Infracom!
Club Classics Spun by Michael Rutten
Shadow
After a lengthy, adventurous night on the town, most folks are inclined to unwind and relax in their own comfortable domains. What goes up must come down, and a DJ like Michael Rutten (a.k.a. SoulPatrol) is fully aware of that. When you think club classics, you might be imagining the ultra-glossy dance anthems that flood late-night infomercials and countless compilations. But Rutten’s record selections tell another tale altogether. Rather than rely on the thumping straight beat “club” sound, Rutten offers us an alternate, more ethnically influenced selection of underground tracks. Tinges of drum n’ bass intrude the building “Inercia” by Max Schneider, leading into the sudden tropical-house blend of Hacienda’s “Working Class Glamour.” From there, its sunny side up and the record rarely turns back with a sneer. If you were to take a boombox out to the beach or throw an intimate gathering at home, this mix would be ideal to bring to the festivities. I’m still not sure if I’m really into the lighter sounds of Infracom just yet, but it sure is a breather from all the suffocating, never-ending Global Underground compilations.
Shadow Records, 26 W. 17th Street, #502, New York, NY 10011; http://www.shadowrecords.com
