WASHINGTON, D.C. -- In the U.S., music enthusiasts are finally embracing dance music as more than just a club staple. Lagging behind is the recording industry, which when considering dance music's success throughout Europe, still has a long way to go. But this, too, is changing.

One artist who's witnessed this change firsthand is British DJ Paul Oakenfold. A true champion and pioneer of house/trance music, Oakenfold has toured the globe numerous times, manning the turntables in clubs and at stadium-held festivals.
In the early '90s, Oakenfold spent 18 months opening for U2 during the rock act's international Zoo TV tour. He ended the decade with two North American 50-date DJ tours (1998 and 1999) and a listing in the "1999 Guinness Book Of World Records" as the world's most successful club DJ.

Throughout, he's held down DJ residencies at several influential U.K. clubs, including Ministry of Sound, Cream, and most recently, Home.

Now signed to London-Sire for a three-album deal, Oakenfold is preparing for the Sept. 12 release of his beat-mixed, two-disc compilation, "Perfecto Presents Another World."

The set follows in the steps of several Paul Oakenfold-mixed dance compilations, including such titles as "Fluoro," "Global Underground 002: New York," and "Tranceport"; the latter was released by Kinetic Records in 1998 and has sold 125,000 units, according to SoundScan.

According to Oakenfold, "Perfecto Presents Another World" is the result of nearly a year of planning and recording. It intertwines movie soundtrack clips, original dialogue, and exclusive remixes.

"It's a musical journey that hopefully takes people places that they've never been and makes them feel things they've never felt before," explains Oakenfold.

The end result is a unique, beat-savvy soundscape. The experimental layering of a wide array of electronic sounds and wavering beats, combined effortlessly with sporadic vocals and mood-altering tempo changes, creates a comprehensive exploration of house, trance, techno, and other musical styles.

Tone Depth's "Majestic," Timo Maas' "Ubik," Salt Tank's "Eugina," Ralph Fridge's "Paradise," and Highland's "No Way Out" are some of the set's highlights.

"It's not just tracks mixed together," explains Oakenfold. "I really wanted to do something that represents me, not just as a mix album, but something more original with a little more depth."

Which makes perfect sense, considering Oakenfold's diverse discography, which encompasses producer (Happy Mondays), remixer (Rolling Stones, Massive Attack, Olive, Snoop Doggy Dogg), and label owner (Perfecto Records).

Prior to the set's release and in support of it, Oakenfold will embark on an extensive North American summer tour, giving him the postcard-perfect forum to promote his innovative vision of a global dance community, which is equal parts entertainment and education.

"The live show is so great," says Guy Leger, director of marketing at London-Sire. "His live performances are so uplifting and energetic. He also has a built-in fan base, so we're really going to do a lot of promoting around [his tour] dates. Every party he plays, we'll turn into an event."

Oakenfold is scheduled to DJ July 13 in New York; July 15 in Montreal; July 16 in Calgary, Canada; July 17 in Vancouver; July 19 in Las Vegas; July 21 in Denver; July 22 in San Francisco; and Aug. 19 in Hampton, N.Y., with additional dates being confirmed for the fall and winter.

London-Sire will also conduct a heavy online campaign to promote Oakenfold and "Perfecto Presents Another World," incorporating Perfecto Records' Web site (perfecto-fc.com), which is currently being redesigned; its new look is scheduled to be unveiled in late summer.

At press time, Leger was unable to confirm if the set would produce any commercial singles. "There are remixes of some tracks that no one's ever heard before," Leger notes. "So, we'd like to get those out."

At the end of the day, Oakenfold simply wants "Perfecto Presents Another World" to "really reflect what I do at home in England. It's also meant to represent the whole story of what's been going on with me for the past two years while touring America.

"I'm determined to do something different and original," he says.