Best of Balihu Records: I Was a Disco Malcontent [Audio CD] Balihu

Since 1993, Balihu Records has functioned as the moniker for reclusive house mixologist Daniel Wang--and with this long-awaited compilation of early 12-inches, the mystery only deepens. Hailing from Tibet, Chicago, or South America--depending on with whom one speaks--Wang has long been rumored to actually be a duo of producers, or perhaps some even larger unit. No matter; the beats on Disco Malcontent draw lovingly from so many macrotraditions that it may as well all be true. Farming the verdant valley that lies between Larry Levan and Juan Atkins, Balihu's grooves bubble and squeak like nothing so much as a K-hole where machine elves forever riff on "Love Is the Message." And by conceptually grafting Detroit techno's lonely-planet Roland flourishes to the sex church of New York City garage, Wang has created a most gratifying third way: a severely considered disco minimalism with bump-and-skate dynamics. These 10 staples of Dimitri from Paris's more smoked-out live sets will make your butt smile. --Steve Lafreniere