Search - Various Artists :: Mixed By Steve Porter: Porterhouse 2

Juicy and cuts like butter

LexAffection | Philadelphia, PA USA | 04/26/2007

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Steve Porter serves up a deliciously funky and twisted platter of eclectic house music whose flavor one cannot help but return to savor. Porterhouse Volume 2 seems to have accomplished what Sandy Rivera attempted, but failed, to produce with his latest offering in the Renaissance Master's series; that is, a vocally cheeseless and funkified exposé of surprisingly pleasant house music. My very first reaction after hearing this mix was that it sounded like Luke Fair, but James Zabiela-fied; a crazy mix of incredible house music with countless wacky twists and turns, always playing colorful tricks for my ears.



"Good evening, gentleman. I just wanted to let you guys know we have a few specials tonight. We have a crispy roasted duck, a grilled Chilean sea bass with sautéed red peppers, and a delicious porterhouse steak."

"I'll have the porterhouse, please."

"That's an excellent choice..."



...and so begins the first mix. "Secret Agent Man," with its cocky female vocals, is an odd choice for an opener; I was put off initially by the lyrics and thought Porterhouse 2 would be a rehash of oh-so-many other house mixes out there. The mix is so quickly redeemed by track two, however, when Nixon's "Turn It Up (Phunky Toast Dub)" drops - this track literally defines the house party atmosphere of the entire album. The tempo suddenly slows down a bit, but breaks back into party mode with "Buster" by Island 9. Throbbing synth riffs over sharp and brightly lit hi-hats create a wonderfully consistent mix of feel-good house. In certain ways, Porter's mixing lacks the compositional skills displayed by Luke Fair on his new Balance release, but this quip is easily overlooked -after all, I found myself too busy nodding my head and moving my body (even in a desk chair!) to focus on composition. What is important is that Porter has proven that his taste in funky house music is well-defined and worthy of praise. The first mix on its own has twenty-eight tracks, with both discs clocking in at fifty-seven. Most of the tracks are under three minutes long, most under two, and I initially took this as a caveat; I have heard other compilations where DJs seem to change pace too often, snipping a small sample from one track and mixing it with another short sample, and then fusing the whole audio mass (mess?) together. Porter does the same thing, but successfully. This is one aspect of his musicianship that will ensure that I return to this mix frequently.



Steve Porter provides short-term relief from the relentlessly danceable music roughly midway through the first disc. Track samples from the likes of Chris Micali, CPM and Porter's own "Pity Stix" slow the BPM, but only temporarily. In fact, by the end of "Pity Stix," the body's already in movement again. I loved the inclusion of Way Out West's "Apollo (General Midi Mix)" because it is such a strange addition, given the artists whose tracks surround it. Several noteworthy tracks (out of many) from the first mix include Plump DJ's "Black Jack," Agent 001's "ReDan," Katcha's "Touched By God (D. Ramirez Mix)" and the dangerously groovy "I Don't Know" by Judge Jules & BK. Yet this disc is so chock-full of excellent tracks that I could not possibly list them all. A positive atmosphere radiates so strongly, enforced by the closure of the first mix with two pumping house tracks by Monkz and Matt Rowan & Jaytech. This disc will find its proper home in a night club, but it really leaves its impression in a home stereo, too. Very highly recommended.



Steve Porter kicks the second mix off with Roger Lee's mid-tempo, body-moving "Discover." Mid-tempo it may be, but by the time Strider's "Tiger Uppercut (Superstyle Deluxe Remix)" enters the field followed at the heels by "Tazmaniac," I find myself in the same nexus of groovy, gyrating house music that I must admit I thought I'd left behind with the first mix! "In A Groove," "Equator" and "Fender Bender" simply up the ante; Some of the stronger dance songs on the second mix incorporate DJ-esque vocals, comparable to the EDM equivalent of scat singing in jazz music; I love it. The middle of mix two (which contains twenty-nine tracks) temporarily brings things to a much smoother and consistent tempo. The turntablist surprises lurk around each and every bend - but one should expect this, being that remixes from the likes of Luke Chable, Rogue Element and Matt Rowan & Jaytech pepper the tracklist like diamonds in the rough. Suddenly, a couple melodic house tracks slide into the format, predominately Agent 001's "Juicy Froot" whose synths give it a `60s vibe - if you can fathom that in an EDM mix. This disc is so easy to fall in love with because of its deliciously unique timbre.

"Dead Drummers" by Rogue Element showcases one of the hardest house beats found on either disc, its timing perfect; it segues into a series of banging house tracks that will get your heart pumping quicker than you can nod your head to the beat. Included amongst the elite are Matt Rowan's "Her Strength," Emjae's "Sweat Box," Carlos Montes' "Walking On the Sky," Mario Ochoa & DJ Fist's "Showtime" and "Sukdat (Rogue Element Mix)" by Soul of Man. Arguably, the peak of the second mix rages between tracks twenty-seven and twenty-nine; "1990">>"Armonamen">>Momento Pacifico. It is so utterly essential that the second of the two mixes end with this highlighted melodic peak, because the merits of the disc warrant such an exciting finale.



No matter how you prefer it, this Porterhouse is bursting with irresistible flavor. Another great addition to 2007's already shining collection of EDM releases.



~Lex"