Deep and Sexy, Vol. 1: Mixed by François K

by Joshua GlazerIt's easy to see why record labels like to put out mix compilations of their own tracks. For starters, it enables the label to get many of its vinyl-only material onto the much more lucrative CD market. Second, it can be mixed by a high-profile DJ, giving the disc far greater recognition than it would have had on just the strength of the little-known producers and the label's own brand recognition. And finally, it's a way for a label to put out a mix CD without having to pay those pesky licensing fees to other labels for using their tracks. The problem is, there are virtually no labels with the diversity of music needed to make a DJ mix compelling. These type of mixes inevitably sound stiff and unfinished, like the DJ was held back. Those who are fans of Wave Music should enjoy this disc. It is, like the title says, deep and sexy. A few tracks -- ADNY's "Omato Grosso" and Nathan Haine's "Earth Is the Place" -- even transcend the realm of a house track and qualify as full-fledged songs that will stick in your head long after the disc is over. But those Francois K. fans who are familiar with the house legend through his epic weekly Body & Soul gigs or his incredible Essential Mix CD (one of the most far-reaching and accomplished mixes ever released) will surely be disappointed when they discover that label comps are not the place to find real musical journeys, regardless of whose beat matches the tracks.