Two Weeks

Review: Since appearing on Nang back in 2009 with the well-received "Free Flight" single, Russian duo Acos Coolkas have quietly built a name for themselves as a reliable source of melody-driven nu-disco. This EP for regular home Theomatic holds few musical surprises, but there's still plenty to admire. With its warm Rhodes chords, bright synth melodies and head-nodding midtempo grooves, "Solar Wind" is every bit the stargazing nu-disco groover its name suggests. "Planetarium" slows the pace further, sounding like a Russian take on Krystal Klear or Bestboygrip. A pleasingly melodic EP draws to a close with "Lunokhod 2", a bubbling chunk of intergalactic disco.

Review: Viennese duo Burnin Tears may be relatively new to the game but already their sound is a fully fledged take on deep house that ticks all the right boxes. The pads are processed with a touch of grit, while the soulful vocal comes in with a mournful tone on "Got A Reason". For those emotive moments in the small hours this is guaranteed to be a real tear-jerker. "Just The Same" is equally down-trodden in its demeanour, albeit with slightly brighter melodic content. On remix duties Jakobin and Domino bring a bit more stripped-down funk to "Got A Reason", while Hans Froward dubs it out nicely.

Review: Drop Out Orchestra's "It Will Never Be The Same Again" first appeared on Aeroplane's In-Flight Entertainment mix in October 2011, and here we finally see a single release on Eskimo Recordings, including a set of remixes from the likes of Moullinex and Punks Jump Up. Moullinex takes the optimistic core of the original and injects some Chicago snare rolls and a rounded, plucking bass line that sits in the back of the throat. Punks Jump Up meanwhile utilise a notable clap drenched in a deadly phase that cuts right through the beat. The vocal hook, fierce piano stabs and soft guitar sounds all dovetail with effortless aplomb, making for a very enjoyable cut that rounds off a fine release.

Review: I bet the producers behind this synth-heavy electrofunk/acid house fusion chuckled when they decided to credit it to 'Eddie Mercury'. That cheeky sense of fun is present throughout the EP, from the nagging simplicity of the squidgy original version of "In Mexico", to the Robotnick-on-speed silliness of Andre VII's pumping, techno-tinged Italo rework. See also the '80s bass, freestyle and Italo mash-up madness of the Zombies In Miami Remix, and the wonky sub, skewed beats and mildly disturbing oddness of the Rubinskee dub Del Sesierto version. As ever with Electrique Music, the emphasis is on fun, but the sounds are more than interesting enough to warrant investment.

Review: "I know he used to do shit for you, but what has he done for you lately?" So asks a lone sampled voice at the beginning of "What Up Girl?", offering a cute warning of what's to come. You see, this newie from Mullet regulars Elijah Collins and Nist is heavily based around Janet Jackson's "What Have You Done For Me Lately?", one of Jam & Lewis's best productions. Collins and Nist's version beefs up the bottom end, making great use of the backing vocals and, later, hooky melodies. Sound wise, it's an electrofunk/loopy house blend, making it more suitable for contemporary dancefloors.

Review: The new I:Cube album is a rapid-fire collection of tracks woven together (there's a clue in that title you know) which takes the manner of a live set. The idea is essentially to bring the dance music album back to its raison d'etre, the dancefloor. To keep things interesting, the tracks are whipped through with a wonderful irreverence, as cheeky radio interludes and impulsive switch-ups keep things from staying too formulaic. Rather than some vision of a smooth, linear DJ set, this album instead takes the stance of creating pleasure through disorientation. Mr Chaix is a master of alluring grooves, and he uses that gift to really mess with your head when he changes tack, as between the edgy bleeps of "Y.O.U.R.O.C.K." and the light-hearted disco stomper "Get The Fever". Those surprise moves keep you engaged through all 23 tracks of this joyous beast. Chaix's lack of pretension is one of his greatest strengths; the I:Cube way is a direct and satisfying one. At no point is it cheesy or hackneyed, but it never tries to be too clever for its own good. With a live feel to match that immediacy, the "M" Megamix is a triumphant statement of what a dance music album should feel like. It might not be a comprehensive answer, but it certainly puts paid to all those "collection of singles" efforts out there.