Mixed by Ben Watt

The CD series Buzzin’ Fly, curated by DJ Ben Watt (who some may know best as one-half of Everything But the Girl), is always a surefire bet for those who want a set of discerning yet danceable music without actually having to go out. The third time proves to be the real charm for Buzzin’ Fly as Watt expands on the conventions of the format. He intersperses his own original songs into the blend, but he also grafts bits of his spoken-word poetics onto other tracks in the mix.

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Wait, it’s much better than it sounds. As it turns out, Watt, author of the gut-stirring 1996 memoir Patient (about a rare and life-threatening illness that kept him in the hospital for months on end), has as much a way with words as he does with music. And that holds fast whether the sentiments are delivered by Philly rapper Baby Blak or Idaho poet Jennifer Valone. Ultimately, though, it’s the serene yet irresistibly funky grooves that glue this collection together into something notable. 4 stars.