Clubber's Guide To 2000 (Mixed By Judge Jules)

The conflicting thing about the Ministry of Sound mix series is consistency. One minute the label will unleash a brilliant mix with outstanding tunes and a track listing more than par for the mix-CD course; the next minute they will release a compilation that is so filled with flavor-of-the-month filler that it's easily forgettable. Such is the case here, as the first portion of Clubber's Guide to... 2002 is filled with easily forgettable trance and progressive house numbers. It's a high-paced workout that is filled with predictable numbers, so if you go in having low expectations, you'll fare okay at best. However, the album shines with its second disc. An amazing tech-house excursion featuring Octave One's killer Detroit anthem "Black Water" as well as contributions from tech house guru Roger Sanchez and Chicago house legend/electronic music madman Green Velvet. More evenly paced than the first portion of the disc, this is where the highlights run plentiful in comparison. Credit must be given to Ministry for putting out these compilations, which potentially could have extremely short shelf lives; but sometimes the risk could be reduced by not being so ambitious and exercising restraint. Skip the first disc and proceed directly to the second. ~ Rob Theakston