Aphrodite

Few dance producers reign over their subgenre as unquestionably as Gavin King dominates jump- up. Fusing reggae- style intensity with funk beats as hard as they are hyper, the results are similar to dancehall, but without those muppet- voiced Jamaican dudes threatening to off batty boys. Aphrodite's self- titled American debut is a compilation of older tracks that still sound fresh. The shifting bass lines offer melodies before King drops the proceedings into freefall. Snippets of melodic ornamentation—electronic seagulls, soul saxophones, unmoored organ vamps—surface then plunge away beneath the breakbeat surf. And the awesome "B.M. Funkster" is jump- up's defining moment, sampling a loping horn riff from James Brown protégé Marva Whitney's "Unwind Yourself" for maximum funk impact.

As with most dance music producers, King has scattered more singles, mixes, and remixes about than any album guide can take into account. For starters, though, Takeover Bid is an ace mix disc. King has also masterminded numerous remixes—of Nine Inch Nails, among others. His self- released import tracks are worth hunting for, as are tracks released under the names Alladin and Amazon II—pseudonyms are yet another way the dance underground tries to elude you. This time, at least, it's worth the quest. (KEITH HARRIS)

From 2004's The New Rolling Stone Album Guide