Danny Krivit

King Street Sound continues to tap the elite of New York's house music DJ community for their Mix the Vibe series, this time enlisting the skills of Body and Soul master Danny Krivit. The result is everything you'd expect from an N.Y.C. house compilation, meaning mid-tempo jams that are heavy on the live instrumentation and vocals as well as dozens of classic disco samples.

New York mainstays Blaze contribute two tracks on this double-disc set, while Kerri Chandler has his hands in three of the selections. Krivit also doubles up the appearance of Atlanta producer Chris Brann's Andanda Project, making him one of the few New York producers to adequately capture the city's sound. It also makes him one of the younger producers found here, especially when compared to such elders as Timmy Regisford and disco queen Loleatta Holloway.

The mixing is as seamless as one would expect, with Krivit moving easily from song to song. He makes minimal use of so-called DJ tools, limiting straight percussion tracks to just one per disc. The vibe Krivit feels on this collection is strictly song-based. And while he resists using any obvious classics, he also restricts himself from exploring the darker textures that found their way into his far more rewarding Expansions CD, released jut eight months later. Those who use the Krivit name as a signifier for this sort of New York house won't be disappointed with this mix. But those who know that Krivit possesses a much broader range may find themselves let down. ~ Joshua Glazer, All Music Guide