Nothing quite signifies accomplishment like a remix album in your name. It's one of the most revered modes of validation for an electronic producer. Just dealing with the logistical details of such a project requires a near-inhuman amount of concentration, persistence, and impeccable connections. Which means that Seattle laptop phenom Lusine (Jeff McIlwain to the IRS) can consider himself a mensch with the March 20 issuing of Podgelism on Ghostly International.

Podgelism gathers 11 tracks from Lusine's excellent 2004 album, Serial Hodgepodge, as well as cuts from his recent 12-inches, which are then reconfigured by some of the world's elite beatmasters—and the man himself. Lusine's music has always displayed impeccable beat programming and the kind of melodies Hollywood's keener directors use for those important, poignant scenes. Here, producers such as Matthew Dear, John Tejada, Dimbiman, Robag Wruhme, and Apparat contour Lusine's finely honed source material into interesting new shapes, proving techno and IDM's seemingly infinite and compelling malleability.

Lusine says the motivation for Podgelism came from there being "a bunch of artists that I really respect coming from diverse musical backgrounds, so I thought it would be kind of an analogous extension to what I was trying to do with Serial Hodgepodge if I put together a remix album with some of these artists as contributors."

He's extremely satisfied with the results: "I like [the remixes] because the personality of all the musicians comes through pretty clearly."

Such is the case with the job done by Los Angeles producer Deru (Benjamin Wynn), who turns "Auto Pilot" into a chillingly beautiful, off-kilter funk nocturne. "Lusine is one of my favorite producers," Deru says. "The track that I picked is one of the few downtempo [compositions] off the album, and I've always liked Jeff's takes on downtempo. They're moody, but with Jeff's signature production. For instance, he generally has these electronic kicks and short snares that seem like they were born together. So when I approached the remix, I wanted to give a nod to his drum production while giving it my own style. The beat sounded hiphop inspired, so I played that up a bit. I also loved all of the gestural movement that surrounded the drums, so I modified that and used it in the remix as well."

Podgelism appears to mark the end of a phase for Lusine. He's planning to venture in new directions. "I was really into the idea of trying to cull together everything I love about everything for a time there," he says. "My next few albums will be much more focused on specific ideas." Lusine's co-score of director David Gordon Green's Snow Angels hints at one enticing aspect of his variegated future.

THURSDAY MARCH 15

HARSH

The second episode of Harsh features John Wiese (AKA Sissy Spacek), one of noise music's most fertile, febrile sources of aural hurt. Being near the speakers at a Wiese performance is akin to peering over the lip of an erupting volcano or having ravenous rodents gnaw your ears while all the world's cutlery explodes. You've been warned. Fetal Distress (Trevor Harmon) forges ill-mannered, agitated electronic music laced with movie dialogue geared to reinforce his jaundiced (i.e., realistic) worldview. Logic Probe plows a cerebral, glitch-strewn yet melodic path for people who have "Ae" tattooed on their knuckles. With Honed Bastion plus resident DJs William F . Buckely Jr., Android Heart, NoahNine, and guest DJ Oblique unleashing gabber, noise, glitch, and breakcore to make your internal organs cry for mercy. Re-bar, 1114 Howell St, 233-9873, 10 pm—2 am, $5, 21+.

FRIDAY MARCH 16

ANTIDOTE

With promo help from Patrick Haenelt's Sensory Effect, Wisconsin transplants Justin Pennell (Milkplant) and Brian S recently have started to bring the psychedelically physical techno of Detroit, Milwaukee, Germany, Canada, and other centrifuges of minimal excellence to ToST every third Friday. Tonight they're joined by Seattle DJ Misha, whose tech-house selections (My My, Jeff Samuel, Booka Shade, etc.) are always discerning and elegantly mixed. ToST Lounge, 513 N 36th St, 547-0240, 9 pm—2 am, free, 21+.

SATURDAY MARCH 17

LUNAR MODULE

Would you like a little dubstep with your sushi? DJ Struggle (AKA Shawn Krali) would be happy to accommodate you. Judging from the three volumes of Struggle Dubs mixes he's committed to CD-R so far (they can also be accessed at www.myspace.com/kralism), Struggle's emerging as one of the new genre's foremost local proponents. I recommend spending quality time with all three blends to get up to speed with dubstep's methodical menace, sea-floor-rippling bass, and dystopian soulfulness. Struggle's done his homework to find the best specimens. Lunar Module is a promising new Saturday-night event specializing in various downtempo styles and Asian culinary delights. With Nordic Soul and resident DJ the Milkman. Bites, 1028 First Ave S, 447-7599, 10 pm—1 am, free, 21+.