After Phuture dropped 1987’s seminal Acid Tracks, the liquid alien chomp of the Roland 303 soundtracked the initial rush of the acid house revolution which started at the Hacienda before anywhere else in the UK. In this age of intricately-constructed digital mix albums, it’s an unadulterated blast to find Peter Hook mixing up a storm sounding like he’s on twin turntables, working the acid squelch while packing the kind of euphoria-stoking anthem which would have the Hacienda’s ecstatic revellers screaming or crying with unleashed joy. The best thing about this set – and few mix albums have dared thrust the acid machine this much to the fore – is that Hooky, who’s never professed to be a DJ, was there and, thanks to his innate understanding of the genre, can translate the club’s crazed magic to mindblowing levels with his ever-probing, teasing delivery. His immaculate selection ranges from Hac-classics like ‘Voodoo Ray’ through a gamut of Chicago monoliths by Frankie Knuckles, Mr Fingers, Sleezy D, Phuture and Fast Eddie to European acolytes like the apocalyptic Hardfloor, unbearably moving Last Rhythm and New Order themselves, running a gamut of primal emotions rarely felt in any music to this day. It’s noty an easy task to weave this stuff together but Hooky has done a magnificent job.
5 Out Of 5
Reviewed By: Kris Needs
