I:Cube - 'M' Megamix

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  • Because it features 24 snippets of tracks segued together into one hour long set, there are two ways of looking at I:Cube's new album. One—for the optimists—is that Nicolas Chaix is attempting to capture the energy of a live set in the studio by honing his music down to its most effective components. The other view is that this is a bunch of tracks he couldn't be arsed to finish properly. Anyone au fait with the Frenchman's productions over the years—from the tracks like "Disco Cubizm" he released on the coattails of Daft Punk during the '90s to the recent warped disco of "Lucifer En Discotheque"—will know that Chaix has no trouble crafting a killer 12-inch. But it's also the case that his albums (1999's Adore and 2003's 3) ranged broadly across bumping house to deep techno—and contained a fair few fillers as a result. 'M' Megamix is no different in that sense, it's just that here the duller tracks are over before you've had a chance to get bored and the better moments don't quite last long enough. All of this makes 'M' Megamix a rather bumpy ride. The way Chaix switches between styles after rarely more than three minutes can feel like you're being forcibly frog-marched through a club of 24 different rooms. Just settling into the galactic techno groove of "Transparent Sea Creatures"? Welcome to the clanging old-school rave stabs of "Transpiration." But while it may never stop long in one place, 'M' Megamix has more moments that'll leave you wanting more rather than the opposite. The Balearic beats of "In Alpha" are as good as DJ Harvey's Locussolus album could have been, the disco cut-ups of "Y.O.U.R.O.C.K" shows he still has the classic French touch, "Omamo" sees "Sueno Latino"-style melodies fluttering over techy beats and when "Lucifer En Discotheque" rears its head towards the finale it still sounds as epic as Lindstrom. 'M' Megamix ends with the sound of pouring rain while a piano breakdown fades away into the distance as if the doors to the club have finally shut. You can't help but think, though, that this is one venue that would open again for just one more tune.
  • Tracklist
      01. Not Important 02. Bajo Bajo 03. Grotto 04. Your Brain 05. Transparent Sea Creatures 06. Transpiration 07. Zero Tastatur 08. In Alpha 09. Interludio 10. Y.O.U.R.O.C.K 11. Get the Fever 12. Cadence Iii 13. Jah Menta 14. Makossa Suspens 15. N'dololo X M 16. Magnetic Mambo 17. Omamo 18. Club Miniature 19. Le Rocher Aux Singes 20. Déflation 21. Popular Electronics 22. Too Old for This 23. Lucifer En Discothèque 24. Sh 50 Storm
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