Cedric Gervais

For those uninclined toward clubbing: French expatriate Cedric Gervais is one of Miami's most popular resident DJs, appearing each weekend at Club Space downtown. Gervais spins house music in those lost hours where Saturday night becomes Sunday morning -- and, for the happy hardcore, afternoon. The sprawl of a superclub and its wild and wooly followers has less than universal appeal. However, as Yoshitoshi Miami demonstrates, those who routinely skip this scene are missing out on a decent DJ. To keep in line with this series, Gervais was limited to selecting songs from the catalogue of the Yoshitoshi label (founded by the international dance stars of Deep Dish). This would be a restriction in the hands of others. For Gervais it's an asset that allows him to display both programming prowess and beat-matching ability, though it'd be fun to be able to hear him slip in cheeky selections like the rerub of Queen's "Another One Bites the Dust" that he did with Second Sun. Fortunately Yoshitoshi remains consistent with its quality output, though label classics like Eddie Amador's "6 AM" and "House Music" and Alcatraz's "Give Me Luv" (which Gervais remixes here) remain highlights. Free from the traces of cocaine, lipstick, champagne, and cigarette smoke that can stain your clothes and get you in trouble later, Yoshitoshi Miami is a safe and clean alternative to a night spent orbiting somewhere in outer Space. -- Tamara Palmer