A Night At The Playboy Mansion
Bouncy and airy, this soulful epic from Dimitri from Paris usurps the bubbly core of disco and imbues it with a propulsive, addictive energy. A talented DJ as well as a sharp-eared and fearless translator of faux-sophisticate,Martin Denny-style exotica-jazz, Dimitri has a natural affinity to latch onto the kitsch, which has always given an appealing breeziness to his mixes. This disc ups the ante, both on that level and also in terms of plain old danceability. Most impressive of all, this disc manages to avoid sounding like a predictable rehash or, worse, yet another nod to mindless retro culture. Bringing the funk in unabashed fashion on such tracks asthe Originals' "Down to Love Town" or falling through the gauzy melodies of La Pregunta's "Shangri-La," Dimitri displays an affinity for the genre that is both focused and informed. While he gives the songs proper breathing room, his sampling technique produces an intensely modern spin when necessary. Mixing up Stetasonic's "Talking All That Jazz," Dimitri twiddles and dips the EQ with ruthless energy, giving the song a breakbeat-like, sample-laden momentum. As any DJ ripped straight from Studio 54 would know, Dimitri's ancient vinyl carries a time-tested vibe that even the most modern of present-day ravers can and should recognize as a kindred spirit.--Matthew Cooke