***1/2 Cevin Fisher

UNDERGROUND 2000

(Maxi)

Fisher, a major presence in house music's DJ scene, displays his strengths to best advantage in this full-length session. He's less a turntable mix king -- for mix excitement one looks to Little Louie Vega, say, or David Morales -- than a super-smooth programmer. On this 12-track CD (eight originals, two of which come with added remixes), the music -- deep, gorgeous, diva-bright house, funky grins, and lots of salsa sexiness -- moves between high-stepping cuts without fuss or clash, just the joy of party people raising their hands in the air. As Fisher pumps from his signature "The Way We Used To" to "(You Got Me) Burnin' Up" (his 1999 club hit) to the gospelly "Music Saved My Life" and back to traxx style at "Mas Groove," his trinity of slithery beat, vocal psychedelia, and jet-engine sound effects sounds like ecstasy without turbulence, and it's rich, dark, and sweet enough to make the unreal and real fall in love with each other. Anthemic moment: the aptly titled "Raise Your Hands."

-- Michael Freedberg