Al de Leon

Can dance music ever attain the universal popularity of hip-hop in America? If Erick Morillo has his way, it might just be a question of when, not if. With the release of his first artist album, "The 2 Sides of My World," dance music's hottest DJ/producer/record label boss from the past several years is taking the first step in his mission to push his genre beyond the club scene and into the homes of middle America. "To say dance music in America is underrated would be an understatement," says Morillo, on his cell phone traveling between gigs to support the new album. "The scene is so bad--you have a few big DJs and the rest are struggling. I'm trying to do everything possible to bring that up."

Trying to replicate the hyper-growth of hip-hop with a genre that rarely gets support from radio or MTV has its challenges, so Morillo cleverly enlisted one of hip-hop's biggest stars and shrewdest businessmen, P. Diddy, to collaborate on the album. The hip-hop mogul has become increasingly visible in the dance-music scene recently--he's been spotted dancing in the mega-clubs of Ibiza, the paradise island for clubbers, and performing with Morillo in Miami during Winter Music Conference. "It's a great thing that someone like him, who could be doing anything, loves the scene and wants to get involved," Morillo says. Some might argue that P. Diddy has no business getting involved in dance music, but it's hard to deny the star power and mainstream credibility that working with him provides.

Beyond P. Diddy, the list of artists Morillo tapped to produce "My World" reads like a who's who of dance music--Boy George, DJ Rap, and Audio Bullys all lend their vocals to the album. Perhaps as part of his mission to elevate dance music, Morillo was adamant about creating a record that would appeal to a broad listener base and not just the club crowd. "It could've been a DJ record, but I made sure that every song was a song. The way I arranged it, it's a listening album." In other words, "My World" features more traditional song structures, but still offers undeniably danceable hooks, whether it's the bouncy bass line underneath Terra Deva's stellar vocals in the standout track, "What Do You Want," or the catchy phrase, "Lesson one, the journey's just begun," from "Lessons," which is sure to become a club anthem.

"My World," slated for release next week, has been available in Europe since last fall, but Morillo saved something special for U.S. fans. The four-disc domestic version includes his artist album, plus a double compilation CD, "Subliminal Winter Sessions Vol. 2" (previously released in Europe), and another mix on the fourth disc. The compilations are meant to capture Morillo when he holds court in a nightclub, taking listeners on a journey through a range of styles, from funky, vocal house to disco to tribal. Indeed, if you've ever seen him DJ at a club, there's no one else who uses house music as a springboard to jump to other genres quite as effectively as Morillo. It's in his nature to play whatever will get the party going and tear the club up.

This knack for track selection was evident the last time he played in Chicago, when his encore at 5am started with a bit of surprise--Guns `N' Roses' "Welcome to the Jungle"--and was followed up seamlessly with Lil' Louis' "French Kiss" to close the night out. "There's no record I won't play. I don't care if it's a trance record; if it's funky and hot, I'll play it. It's got to move people on the dance floor, and it's got to have balls."

Morillo understands the decisions he makes in the DJ booth can make a good night turn into an unforgettable night, but it's not just the club goers who benefit: "It's euphoria when you connect with the crowd--I'm like on adrenaline for eight hours. There's no better feeling in the world. It's better than sex."

Erick Morillo spins January 21 at Sound-Bar, 226 West Ontario, (312)787-4480.

(2005-01-18)

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