Every now and again two very different musical worlds collide and a producer will work with the most unlikely of artists. These collaborations can often produce unexpected results, and in the case of some of our examples massive hit records. So let’s run down 5 of the most unlikely pairings.

1. DJ Premier/Christina Aguilera

DJ Premier is regarded by many as one of, if not the best, underground Hip-Hop producers of all time. His trademark heavy head nodding drums and skillfully sliced samples helped pioneer and define what we now know as the Boom Bap sound. In stark contrast, Christina Aguilera spent much of the ’90s battling it out with Britney Spears for the pop princess crown. So it was an interesting move when Christina decided to call up Premier to help give her next LP, Back to Basics, a grittier, more beats-driven throwback feel. Her husband Jordan Bratman had put her onto Premier’s more underground productions, famously gaining Primo’s approval when she admitted she was a big fan of Group Home. A hip-hop group that DJ Premier had produced.

While DJ Premier produced 5 tracks on the album, it was his production on the lead single “Ain’t no other man” that proved most successful, peaking at No. 6 on the Billboard Hot 100.

2. Nellee Hooper/Holly Valance

Bristol-born Nellee Hooper is a UK producer who was instrumental in the development of what would be termed Trip-Hop. He came up as a member of The Wild Bunch who would later go on to become Massive Attack. He was also a member of Soul 2 Soul, as well as producing Bjork’s debut album. So clearly, an influential figure in some of the most culturally important music projects of the late 80’s and 90s. Which makes his collaboration with Australian Soap turned pop star and current right-wing poster girl Holly Valance even more unlikely.

Nellee Hooper is credited for producing ‘Down Boy‘, which is the second single taken from Vallence’s debut album. It has an upbeat yet sultry flavour and musically is not necessarily obvious pop music fare. The vocal, however, conforms to the classic pop formula with its catchy, repetitive chorus. While not as successful as her debut single Kiss Kiss, Down Doy still made number 2 in the UK charts.

3. The Dust Brothers/Hanson

The Dust Brothers may not be familiar to many but this Californian production duo, comprised of E.Z. Mike and King Gizmo, were responsible for some groundbreaking hip-hop production during the late 80’s and early 90’s. Their caviller use of multiple samples, cleverly weaved together to form dense, cohesive productions, was perfectly showcased in the 1989 sophomore album from The Beastie Boys – “Paul’s Boutique“. The album was fully produced by the Dust Brothers and while it was not deemed a commercial success at the time, it’s gone on to be seen as a cult classic genre-defining work.

So whatever happened to The Dust Brothers? Moving away from hip-hop they produced for Beck as well as Nu Metal rockers Korn. Which makes this particular entry even more surprising. Yes, the Dust Brothers produced 90’s anthem MMMBop by the wholesome Long-haired Cali kids Hanson. There are small traces of the Dust Brothers hip-hop heritage on display, from the Synthetic Substitution Drum Break in the intro to the scratching in the chorus. But, by anyone’s reckoning, this one’s a pretty far leap.

4. Brian Eno/Coldplay

Moving away from Hip-Hop for a minute, we have everyone’s favourite band to hate, Coldplay, teaming up with Ambient music champion, Brian Eno. Known primarily for his groundbreaking work with Roxy Music and later his deeply influential solo ambient albums, Eno carved out a career as an experimental artist and producer. His work in the ’70s and ’80s, producing albums for David Bowie, Talking Heads, and U2, helped influence the post-punk and art rock scenes. So his decision to work with Coldplay, who are often derided for their safe, stadium-friendly ballads, felt like a pretty left-field choice.

However, in 2008, Coldplay brought Eno on board to help steer their fourth album, Viva la Vida. And the risk paid off because it became their most successful album, with the title track becoming a global hit. Eno’s touch brought a more expansive and textured sound with it’s use of choirs and rich orchestration.

While Eno purists may still find the pairing odd, there’s no denying that he helped to develop and evolve Coldplay’s sound from standard melodic pop to something approaching art rock grandeur.

5. The RZA/James Last

Wu-Tang Clan’s commander in beats, RZA, is best known for cooking up gritty, cinematic beats made up of kung-fu samples, old soul loops, and dusty drum breaks. So, on paper, this collaboration with German Easy Listening legend ‘James Last‘, seems bizarre. But on listening to the track in question, which is a reimagining of one of Last’s most recognisable compositions, The Lonely Shepherd, it all makes sense. With its spaghetti western-esc panpipe style flute, it almost sounds like a Wu-Tang sample.

The track features on one of Last’s last studio albums, the 2004 release They call me Hansi. It features a number of other notable collaborators including Tom Jones and Pavarotti and marks a change from Last’s trademark upbeat pop party. This 2004 version of The Lonely Shepherd came about at the request of Quentin Tarantino, who wanted to use the piece in Kill Bill Vol. 1 and juxtapose it with the RZA’s brutal raps and beats. Although Last was apparently sceptical at first, RZA and Tarantino’s enthusiasm ultimately won out.

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