So Much Lasagne is the moniker of multi-talented rapper and producer Ben Thomson. His new mix for i-D, which sees a host of unexpected artists effortlessly coming together to make a seamless whole, is a classic example of Ben’s thoughtful approach to music. This is thinking man’s hip hop. When asked about it he told us, “The whole idea of music and dance came out of trying reach a state where you lose a sense of self and gain a glimpse of something existential, so I put together a mix showing the similarities between certain kinds of hip-hop and psychedelica. In my opinion, producers of these two genres are more willing to forego the ego and make music that worships at the altar of creation more than any other (short of religious chant music). DJ Screw said it best when he wrote “My Mind Went Blank”. Also, aliens.
Tracklist:
Nick Cave and Warren Ellis – Magma
Clipse – Mr. Me Too
SpaceGhostPurp – Osiris of the East
Bruce Haack – The Word
Mr. MFN Exquire – Michael Dudikoff
Three 6 Mafia – Bin Laden
OJ Da Juiceman – Dumb
Anton Garcia Abril – 4. 3. 2 .1 Morte! (Sequence 02)
Ennio Morricone – Sinket Primo
Bow Wow – Shake it
OG Ron C – Caprice Music
Huun-Huur-Tu – Prayer
Jadakiss – Paper Tags
Juelz Santana – Dipset (Santana’s Town)
ESG – ESG
Juicy J – A Zip and a Double Cup
George Harrison – Greasy Legs
George Harrison – Microbes
So Much Lasagne – Whole Figure Eight
Led Zeppelin x Outkast – Blazed & Confused
Led Zeppelin x Outkast – Smoke Some Dank
The Alchemist – The Kosmos Pt. 7
Piero Umiliani – La Rinuncia
Group 1850 – Reborn
Music to shift your mood from staying in to staying up all night…
Lil Jon and The Eastside Boyz – Get Low. It’s the ultimate party song and also on the original Need for Speed: Underground Soundtrack. So if your idea of staying up all night is upgrading the Mitsubushi EVO and trying to get the ultimate drift score, this is the song for you.
Music for fiery arguments and emotional goodbyes…
Erykah Badu – The Healer. I have to shed one single tear for Dilla every time I hear this track.
Music to kiss and make up to…
Cris Williamson – Shine on Straight Arrow. She’s a total dick for not letting Madlib sample this song, but damn, that chorus has all the feels.
Music to heal a broken heart…
Sleep – Dopesmoker. Only time can heal a broken heart and this song is over an hour long.
Music to get high to…
Lil Ugly Mane – Radiation(Lung Pollution). Most songs talk about getting high, but don’t make you feel like you are actually high when you listen to it. Nothing is more boring than hearing someone else talk about what drugs they’ve taken. This is not the case for Lil Ugly Mane because he is a genius.
Music to change your night from mediocre to magnificent…
Three 6 Mafia – M.E.M.P.H.I.S. I’m listening to it right now, I just wanted to double-check it was the most hype song of all time and it DEFINITELY IS.
Music to take a long drive to…
Just queue up all the Metal Fingers tapes and driiiiive. No reason to ever hit skip, ever.
Music to walk down the aisle to…
The Kinks – Hold My Hand. Makes me wonder if I’m actually a 12 year old girl trapped inside an adult male body.
Music you’d like played at your funeral…
George Harrison – All Things Must Pass. Play this while someone scatters my ashes into the production line of a chocolate biscuit factory, so my soul can enter the mouths of thousands of mildly delighted people.
Music to have sex to…
Ja Rule and Ashanti – Mesmerize. This is the perfect sex song and if you need longer than four and a half minutes, you’re doing it wrong and everyone else in the room will be bored.
Music to celebrate your birthday to…
I made a fake 80’s Birthday Rap a while ago for my fiancee, but the themes are pretty universal…
Music guaranteed to give you serious swagger…
Raider Klan – Feel My Fire. If you’ve heard this song you are automatically cooler than anyone that hasn’t heard it. It is a line in the sand of swagger.
Music to make even the wallflowers dance…
The Wallflowers were on the Godzilla soundtrack, and I think they definitely would have danced to P Diddy – Come With Me, if they ever listened to it.
Music to play at the afterparty when it’s 6am and the sun is beginning to rise…
Southern Energy Ensemble – Looking Ahead, it’s the ultimate slightly confusing, apocalyptic smooth jazz to listen to in a delirious state.
Music that could put even an insomniac to sleep…
Fantomas – Delirium Cordia. You’ll definitely have some weird dreams but I guarantee it will work.