Thursday notes:

-LA CityBeat's fourth-annual "e-music" issue is out today. Among the highlights:

Arts editor Natalie Nichols does a cover story (above) on Los Angeles-based down-tempo duo Bitter:Sweet (of Deperate Housewives promos fame), which has a new remix album coming, and which has helped the Quango label achieve a new era of success.

I take a look at Booka Shade, the electro house duo that's defined the big-room sound of now.

I also have a run down of spring releases, including reviews of Tiesto's forthcoming album, Air's current long-player, and current and future mix-CDs from Dubfire, Spank Rock, James Zabiela and Nic Fanciulli, and Steve Porter.

Donnell Alexander checks in with Miguel Migs, who has a new album, Those Things, coming out.

Ron Garmon gets it on with Boys and Girls Guide to Getting Down, a Hollywood club-hopping documentary that opens in select cities across the nation tomorrow. In Los Angeles, its playing at the Mann's Chinese 6, and those who attend and take their stubs to nearby Star Shoes or Beauty Bar this weekend get a free drink. At 8 p.m. Friday, cast and crew members will be having drinks across from the Mann's Chinsese, at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel. You're welcome to come, I'm told.

-In her Fly Life column in the Village Voice this week, Tricia Romano wonders if the Winter Music Conference in Miami this week has lost its utility when it comes to its original function as serving as a venue for dance music deals and showcases. For sure, it's turned into a spring break for e-music fans. And Romano turns up a few notables, including the Defected label, that aren't attending.

-Luke Fair takes the reigns of Balance 011, a mix-CD due April 24 on EQ. "The mood of this mix will capture the sound of an entire night at a club, a full set from open to close," he states, "starting out with deep house, then playing funky house and techno and continuing with melodic progressive towards the end."