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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Ponsolo & Ledisko Mix for Bump In The Hump

You can now listen to Ponsolo and Ledisko's mix for Bump In The Hump in its entirety, without my inane banter and with the original, NSFW, lyrics from Sweet Pussy Pauline in their track "Hurtin Me." However, if for some reason you enjoy my voice on-top of their mix, or you're like me and preferred the clean 'gibberish' edit of "Hurtin Me" you can still get that and the full episode here. Don't forget to grab yourself a copy of BADLQQK RQQKIES June 14th exclusively on Beatport, with tracks from WWRD, Alien Grant, Maddmon, Psalms, Kases & Mosis, John Pac, and of course Ponsolo & Ledisko.

Bump In The Hump Sneak Peek: BADLQQK RQQKIES

The BADLQQK love affair is set to continue this week on Bump In The Hump, Radio Humber. After receiving an exclusive interview and mix from WWRD last week, we've re-upped for another double dose of forthcoming RQQKIE goodness. This week, I spoke with Montreal based production and DJ duo, Ponsolo and Ledisko, whose track "Hurtin Me," you can now hear in its entirety below. Less than a week from the EP's official release (June 14th, exclusively on Beatport), you can now stream the entire EP from BADLQQK's soundcloud. Furthermore, you can checkout fellow RQQKIE, Maddmon, who is playing Bestival this Saturday from 12:45-1:45 under the big top. Don't forget to tune in to Bump In The Hump tonight from 6-7 EST to hear directly from Ponsolo and Ledisko, and their mix alongside an hour of the best new Canadian electronic dance music.

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