Roger Sanchez

During the ill-fated electronic-music boom, superstar DJs had a reasonable chance of crossing over to the mainstream. Today such journeys are rarer than the typical menu at a sushi bar -- but that hasn't stopped spinners like Roger Sanchez from trying to take the trip. Sanchez has been a hero on the New York scene since the early '90s, when he helped establish the primacy of the Strictly Rhythm label, and he's proven himself to be an ace remixer for Janet Jackson, Soul II Soul and others. Nevertheless, last year's Come With Me pissed off plenty of the faithful with its focus on throwback rhythms and big melodies of the sort that turn up on "Lost," a dramatic heartbreaker from the old school. Truth be told, the disc's material is quite listenable, if not particularly fresh or innovative -- yet it still couldn't find its way onto the pop charts. And if Sanchez isn't able to ford the mainstream, his followers would be well advised to stay out of the water, too.