Let the Music Play

Colette Marino emerged from Chicago in the late Nineties as one-fourth of the house collective Superjane. What distinguished her from partners Lady D, DJ Heather, and Dayhota wasn't her strong DJ skills, but her penchant for spinning records and singing at the same time. This is far from a gimmick; Colette is actually a trained mezzo-soprano who has sung on a number of house tracks for DJ Sneak, Mazi, and Angel Alanis. In her live performances/DJ sets, though, the resulting effect is strangely disorienting as she produces elastic notes that float over and occasionally grate against supple deep house tracks.

Most people haven't heard from Colette since she's been holed up in a Los Angeles studio for the past several months working on her debut album. (She hasn't released a mix CD since 2001.) This year should mark a long-awaited comeback as her disc, From a Record Player, finally hits stores and she retakes the spotlight.