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Midtown's a38 is a clinic on the acoustics of a good dance club, further strengthening the argument for building your venue the way you want to and letting the crowd seek you out. The new club is the project of local DJ Dustin Swint, who spent years spinning records around town before finally purchasing the former Licor Lounge late last year. What followed was three months of manual labor to redo the inside of the place - which was admittedly sterile beforehand. Swint installed a hefty sound system, built a row of couches and benches into the wall and covered just about everything in wood except the ceiling. Why? To absorb all the "bad" sound and allow the good stuff to reach the ears of the dance-floor denizens. The resident DJs at a38 are some of the best in town, and that draws an audience expecting the best soundtracks for the dance floor. Says Thursday- and Saturday-night resident DJ Jeffrey Mac: "It's not going to be a night of seamlessly mixed sound-alike dance tracks. I try to keep the mix equal parts song and groove, to present the most upfront, cutting-edge dance music alongside recognizable hits . . . and surprises."