Carl Cox/Various

Carl Cox has put out numerous mixes on disc, but Pure Intec has to be one of his best. It’s got his bouncy, tech-house sound, but with less emphasis on his world-famous, triple-turntable mixing skills and more on the songs that make up the double-disc set. He kicks it off with the raved-up euphoria of Oxia’s "Troiseme” and moves through the jazzy keys of Valentino Kanzyani’s "House Soul” to the cool, tech-restraint of Deetron’s "Decipher Language.” Elements of electro, funk, and disco slip as the mix progresses and Cox makes certain to take the listener deep into all of those modes while pressing hard on the bass and staying positive on the vibe. There are no dark grooves here, and that’s probably because Pure Intec is primarily intended as a celebration. The tracks are collected from the five-year-old back catalogue of the Intec imprint — one of three owned by Cox, and also the one he holds closest to his heart. It makes this less a call for nostalgia than a reason to be excited about the label’s future releases.