It’s been freakishly gorgeous weather here today in Montreal so I took the opportunity to listen to my newest favorite dance album. Courtesy of French producer I:CUBE (a contemporary of DAFT PUNK who debuted all the way back in 1996), “M” Megamix is just about as much fun as you can have by yourself with a set of headphones during a stroll around the city.
“In Alpha” and “Get The Fever” are absolutely incredible (even moreso with headphones), but all 24 tracks are brilliant. The team at FACT writes: “Despite its title, ‘M Megamix’ isn’t a mix CD – instead, it’s an album that draws on the off the cuff, onto the next one feel of hip-hop albums like Madvillainy to try and create a dance music full-length that flows as well as a DJ mix. Most tracks are around two minutes in length, with no intros or outros – they arrive fully formed, hit you hard, and don’t overstay their welcome. As I:CUBE told FACT in a recent interview, ‘the dance album has always been a kind of paradox, it’s not at all what dance music’s about – it’s about tracks, they’re put together for one night, in one context, such as a club or party. That’s when it makes sense, it’s with the people, the soundsystem, the DJ obviously. This format was a way to escape that trap.'”
You can read the interview in full by visiting FACTmag.com (NOTE: they also have an exclusive hour-long original mix of I:CUBE’s available for streaming and free download). And to pick up your own copy of I:CUBE’s “M” Megamix simply head over to iTunes. For all things I:CUBE you can visit his home page at Versatile Records and follow him on Facebook.
