Deep and Sexy
François K
Wave Music
Mixed by Wave chief François Kevorkian, this soulful compilation serves up gorgeous, deep house vibes and rolls the listener through sunny aural pleasures like “Havana” by Eric Kupper presents Organika, “Sweeter Love” by Blue 6, and “Enlightenment” by the mixer himself. Even when Deep and Sexy picks up steam, the somewhat jazzy groove is always well harnessed, avoiding overly obvious “peak moments.” Instead, its irresistible basslines, infectious percussion and breezy washes reward repeated listenings on the dancefloor or off.
– Jim Tremayne

“Where Are You Now”
Giovanni
Big/ZYX
Giovanni gets busy on this uptempo, electro-beat hipshaker. The tune’s charm comes from its subtle trance tendencies that hover over a snappy beat track and synth washes. A fun cut.
– Peter A. Colón

“Yesterday”
Alexxis
Big/ZYX
A punchy beat kicker with a freestyle friendly feel that runs with an incredibly catchy melody. Vocalist Alexxis does a fantastic job in front of a colorful canvas full of synthesized strings and bouncy bass riffs.
– Peter A. Colón

Boy George pres. Lucky For Some
Various Artists
J-Bird
Former Culture Club frontman and current superstar DJ Boy George releases a new compilation from his More Protein imprint that features some of that label’s more significant releases. The beats vary from straight house to progressive house and trance, but the quality of the songs and production shows why More Protein was such a notable label in the early 1990s. Also check new remixes of some old favorites, including Timewriter’s mix of “Generations Of Love” by Jesus Loves You, “The Shuffle Remix” of “Everything Starts With an E” by Ezee Possee, and Quivver’s remix of “Let Love Come Down” by Colein.
– Phil Turnipseed

“Where’s Your Head At”
Basement Jaxx
Astralwerks
The best track from Rooty – a roaring sing-along with a monstrous buzz-bomb synth line – gets the remix treatment from a diverse bunch here. Stanton Warriors go bleepy with breakbeats, while the “Jaxx Nite Dub” gets more down and dirty. The dub from Mood II Swing’s Jon Ciafone’s gets downright hypnotic with its submarine bells, swirling keys and insistent bassline. The “Sounds of Da Future Remix” pushes a skittery two-step rhythm. A flavor for all jocks.
– Jim Tremayne

“Got Ur Self A...”
Nas
Columbia
Hip-hop maestro Nas has cooled off considerably since his early success a couple of years back, but that doesn’t hold down this single from the Stillmatic album. This new one borrows a bit of a chant from The Sopranos’ theme (Alabama 3’s “Woke Up This Morning”) and builds into a big hip-hop groove. The hook is cool, while Nas rips the science on, well, his skills. The rhythm is catchy and could put Nas back in the fast lane.
– Phil Turnipseed

“Is It All Over My Face?”
Loose Joints
West End Records
Part of their new “25th Anniversary Edition Mastermix” remixed by Masters At Work, West End drops the first single – a reworked classic – from that highly anticipated collection. Bringing back the ultra-cool bassline and retaining some of the same flava of the original, MAW deliver a subtle smooth house vibe. It basically has the same feel of the original, but does have a few light breakdowns for today’s audience. Hopefully, this is a preview of what we can expect from the full-length collection.
– Phil Turnipseed

“When I’m With You”
Jinnel
Full Blast
Newcomer Jinnel and producers Neil Christian and Rick Michaels do a tremendous job at combining their talents to dish out an excellent dose of high-impact dancefloor madness. A catchy cut with crossover potential, it also offers a trio of radio-ready, club-steady remixes from DJ Skribble, Anthony Acid, Malicious Mike and LD30. Hot!
– Peter A. Colón

Instructions
Jermaine Dupree
So So Def
Jermaine Dupree takes time out from his production duties to deliver his own full-length and shows why he is one of urban music’s most successful creators. Featuring artists like Ludacris, Usher, Nate Dogg, Da Brat, Kurupt, Too Short, Bilal, Dupree’s latest showcases some very cool vibes on a variety of cuts. Check current single “Ballin’ Out of Control” with Nate Dogg, “Supafly” with Bilal, “Welcome To Atlanta” with Ludacris, “Get Some” with Usher, Boo & Gotti, and “Whatever” featuring Nate Dogg, Katrina, Trey Lorenz, Tigah and R.O.C. With cuts like these, Instructions could be 2002’s R&B album of the year.
– Phil Turnipseed

Deep Train
Timewriter
Plastic City
Champion of the deep-tech sound, Timewriter gets loose on this rough and rugged continuous-mix CD. We’re feeling most of these tracks, but pay special attention to Prana’s “The Dream” or Sharam Jey & Nick K.’s “Deeper,” and Sharon Phillips’ “Touch Me.” Plenty of underground flavors here on this absolutely wicked comp.
– Phil Turnipseed