A Night at the Playboy Mansion

by Jason BirchmeierOn A Night at the Playboy Mansion, Dimitri from Paris pulls together some of the best sounds from the past and gives them a fresh twist. The 14-song set includes three freshly remixed songs from the late '70s and the original version of Cerrone's "Give Me Love" from 1977. The entire album has a strong disco feel from beginning to end. The beats thump at a mellow pace with a syncopated sense of funk. This disco sense also comes from the constant appearance of synthesized strings lingering during each song's melodic hook. Most of the 14 songs use vocals to varying effects. For example, the Sunburst Band's "I'll Be There for You (Joey Negro Vocal Mix)" includes a number of vocal tracks acting as background effects, sampled refrains, and peak outbursts. In the end, the heavy use of vocals can wear on the listener, who is more often accustomed to instrumental house tracks rather than an entire set of vocal tracks. Since every song has its own distinct vocal melodies, the set really has no salient peak or rest period. Instead, the entire set comes loaded with vocal hook after vocal hook and melody after melody until Dimitri from Paris's fiery remix of Ashford and Simpson's "Found a Cure." The set would be more rewarding with a few breathers but will surely satisfy anyone who appreciates a heavy dose of mid-tempo disco house loaded with vocals.