Various

The tightly knit crew behind the disco distorted French label Ed Bangers couldn’t ask for better fortunes. Label owner Pedro Winter (Daft Punk’s manager and producer Busy P) and his affiliates are riding a tidal wave of hype the likes of which we haven’t seen since the first DFA singles. Following the label’s new distribution deal with Vice Records, this spring sees the North American release of two compilations, Ed Rec Volumes 1 and 2, as handy primers. Volume 1 emerges as a digital download and largely recaps the eight-year-old label’s biggest hits to date. Highlighted here are Uffie’s tolerable "Pop the Glock,” the aforementioned Justice anthem, DJ Mehdi’s "I am Somebody” featuring Chromeo’s Dave One and worthwhile contributions by SebastiAn, Busy P, Zongamin, Vicarious Bliss and Krazy Baldhead. Volume 2 will be available both digitally and in record shops. It contains newer tracks from almost all the same names and is the stronger of the two selections. Scanning these two compilations, several things become clear. For one, brutish electro-house duo Justice are extremely talented, perhaps the main reason this label has this much fanfare. Given the right exposure, they could rival the late ’90s halcyon heyday of Daft Punk, Prodigy and Chemical Brothers; they’re that good. Secondly, Busy P, SebatiAn, DJ Mehdi and maybe even Feadz are each capable of producing memorable anthems, but they’re an even bigger force to be reckoned with on the DJ circuit. Thirdly, Uffie will fade fast. The remainder fill out the roster neatly but have yet to prove their chops.