For those who love and appreciate house music ­ and that should ba all of you IMO ­ be forewarned that the folks across the pond at Defected Records are about to release a 3-CD set as part of their popular In The House series. Subtitled Miami 09 - in conjunction with the annual Winter Music Conference that will take place soon after this issue hits the street - the release has a Poolside mix (CD1) by Yass; a Sundown mix (CD2) by DJ Spen; and an In The Club mix (CD3) by David Penn.

While Yass may not be as well known as some of his fellow Parisian DJ/remixers such as Bob Sinclar and DJ Gregory, he nonetheless has the "former Resident DJ at Club Queen" pedigree and has a house music sensibility that screams several parts NYC garage with a splash of French disco. His Poolside mix on this Miami 09 album, featuring his "No Lies" and "I Won't" as well as his own new remix "The Way You Love Me" by Marc Evans, is extremely soulful and groovy. It's sure to impress those familiar with his work and those taking their maiden Yass voyage.

More familiar to house-heads around the world, and one of my favorite housemeisters of all time, DJ Spen absolutely turns out the Sundown mix. Featuring two classic songs remixed in 4/4 dance format ­ Prince's "When Doves Cry" and Aretha's "Rescue Me" - Spen delivers a mix that further cements his position as one of the most important and influential persons on the global house music scene today.
Rounding out this incredibly strong In The House production, Spanish DJ/remixer/producer David Penn presents a banging In The Club mix with plenty of hands in the air moments derived from classic house tracks, both new and old. Far from reliant on back catalog grooves in their original versions, Penn introduces to house connoisseurs of all ages freshness, including his remix of "It's Yours" by Jon Cutler and Henrik B's rerub of "Can't Get Enough" by Soulsearcher.

I've long maintained that Defected is the best house music record label in the world today. This 3-CD compilation and the use of Yass, Spen, and Penn once again demonstrates why it would be difficult to argue with me on this point.