Photo by israel palacio on Unsplash
By Hannah McLucas, Contributing Writer
This pandemic has stolen something many of us love during the summer—concerts and festivals. So to keep my spirits high, I always turn on one of Two Friends’ Big Bootie Mixes, the latest installment being “Big Bootie Mix 17.”
Two Friends is made up of the DJ/Producer duo of Eli Sones and Matt Halper, who have known each other since high school. They first gained exposure through a few viral remixes of songs like “Trap Queen” and “Mr. Brightside” and through that popularity came a few singles nameingly “Looking At You” and “Take It Off.”
However, I believe the duo shines brightest in their genre blending Big Bootie Mixes, which comes out twice a year.
The latest installment in the Big Bootie Mixes is “Big Bootie Mix 17” which dropped at the beginning of April. It came at the perfect time as the reality of quarantine just started sinking in for people, and this mix provided an hour of escape. The mix has over 200 songs that mesh together pop, rock, EDM and rap. They also throw in relevant sound bites at the end of big bass drops.
When you first press play, you are met with the piano strokes of “Welcome to the Black Parade.” I believe that this darker start represents the dark days of quarantine and this idea is further exemplified by some angsty beats from both Panic! At the Disco and Green Day. Around the 10-minute mark is when this mix slowly transitions into Tones and I’s “Dance Monkey” that leads into one of my favorite songs “No Interruption” by Hoodie Allen. The song ends on a substantial base drop and makes way for the middle portion of this mix filled with a bright and hopeful vibe.
The middle section of this mix is dedicated to some popular songs like “Young, Wild, and Free” by Wiz Khalifa, “Kiss Me Thru The Phone” by Soulja Boy and “Doses and Mimosas” by Cherub. These songs make you long for the past while still remaining hopeful things will return to normal soon. Big Bootie also pays homage to our childhood with the theme songs from both “The Fairly OddParents” and “Full House” in this mix.
As you start reaching the end of the mix, you hear some more lighthearted beats like “Ophelia” by The Lumineers and “Bruises” by Lewis Capaldi. An overlay of Blackbear’s “Me and Ur Ghost” and “Empire State of Mind” by Jay-Z leads into the most memorable and gut-wrenching sound bite of this mix when Kobe Bryant, who tragically passed away earlier this year, says “What can I say? Mamba out.”
That tear-jerker tribute sets us up for an epic closing, reminding you that perseverance can help you face anything. Some highlights from the closing include “Lean On Me” by Bill Withers, “You’ve Got A Friend In Me” by Randy Newman and “You’re My Best Friend” by Queen these songs end the mix on the message of togetherness.
Overall, “Big Bootie Mix 17” ranks in my top three all-time of the group’s mixes, right behind Big Bootie 11 and 15. It is a masterpiece that somehow encapsulates all the emotions felt during this pandemic.
This mix, which contains over 200 songs is available on Spotify and Soundcloud to allow the mind an escape from our current reality, for at least an hour.
