a word for them.
Snap forward more than a decade and not only does the mix stand up magnificently on its own, but with the accompaniment of unquestionably the most elaborate designs for any of Soulwax's visual projects to date (this is their 24th of such), and "Radio Soulwax Part 2" transforms into a full-on experience that acquires all of your attention. For any familiar with the tongue-in-cheek humor and creative manipulations of classic album art that has become the staple for Soulwax's visual projects, the team of animators behind this endeavor took it to a wholly advanced level, with too many visual gags to catch on the first viewing, along with simply hilarious and otherwise mesmerizing animations that fit every moment of the album. Despite being one of the more low-key ongoing projects in the EDM world, Radio Soulwax continues to push the bar higher as the installments progress - we just hope this isn't the last.
