Alexi LaGoon's favourite mashups of 2025

 Haven't done this for ages, but, as a long-term mashup enthusiast, I feel it's nice to highlight some of the instances of this most postmodern and superficially trashy but actually sometimes transcendently beautiful craft that I really enjoyed in 2025.

In no particular order:

LeeDM101 - Sunday Apologies (Sinéad O'Connor vs Marsheaux)

Sinéad's cover of Nirvana is full of delicate melancholy, setting it drifting over a kind of harsh but lush synth landscape makes something really beautiful and moving.

Dunproofin' - Lonely GOATherd (Julie Andrews vs LL Cool J)

I think there's a specific art to a comedy mash, and this is probably the silliest of the year that I really enjoyed - great high concept, wildly mismatched sources, tremendous fun, almost danceable.

Titus Jones - Entertain Us (Charli XCX vs Blur vs Britney vs Nirvana)

Probably the most straight-up banger mashup here, taking several already incredibly catchy elements and scrunching them together slickly to make something even more dancefloor-centric.

fnogg - Subway Situation (Chappell Roan vs Weezer)

One of several great mashes from fnogg's Roan vs Weezer 'Cheezer' album (the other highlights, for me, being Red Wine Photonova and Undone After Midnight). I reckon this one has the edge as the anthemic heaviness of the instrumental brings out the frazzled emotion of the vocals better than the original (even if it ends up sounding a bit like that Keane song).

McClintock Mashups - I'll Be A Disciple For You (Slayer vs The Rembrandts) 

Are Slayer bad? I'm not metal enough to know, but a superficial skim of the internet suggests their more dubious imagery and lyrics are for provocation rather than actually being representative of a racist worldview, and the lyrics here seem to be asserting a general hatred of EVERYONE, which I can kind of get behind - particularly when expertly intertwined with the 'Friends' theme tune! Comedically mismatched but really well integrated (love a back-and-forth vocal), great.

DoM - Everybody Needs To Go Home (Boney M vs Fatboy Slim)

Fatboy Slim's Everybody Needs A Carnival  is itself an alternate version of his Everybody Needs a 303, with added calypso carnival party vibes. Throwing in Boney M's Gotta Go Home (perhaps better recognised as the sample for Duck Sauce Barbara Streisand) creates incredible energy. At times it sounds like a great mix (i.e. two records playing in sync) more than a comprehensively integrated mash, but it's so good, just draaaaags you inexorably to the dancefloor.

ah! - Lumnpch (Billie Eilish vs Presidents of the United States of America)

Eilish's breathy ethereal vocals over the Presidents' bouncy grungy riffs is an unusual dynamic, but it all fits together delightfully. Perhaps even more than any other mashup this year, I listened to this one over and over and over.

That's it. Loads of others I enjoyed, but think those were the top of the pops. Go check out all the creators accounts for more quality stuff, etc etc.

They call me back door santa

Did another funky rhythm & blues / fuzzy garage night at the lovely Engine Room in North Shields, this time throwing in some CHRISTMAS-RELATED TRACKS. Probably ended up 50/50ish in the end, skating devilishly close to breaking the 'No Wham, no Carey' rule.

Here's what got played:

1 - Ella Fitzgerald - Sleigh Ride

2 - Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings - God Rest Ye Merry Gents

3 - Otis Redding - Merry Christmas Baby

4 - Donny Hathaway - This Christmas

5 - Foolish Relics - Christmas in Hollis

6 - Smokey Robinson & The Miracles - Santa Claus Is Coming To Town

7 - The Classic Brown - It's a Wrap

8 - The Not Fur Longs - Toys Don't Cry

9 - The Bakesys - Random Festive Words

10 - J.B. Summers - I Want A Present For Christmas

11 - Tom Dyer & His Queen's Pajamas - No Lou This Xmas

12 - Sugarman Three - Soul Donkey

13 - Olympic - Blasnivej Kiki

14 - Ill Boogs - Gypsy Rock

15 - Huey 'Piano' Smith & His Clowns - Second Line

16 - The Funk Brothers - Winter Wonderland (instrumental)

17 - Amos Milburn - Christmas Comes But Once A Year

18 - Santa's Little Helper - Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas

19 - Barrence Whitfield & The Savages - Hey Miss Glynis

20 - Bettye Swann - The Heartache Is Gone

21 - Tabby Thomas - I Don't Care

22 - Big Man and the Night People - Night Creeper

23 - The Detroit Cobras - Can't Do Without You

24 - The Yardbirds - Heartful of Soul

25 - The Swaggerlies - All I Want For Christmas (Is To Be Left Alone)

26 - Across 35th - Do You Wanna Build A Snowman?

27 - Louis Armstrong & The Commanders – ‘Zat You, Santa Claus?

28 - Bobby Smith - Bess's Boogie

29 - MC5 - Sister Anne

30 - Morning Reign - Can't Get Enough Of It

31 - The Kinks - Brainwashed

32 - The Dirtbombs - I'm Qualified To Satisfy You

33 - Clarence Carter - Backdoor Santa

34 - The Allergies - It's Almost Here

35 - Futureman feat Adam Montague - Father Christmas

36 - Betty James - I'm A Little Mixed Up

37 - Ike & Tina Turner - Why I Sing the Blues

38 - Les Cooper And His Soul Rockers - Wahoo

39 - We The They - Holiday Lines

40 - The Fleshtones - Champagne Christmas

41 - The Ronettes - Frosty The Snowman

42 - Patti Page - Boogie Woogie Santa Claus

43 - Guns of Nevada - Liquor In My Stocking

44 - Flamin' Groovies - Golden Clouds

45 - Billy Preston - Steady Get'n It

46 - The Len Price 3 - If I Ain't Got You

47 - the Werewandas - I've Got A Great Big Christmas Tree

48 - Ego and the Appropriators - Christmas Wrapping

49 - Big Boss Man - Christmas Boogaloo

50 - Guts feat. Leron Thomas - Man Funk

51 - Arrested Development - People Everyday (metamorphosis mix)

52 - Buddy Guy - Man Of Many Words

53 - Bobnoxious - Police Nabbed My Dad

54 - The Wedding Present - Step Into Christmas

55 - Delakota - C'Mon Cincinnati (M Organs village mix)

56 - Back Chat Brass - All Star

57 - Lou Rawls - Good Time Christmas

58 - The Marshall Brothers - Mr Santa's Boogie

59 - Ramones - Merry Christmas (I Don't Want to Fight Tonight)

60 - The Dollyrots - Santa Baby

61 - Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings - White Christmas

62 - Oscar McLollie & His Honey Jumpers - Dig That Crazy Santa Claus

63 - Champion Jack Dupree - Shim Sham Shimmy

64 - The Bacarrudas - Christmas Fun

65 - The Step Daughters feat WANK - Fairytale of New York

66 - El Vez - Feliz Navi-Nada

67 - Chuck Berry - Run Rudolph Run

68 - Andy B And The World - Santa Baby

69 - Vixoria Drift - All I Want For Christmas Is You Killing In The Name (RATM vs Mariah Carey mashup)

70 - Lucy Dacus - Last Christmas

71 - The Squirrels - Joy To The World

72 - The Discount Dandies - Silent Night

73 - Nolan Porter - Keep On Keepin' On

74 - The Beatstalkers - You Better Get A Better Hold On

75 - Wild Billy Childish & The Musicians Of The British Empire - He's Making A Tape

76 - Mark 'Porkchop' Holder - My Black Name

77 - Big Joe Turner - Christmas Date Boogie

78 - The Robins - The Turkey Hop

79 - The Weisstronauts - Jingle Bells

80 - MJ Hibbett & the Validators - Easy Christmas

81 - The Fastbacks - Oh Come All Ye Faithful

82 - The Vandals - Oi To The World (evening session session)

83 - Eels - Everything's Gonna Be Cool This Christmas

84 - Half Man Half Biscuit - It's Cliched To Be Cynical At Christmas

85 - Jimmy Witherspoon - How I Hate To See Christmas Come Around

86 - The Nic Nacs - Gonna Have A Merry Xmas

87 - Charles Brown - Merry Christmas Baby

Have a good one. FUNK LAGOON WILL RETURN IN 2026.

Spooooooooky

 Played a Halloween party ON Halloween!

1 - Japan - Ghosts

2 - Nina Simone - I Put A Spell On You

3 - John Smith - Axe Mountain

4 - Ash - Halloween

5 - The Free Association - Le Baggage

6 - These Trails - Of Broken Links

7 - Amon Tobin feat Kronos Quartet - Bloodstone

8 - Calexico - The Book And The Canal

9 - Mike Oldfield - Tubular Bells Opening Theme

10 - Morcheeba - Blindfold

11 - Annie Lennox - Love Song For A Vampire (from Bram Stroker's Dracula)

12 - Sunforest - Magician In The Mountain

13 - Julee Cruise - Falling

14 - Themselves - Another Part Of The Clown's Brain

15 - DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince - A Nightmare On My Street

16 - Love Bug Starski - Amityville (The House On The Hill)

17 - Kip Tyler - She's My Witch

18 - Julie Driscoll, Brian Auger & The Trinity - Season Of The Witch

19 - Fleetwood Mac - Black Magic Woman

20 - Flight of the Conchords - Demon Woman

21 - Leather Angel - We Came To Kill

22 - The Budos Band - Burnt Offering

23 - The Bacarrudas - Dracula's Castle

24 - The Frantics - Werewolf

25 - L7 - Pretend We're Dead

26 - RJD2 - The Horror

27 - Eels - Fresh Blood

28 - Runaways - Finders Kreepers

29 - Titus Jones - Down With One More Disease (Lady Gaga vs Disturbed vs Britney Spears mashup)

30 - DJ Shadow - Organ Donor (Extended Overhaul)

31 - DJ Lobsterdust - It's Fun To Smoke Dust (Queen vs Satan mashup)

32 - MXPX - Scooby Doo, Where Are You?

33 - Alkaline Trio - Your Neck demo

34 - Meat Loaf - Hot Patootie / Bless My Soul

35 - Misfits - London Dungeon

36 - Scottie Stuart - Nightmare

37 - The Revels - Intoxica

38 - Little Esther Phillips - Mojo Hannah

39 - Leroy Bowman - Graveyard

40 - The Birthday Party - Release the Bats

41 - Avalanches - Frontier Psychiatrist

42 - Stevie Wonder - Superstition

43 - Duran Duran - Hungry Like The Wolf

44 - Orbital - Doctor

45 - Rockwell - Somebody's Watching Me

46 - DJ Giac - Zombie Lady In Heaven (Damiano David vs The Cure vs The Penelopes mashup)

47 - Adamski - Killer

48 - Ashnikko - Halloweenie V: The Moss King

49 - Harry Belafonte - Zombie Jamboree

50 - Ronnie Cook & The Gaylads - The Goo Goo Muck

51 - Claudine Clark - Walkin' Through A Cemetery

52 - AC/DC - Highway To Hell

53 - The Rolling Stones - Sympathy For The Devil

54 - Bobby 'Boris' Pickett & The Crypt Kickers - Monster Mash

55 - Backstreet Boys - Everybody (Backstreet's Back)

56 - Rob Zombie - Dragula

57 - Eurythmics - Sweet Dreams

58 - DJ Touche - Vampires

59 - Ray Parker Jr - Ghostbusters

60 - Michael Jackson - Thriller

61 - Voodoo Love Orchestra - Fever

62 - R Dean Taylor - There's A Ghost In My House

63 - Warren Zevon - Werewolves Of London

64 - Mark Ronson feat Tiggers & ODB - Toxic

65 - Sabres Of Paradise - Wilmot's Last Skank

66 - Max Romeo - Chase The Devil

67 - Outkast feat Kelis - Dracula's Wedding

68 - The Cramps - Human Fly

69 - jimmylin - Toxic Bad Guy Look What You Made Me Do (Billie Eilish vs Taylor Swift vs Britney Spears mashup)

70 - Lady Gaga - Abracadabra

71 - Ne-Yo - Beautiful Monster (Low Sunday Terrified edit)

72 - Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Heads Will Roll (A-Trak remix)

73 - Nelly Furtado - Maneater

74 - Rihanna - Disturbia

75 - Shakira - She-Wolf

76 - Electric Six - Danger High Voltage

77 - Blue Oyster Cult - Don't Fear the Reaper

78 - The Automatic - Monster

79 - Zombie Nation - Kernkraft 400

80 - Grimes - Oblivion

81 - She Wants Revenge - Tear You Apart

82 - MXPX - Scooby Doo, Where Are You?

83 - Richard O'Brien, Patricia Quinn & Nell Campbell - The Time Warp

84 - The Interrupters - Bad Guy

[“fine, I’ll play your non-spooky requests”]

85 - Wheatus - Teenage Dirtbag

86 - Busted - Crashed The Wedding

87 - Kenny Rogers & Dolly Parton - Islands In The Stream

88 - Outkast - Hey Ya

89 - The Table - Flashtrain (Ozzy Osbourne vs Irene Cara mashup)

90 - Toots & The Maytals - (Take Me Home) Country Roads

91 - Taylor Swift - Shake It Off

92 - Mark Ronson feat Amy Winehouse - Valerie