Usually, the purpose of a piece like this is to tell other writers, music mag editors, distribution people and record shop clerks why they should like a certain release and buys, hype, review it. Often these encomiums are not really honest and sometimes you even feel like attending an attempt to sell a flat tire. As for I:Cube’s new longplayer „M“ Megamix things are – of course! – very different. Being its fifth solo album, an introduction of the man like Nicolas Chaix or even his biography (another popular brick of sales sheets) seems rather unsuitable. If you don’t know what you should know, just use your Internet search engine with any of these terms: Chateau Flight, Versatile Records, French Touch, Disco Cubizm or Parisian prodigy.Anyway, „M“ Megamix is nothing short of his magnum opus. Aptly titled, it is an assortment of all things that make (electronic) dance music or what you think it is enjoyable. I:Cube himself will be the first to tell you that the creation of a coherent album full of dance music tunes is comparable to Sisyphus’ pain. It is just impossible. Music that is primarily made for DJs and for people that like to dance needs a format that is closer to the site of its performance. In a strike of genius this album bridges the gap between a mixtape, an album and a live recording. Paying tribute to the rampant short-term attention span it is woven together in an impromptu one way take and without any sequencing preparation. “M” Megamix carries 24 tracks that sometimes play longer, sometimes only appear for a brief flash, but always leave you longing for more and grabs you from the first moment on.The result? It feels like your favourite DJ mix cassette with a ton of tracks that you always wanted identified and never could get your hands on. Including all the three tracks of I:Cube’s latest 12-inch effort “Lucifer En Discotheque”, it builds around those three tracks and all those little details and big elements he is famous and loved for. House and techno exchange their DNA strands, you will find traces of dance music past, present and future, hints of disco loops, Italo ballads, French romanticism, a love for the ruff, the tuff and the tender and the more or less the complete I:Cube personal music history between his record and studio shelves.I could do you journalists a favour now and name check all the influences, stimuli and blueprints that I catch here, but that would make your work all too easy and take away from Chaix’ very own gifted talent. All that is left to say is that “M” Megamix makes me want to listen again, again and again. I:Cube, I salute you.

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