Dimitri From Paris

Turkish-born, Paris-based house DJ Dimitri's latest release could be aptly described as funky house misbehaviour. Originally mixed in 1997, it is the most complete follow-up to the stylish Parisian's debut release of 1996, Sacre Bleu, which was voted album of the year in MixMag at the time of its release. Any new material would naturally have to scale new heights. Whether that is his intention on De-Luxe House Of Funk is not entirely evident. What it does show is Dimitri returning to his house roots whilst putting his light-jazz and bossa nova influences, courtesy of '50s musician Martin Denny or Dick Hyman, on hold. The selling point for this release is previously unavailable tracks by UFO - an eclectic, jazzy conga-driven piece - as well as the Brand New Heavies, remixed by Dimitri himself, and Björk's song "Isobel," from her second release, Post. Whilst there are a certain magic to them, it is the distinctly Yellow Productions sound style that permeates the other tracks that stand out. Dimitri's counterpart on Yellow Productions, and Africanism All Stars membe, Bob Sinclair is featured here with a characteristically lush but minimalist number called "Visions of Paradise." Also, two-step/jazz masters Mondo Grosso's "Vibe PM," followed by Takada's "Ola-le," make the melange perfect. It's a surprise Joe Claussell's masterful percussion-driven tracks are not featured here, as they would fit snugly. An utterly danceable mix, but not necessarily another album of the year.