Terrorbird

"When I was growing up I was depressed a lot, and I thought about making music that would make people happy when they heard it." - Th' Mole

This time when Th' Mole pops out of the hole, his trademark goofy hip hop grin bares some teeth, even as his heart remains firmly on his sleeve.  Greatest Hits (Ha Ha Ha) Vol. 1 is Th' Mole's Daly City Records label debut. A combination of classic tracks, re-recordings, and new material, the elements converge to make his strongest and most personal collection thus far.

As a producer, Th' Mole manages to create a sound that is aggressive and fluid all at once; it's the bombastic sound of the apocalypse, but with an over-riding feel of hopefulness rather than one of desolation. In "Don't Be Sad, Nothing Matters," a warm classical flamenco guitar is stunningly contrasted with electrified beats, while a voiceover reassures us that we have nothing to fear "as the world plummets". "Jump Jack" ' an irresistibly-catchy dance jam that also features ragga vocalist Warrior Queen ' continues the theme as he commands us: "Fuck the world! Just jump up off it- and do your dance." Faced with the onslaught of depressing current events and trends, Th' Mole has taken on the role of a comforting friend on a sinking ship.

His skills as an emcee have grown stronger than ever, as evidenced by the new remake of "Caitlin," a signature song of his that tells a touching, apologetic tale of childhood playground betrayals. On the other end of both the lyrical and vocal spectrum is "I Hate You,' a reflection on love-gone sour, sung over a piano-plunk loop that could have been taken right out of Peanuts. "I baked you a cake and I don't even cook. I'll never bake another fucking cake ever again. And by the way, sometimes your breath stinks. And you're fucking insensitive. Bitch." It's hilarious, and if you've followed Th' Mole's career, it's also a jolt; the remorseful Mole of 'Caitlin' is now calling a girl a bitch? In a lot of ways that sums up the Mole of 2009: ideals of love or society have been destroyed, and he's mildly pissed about that. Charming humility is replaced with an inspiring sense of entitlement: he's done asking us to see a better world; now he's gonna build one whether we like it or not.

Overwhelmingly, however challenging the message, sheer fun still rules Th' Mole's self-made universe. The production is impeccable, the vocals and lyrics are dizzyingly creative, and as he manages to stamp a smiley face on everything, he creates an improbably refreshing sort of emo-comedy. Greatest Hits (Ha Ha Ha) Vol. 1 succeeds in being Th' Mole's most cohesive and satisfying album yet. To ice the cake, the Tick Tick Blam EP (included as an MP3 CD-extra, along with an exclusive music video) features remixes from the likes of Mochipet (Daly City/Bpitch Control), Robot Koch (of Jahcoozi, Kitty-Yo/Rough Trade), acclaimed Brazilian baile funk producer DJ Amazing Clay (Man Recordings), Bloody Snowman (Daly City), and Preshish Moments (Daly City).

Track List:
01) Zombie Dance Mind Programme
02) How 2 B Cool
03) Jump Jack (featuring Warrior Queen)
04) Caitlin (Uh, Sorry)
05) I Hate You
06) Don't Be Sad, Nothing Matters
07) Heart Phire
08) People R Good
09) Sonny Boy
10) Secret Hidden Bonus Track
11) Whirled Fusion Is The Future Music

Bonus MP3 Track List:
01) Tick Tick Blam
02) How 2 B Cool (Robot Koch Remix)
03) Go Horsie (DJ Amazing Clay Remix) Part 1
04) Go Horsie (DJ Amazing Clay Remix) Part 2
05) Tick Tick Blam (Preshish Moments Remix)
06) Jump Jack (feat. Warrior Queen) (Mochipet Remix)
07) Tick Tick Blam (Bloody Snowman Remix)
08) Captain Daydream "Brush 'Em"
09) Tick Tick Blam (Instrumental)

Music Video:
A Meticulous Fondle (Original Long Version) (by Th' Mole's dad)