James Zabiela Spins at Mansion This Saturday

via myspace.com/jameszabiela

Initially catching a break as an opening DJ for progressive figurehead Sasha, U.K. DJ/producer James Zabiela funneled an interest in acid house's tightly pitched trills and the instant editing potential of the Pioneer CDJ decks into a blissfully slick sound that's both sci-fi and hi-fi. Digitally assisted by MIDI controllers, samplers, and a laptop, Zabiela's tightly edited sets are like electromagnetic conversations between funky aliens and precise androids, their cosmically reverberating melodies carried by tech-scored house and aroused breakbeats.

Saturday, June 20. Mansion, 1235 Washington Ave., Miami Beach. Doors open at 11 p.m.
Tickets cost $20 in advance from wantickets.com. Ages 21+ with ID. 305-531-5535; mansionmiami.com

-- Tony Ware