(Defected Records/Shock)

Dimitri From Paris, what a huge name in dance music. It was only a few years ago since he released A Night At The Playboy Mansion. This was one of those iconic mixes that hit right on time when dance music was getting right out there in the mainstream. EMI pushed the thing right into the Australian charts. And why not, the release was well produced and sounded great.

Now all the hype is retreating and house music again pulls back slightly towards the underground. Some may say this is where it may belong. These are times where most major labels will not touch house music with a ten foot barge poll.

For these and many more reasons Dimitri has ‘defected’ to the well respected Defected Records label, who have him on the decks for the next installment in their In The House series.

So how does this mix stack up to A Night At The Playboy Mansion? For one, this release is a mammoth 3 CDs long. Well, 2 CDs really with a bonus disc of Dimitri mixes that already appear in the first two CDs along with a few interviews and a live video.

The CD 1 features a more drowned out Playboy Mansion sound. The track selection here features longer deeper instrumentals but there is the still distinctive disco sound that Dimitri is so well known for. Highlights here include Dirty Harry’s swinging house track Hectic Funk that features some awesome reverb action on Sinnamon’s I Need You Now acapella. Joey Negro’s mix of Doug Willis’ funk/soul jam Got to Get Your Own is damn fine, as is the Latin broken beat soulful vibe of Ive Mendes’ Natural High.

CD 2 is more of a follow on from the Playboy Mansion thing. The tune selection here is more vocal and more old skool disco style with a stronger pop element. Greg Gibbs’ The Glow of Love is rock solid, as is the unbelievably happy sounding Togetherness by Paul Hunter. This is nicely followed by The O’Jays’ I Love Music and the funky guitar playing in Master H’s Thirteen establishes one damn fine groove.

Overall this release seems to lack a certain quality that was contained in the Playboy Mansion mix that made that mix so accessible to so many people. This is not to say that this mix is not good. This mix offers a larger variety of house styles and has been expertly assembled. It is a must to check out for Dimitri fans. However, it’s just that this release may not hit the dance floor as hard as Playboy Mansion did.