There’s been a welter of mix albums and compilations celebrating 20 years since acid house exploded in the UK but this immaculate selection by Justin Robertson recalling his revelatory nights on the Hacienda dancefloor could easily be the best; a near-perfect barrage of seminal classics, anthems and obscurities from a time when a new form of music seemed to be growing with each successive record. The 21 tracks include groundbreaking bombs like Phuture’s ‘Acid Trax’, Derrick May’s ‘The Dance’ [and also his R Tyme collaboration with Darryl Winn], Frankie Knuckles’ ‘Baby Wants to Ride’, Laurent X’s ‘Machines’ and Mr Fingers’ ‘Can You Feel It’ plus names including Fast Eddie, Marshall Jefferson, Farley, Virgo and DeeeLite [mixed by Mayday] along with lesser-known monsters like Lime’s cranium-scything ‘On The Grid’ which used to mash up NY radio mastermixes too. From the UK comes Unique 3’s Hacienda anthem ‘The Theme’. Mr Robertsdon weaves this monstrous set into a spine-tingling, euphoric, even tear-jerking journey through a past which changed history and shaped the future. There’s also a bonus CD of fabulously sympathetic re-edits by names including Ashley Beedle, 808 State, Graeme Park and Laurent Garnier plus Basement Jaxx climactically remixing Adonis’ ‘We’re Rocking Down The House’. That well-worn term ‘essential’ doesn’t seem adequate for this magnificent project.
5 Out Of 5
Reviewed By: Kris Needs
