Crowd Control & Popka - Happiness Therapy Split (Vol. 1)

Just over a year ago I was introduced to French house producer Crowd Control through BADLQQK and his sensational RQQKIES release "I House You." This potent palette pleaser was a wonderful warm up for his beautiful blend of throwback house tracks, particularly his Invitation To A Better Place and 90's Groove EPs. Now this week we've got our first full look at his next release, a split EP with UK producer Popka, Happiness Therapy Split, which is set for a Friday (June 15th) release. Get it here.These two are a perfect fit, filling this EP with warm, buoyant and utterly enjoyable grooves, and dance-worthy delights. From start to finish it hearkens back to a time when house had heart, with a masterful mix of electronic and organic instrumentation.

"Yes It's Me" shows off Crowd Control's fantastic feel for filtering, allowing listeners to ease into the groove before being pushed onto the floor with propellant horn hits. Diving right into a brilliant bass line "Can't Keep My Hands" offers up some sensational sampling of T.S. Monk and again sets the table for this dance-all-night kind of EP. And this is where Popka takes over and really runs with things.

Offering up two 8+ minute tracks the second half of Happiness Therapy Split spirals into a Soul Train Line. "Rhythm Child" and its extended excellence plays host to more elements than you can shake a stick at, allowing you to take a breather mid-track, then return in full force with a new routine. Finally "Too Much Pressure" bookends the EP by again easing you into its wobbly warm groove before cutting back the vocal chops and letting the synth lead out. And again like "Yes It's Me" the filtering in and out of layers gives great dynamism and dance-worthiness. Best of all, the final flourish once again reveals the organic, human heart behind the electronic nature of house. Truly a perfect cap to this EP.

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