Spirit Catcher: Coast2Coast
NRK

Belgium's Spirit Catcher (Jean Vanesse and Thomas Sohet) takes its turn at the reins of the Coast2Coast series for a sleek mix that features material by Matthias Tanzmann, Motorcitysoul, Johnny D, Carl Craig, Jerome Sydenham, Moodymanc, and Johnjon, among others (the release also comes equipped with a bonus unmixed CD that contains ten of the mix's fourteen cuts). This ninth installment in the series, which has previously showcased outings by Âme, Kerri Chandler, Miguel Migs, and Charles Webster, is a particularly lithe creature that unfolds with seductive stealth. Soul Designer's jubilant blend of electro, ‘70s funk, and disco (“DDNA”) gets the mix off on the good foot, after which it moves through electro-house, funky techno, Latin house, soulful house, tribal techno, deep house, dub-house, and even, yes, a minimal groove or two. Specialists in driving, disco-inflected tech-house, Vanesse and Sohet keep the mood upbeat and the vibe exuberant throughout, with the mix never raging too far out of control but never deflating into meandering banality either. Highlights include the beautifully tight deep house swing of BLM's “Nacho,” the serpentine snap of Motorcitysoul's “Fantasy,” and the jazzy delirium of Moodymanc's “Coleman.” Spirit Catcher's clockwork pulse pumps like a precision-tooled machine for seventy minutes as it moves seamlessly through Tanzmann's “Swim,” Johnny D's “Orbitalife,” Leif's “OHNH,” and until finally coming to rest with Carl Craig's remix of Tribe's “Livin' in a New Day.”

February 2009