Saeed Younan excels in many fields. He is a world class, globe-trotting DJ; a recording artist; a sought-after remix producer; and head of his own record label. On his new album, Spotlight, he showcases all these roles, via one thrilling mix.

Younan's previous album, Remixed (2006), was composed solely of original productions and remixes. He takes that concept to the next level on Spotlight, emphasizing tracks culled from artists on his label, in addition to his own handiwork. "Everything comes full circle with this album," he says. "I'm spotlighting me, as a producer and a DJ, and the label for what it is. I'm bringing the two businesses together."

So not only does Spotlight double as a calling card for the myriad new signings Younan has championed, it also celebrates his ability to program music in a compelling manner. "It gives you a taste of the format you would hear from me if I was doing a four-hour set, from beginning to end, in a club." That he achieves this using only fifteen tracks, all pulled from his own catalog, is a testament to his skill sets in every category.

Although renown for his facility with tribal and percussive grooves, there is no signature Saeed Younan sound. Instead, on Spotlight he progresses through a variety, building momentum by allowing the music to ebb and swell, enhancing tracks and fashioning graceful segues with deft effects and EQing. The disc kicks off with his remix of "Ping Pong" by Ronny Van D., full of percolating beats and frisky low-end, then graduates to the warm, sexy vibe of Marcel Castelli's "Tribalismo Samba Dub," a cut with a distinctly Latin twist, reminiscent of the glory days of Twilo. From the extraterrestrial adventures of "Earth Planet" by Kermit, through the mischievous subversion of Alex Celler's "Nightshift," the set integrates fluid changes in tempo and texture, finally climaxing with the DJ Wady's joyful and radiant "Introducing the Sound."