MITIERRA: Havana-born/Miami-residing Jon Secada is certainly no stranger to dancefloors. Since the early '90s, Secada has scored numerous clubland hits, including "Just Another Day," "Too Late, Too Soon," and "Whipped." These days, club punters are embracing the singer/songwriter's latest single, "Stop"/"Asi" ("Asi," which means "like that," is the Spanish interpretation of "Stop").

The double-sided single is culled from Secada's eighth album (his first for 550 Music/ERG), "Better Part Of Me," which is scheduled to be in stores June 13. The smoldering, Latin-infused set spotlights power ballads ("There's No Sunshine," "Lost Inside Of You"), midtempo R&B/pop jams ("Love's About To Change My Mind," "Papi"), and uptempo house rhythms ("Better Part Of Me"). The set also includes the original versions of "Stop" and 'Asi."

"I've always believed that there's not a better musical melting pot than Miami," says Secada, who is managed and booked by Emilio Estefan Jr., who co-penned/produced several songs on "Better Part Of Me."

"The city offers a perfect combination of what I believe and feel musi-cally, from R&B and disco to merengue and salsa," notes the singer. "The new album is a fusion of all these sounds. For me, it defines the sound of Miami--and I'm proud of that."

Secada adds, "'Better Part Of Me' totally reflects me as an artist, too, which wasn't always the case on earlier recordings. Of course, this is only natural. As I grow and evolve and continually work on my craft--my singing and songwriting [he co-penned "She's All I Ever Had" for Ricky Martin]--I learn about myself. I know what my strong and weak points are. And I know what truly moves me."

Apparently, Secada also knows what moves club DJs and punters, as he had final say on the remixes for "Stop" and "Asi."

The double-sided single has been restructured by a diverse lineup of remixers: Jonathan Peters, Pablo Flores, and Trouser Enthusiasts. Already, the feisty package is pleasing fans of pop, house, trance, and Latin.

"I love what these guys did to the song," enthuses Secada. "For me, it's extremely important to pay close attention to the remixes. T like...