Various Artists – Annie Mac Presents 2012 – Universal Island

As colourful as its cover, Annie Mac’s new double compilation proves that she is definitely one of dance music’s leading ladies. She manages to get an energy in to her sets that few people manage to achieve, and she does it in a way that is totally natural, the aim simply to have one massive party. As a result the first mix flies out of the blocks, with some thrilling gear changes later on when Netsky’s ‘Love Has Gone’ takes centre stage. A few high profile remixes are included, with Calvin Harris taking Florence and the Machine to the cleaners and Eric Prydz’ cool remix of M83’s ‘Midnight City’ scattering some stardust, while everything builds for the big finish from Rudimental’s ‘Feel The Love’. CD2 is a bit less full on but not by much, because there’s Wiley, Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs, Switch & Andrea Martin and Major Lazer to keep the adrenalin flowing freely. One of the best bits about this is that you can just imagine Annie Mac jumping around her studio while she mixes, her only mission to make sure people lose control of their senses as they experience her music. That all comes across in a couple of mixes that just refuse to be kept down.

Reviewed By Ben Hogwood

5 out of 5