Various
EPM20/RMXS

On SNKRX010 the commitment to physicality is prevalent across all four tracks, veering from the deadly broken beat barbs and artful fills of ‘Racka’ to the splintered breakbeat rushes and stop-start aggravation of ‘C.A.T.C.R’. ‘Grims8’ is perhaps the purest manifestation of the Cocktail Party sound though, all monochrome rigour with the contrast turned way up, powered by steely, gleaming rhythmic impulses and writhing with dense layers of sonic matter. Watch out for the glutinous bass snarl of ‘58bethe7’ though, which slams in sideways with an unabashed rave instinct crushed through a post-modern production lens.

Hungry for biscuits? Look no further, as the third batch of Disco Biscuits is fresh out of the oven at Luv Shack headquarters! On the A side we have Lee Stevens “Theme forDisco Biscuits” , a modern Italo stomper with heavy synth work and delicious sprinkles of breakbeat, sitting alongside Endrik Schröders „Infinity“, an ecstatic, upbeat Synth-Disco hybrid that is generously coated in syrup made from 80s Hi-Energy and earlynineties scandinavian Disco. The B Side opens with “One Of A Kind”, a slowly baked house chugger by Jakobin & Domino, taking its time to rise and develop a rich and deep flavour before the Golden Boogie Connection hit us with “Dull Grey”, a laid back Disco affair that is topped with a slab of Acid, which is neither dull nor grey!

I:Cube has made a new album. It is a very "hands on" album, as the eight tracks on show were created almost entirely by improvising with electronic hardware - synthesizers, sequencers, drum machines and effects units - and recorded in real time, with very little after-editing. It is also his first album in a decade, should you be keeping track.During the time he spent recording it, which was in part inspired by the processes behind his 'Cubo Live Sessions' series, I:Cube had fun, experimented, unleashed the raw, primitive energy of his machines, and emptied his head of thought. The resultant tracks are instinctive, immersive and otherworldly, driven by the emotion of the moment rather than the formulaic structures of dance music. They are unpolished and immediate, but also immersive and sincere.Think of it as a soundtrack to time spent alone in the studio, daydreaming in darkness and light, translating mental and physical messages in real time. It is not calculated, overblown or over-produced like much modern electronic music, but gently odd, engaging and pleasingly rough round the edges. In some ways, it is I:Cube's most personal and emotional album to date.

Egypt EP by Doldrums

Happiness Therapy is celebrating five years of releases this month ! The French label, founded by Crowd Control in 2018, has become one of the country’s most well-renowned outfits. To commemorate such a milestone, the imprint is releasing a nine-track VA in the form of 5 Years of Happiness. Featured guests include Kolter and DJ Steaw, whilst several firm label favorites also appear on the VA, teaming up to produce a set of exclusive collaborations.“This new release sets in stone half a decade of existence, life changing releases and unforgettable label nights” - Simon Blondeau aka Crowd Control.Each track embodies the Happiness Therapy ethos through and through, as does each artist’s relationship with the label. The family feel runs deep: resulting in a compilation of feel-good, house-inspired musical goodness that encapsulates just what Happiness Therapy is about!