Spooky Mixology

My review of DJ Spooky's new audiologue of the Sub Rosa archives, released in tandem with his new book (which I haven't read yet) is up over at PopMatters.
Unbeknownst to me, the editorial board decided to turn the review into a feature under the headline "Why Does the Mix CD Still Exist?" Had I known about this, I probably would have changed the wording slightly. I think the question is misleading. It's not a matter of why the mix CD exists. I think the mix CD is a robust form, one that's deeply ingrained into DJ culture and has every right to exist. My question is what does the mix CD still have to offer in a commercial format? Pirate copy and bootleg mix tapes are abound and you're more likely to see a widespread dissemination of material on the internet both in the form of mixes and podcasts than you would with a physical CD, something that most can agree no one seems to be buying any more.

It's a question I'm not really sure I can answer, because I do think they offer something more than just the material artifice of possession and the quasi-mystical allure of intimacy associated with private ownership. But I also agree with Spooky's thesis that the Sound is unbound. It's part of culture that any of us can and should freely remix, making the latter point about possession and intimacy moot.