Boy George - A Night Out With Boy George: A DJ Mix (2002)

Unlike some of Boy George's previous mix albums, his first mix for Moonshine, A Night Out, veers far from well-known anthems in favor of more obscure, personally chosen tracks. As surprising as it may seem for North America's dominant mass-market dance label to give the singer-turned-DJ so much freedom, Moonshine made the right call. A Night Out is one of Boy George's more engaging mixes, despite lacking the popular tracks of his past mixes for Ministry of Sound -- or perhaps it's more engaging because of this. Whatever the reason, it's engaging, for sure. Boy George throws down mostly obscure progressive house tracks, many of which feature a bit of vocals. Rather than let the tracks play out for five-plus minutes, he quickly brings in others. Most tracks get no more than four minutes or so before being mixed, and these mixes are impressively smooth despite their quickness. The set gets off to a great start, hitting a particularly impressive run when Saeed & Palash's remix of Peter Bailey's "U Need It" eclipses Christian Smith and John Selway's "Yess." Granted, these are sure-fire production duos -- two of the best progressive house had to offer in 2002 and surely the two most recognizable names on this album -- but, regardless, it's a great seven minutes and it sets the tone for the remainder of the set. The grand finale, the seven-plus-minute "6AM Mix" of "Stolen the Sun," momentarily takes the set into numbing trance territory for a concluding sense of bliss. The sweeping moment works so well because Boy George stays away from trance for most of the album, sticking almost exclusively with progressive house. More than anything, this perfect timing and grasp of tension and release showcases how much Boy George continues to evolve as a DJ, from a one-time novelty to a professional talent.