Darren Emerson

This two-disc mix album, the second volume in a series curated by the solid house label Underwater, features a pair of divergent takes on contemporary house music. The first, by former Underworld beatmaster (and present-day Underwater head) Darren Emerson, is mostly of the sleek British variety, including a few tracks eerily similar to Underworld productions (though considerably beefier) like Paul Jackson's "The Push" (Emerson actually remixed the track). Midway through he detours into throwback American-style disco, and the mix benefits from the variety. Unsurprisingly, nearly all of his selections come from the Underwater roster, a varied one capable of highlights like the epic techno of Sharam Jey's "Day After" and the upfront R&B of Tim Deluxe's "Less Talk More Action." The second disc comes from the two-man team Mutiny (Mutiny UK to those in America). Though their mix begins by continuing in the direction that Emerson went out on, they soon show their true stripes by including pounding jack tracks like Derrick Carter's "Where U At?," Sandy Rivera's "Can't Stop," and DJ Sneak's "Same Old Song" (plus a few of their own that mimic the style well). ~ John Bush, All Music Guide