Al de Leon

Most DJs cut their teeth spinning at small venues and no-name house parties; Jimmy Van M came up playing at some of the sickest after-hours sessions in his Orlando home alongside an A-list of DJs touring through the area. It was that pedigree and primetime exposure to the scene, plus plenty of hard work, which led to Van M's growth into a DJ star himself. The milestones are impressive, including a four-year residency at defunct New York superclub Twilo and a key role in developing and playing the Delta Heavy tour with Sasha and Digweed. Indeed, the progressive duo's influence on Van M is clear after a single spin through his new 3XCD compilation, "Balance 010." To hear Van M talk about the album is a throwback to when Sasha and Digweed's style as a duo peaked in the mid-nineties: "I want people to listen to the first CD, let it go, to the second CD, let it go, and the third CD, let it go, and experience the continuous journey."

"Balance" takes listeners on a long ride through several genres, from ambient and trip hop to minimal techno and tech-house. Thanks to Van M's seamless mixing style, the album naturally progresses through a range of emotions. "It's eclectic in terms of not only vibes, but the producers and tempos. I've never worked on stuff this slow. Some of the tracks top out at 65 BPM." The "Downtempo" and "Midtempo" discs both lean toward the left field with songs to chill to, including tracks from Boards of Canada, Depeche Mode and Coldcut. Van M spent months sifting through his record collection to program those mixes. "Once I realized I could license the music I wanted, that's when it got really exciting, and I spent a lot of time and effort trying to get all my favorite stuff from many years past."

The "Uptempo" mix truly stands out. Pulsing beats and danceable grooves complement minimal but in-your-face melodies, with Tom Pooks' "Docker" among the highlights. Van M says this disc is the most representative of his live mixing style, and he's looking forward to showcasing how his sound has evolved when he visits Spy Bar, his first Chicago show in a year. "The music I have now, I'm really excited about people experiencing it. ...That transcends into something different than your standard run-of-the-mill, you're on the road, and it is what it is."

Jimmy Van M, with Eric Dahl at Spy Bar, 646 North Franklin, (312)587-8779, on December 8 at 10pm. $10 advance tickets and discounted admission at purefuture.com

(2006-12-05)

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