A-Trak – Infinity +1 (2009) [Fools Gold] // Grade: B+

If you care anything about hip-hop OR dance music, then you’re most likely familiar with wunderkid DJ A-Trak, the jet-setting blogger/sandwich lover. Over the last few years, he’s made a name for himself remixing tracks, djing around the world (you already know he was Kanye’s dj, duh) and as co-owner of Fools Gold Records. His last two mixes, Dirty South Dance & Running Man, were both fantastic albums that captured the essence of the indie club scene at the time and now after just wrapping up a promotional tour, he brings us Infinity +1.

While the tracks on Dirty South Dance accurately reflected it’s title (hip-hop bangers with a discotheque twist), Infinity +1 is a rollin’ & scratchin’ voyage through the time traveling portals of electro and dance. This is what I imagine you’d hear in the phone booth from Bill & Ted’s if they had been modern day blog house dorks and not late 80s surf burn outs. The only exception to this vibe is near the beginning of the mix, where Treezy subtly shifts through a few bar-infused rap numbers. Ironically (I listen to WAY to much rap) this is my least favorite part of the mix, although it does do an excellent job at diversifying the mix without hampering the flow.

Despite it’s 21 track, hour long run time, this mix plays out at a blazing pace, cruising seamlessly through a selection of tracks that are just as at home in the club as they are on your headphones while in the midst of the workday. I found myself oblivious to the fact that I’d been working for an hour as I wondered why I didn’t get off my ass to catch A-Trak at his recent Studio B date here in Brooklyn (Oh yeah, I was hungover from the Mishka Grand Opening party).

Just as the opening tracks are a comforting introduction to this never-ending journey, the last few tracks segue into the closing piece, a lulling guitar driven number by electro/folk musician James Yuill. The first few times I listened to this mix, I was caught off guard by this, but after REALLY listening to the mix as a whole, I couldn’t ask for a better ending.

- Mike Jones