Ministry of Sound’s Mashed series has been a welcome breath of fresh air among the glut of tired mix albums doing the rounds over the last few years. The first installment appeared from nowhere, breaking new ground by showcasing the emerging electroclash sound in a raw yet accessible way. Episode two went further, leaving a bright white Bang Gang mark on the consciousness of clubbers the nation over.

Mashed 3 is less innovative – though no less fun – than its parents, sounding more commercial and taking fewer risks. This is largely due to the current dominance of electro and Ministry’s decisions with licensing. Despite having very little creative control of the final music selection, the two double acts responsible for this third volume, Tonite Only and Riot in Belgium, have still managed to do a bang up job capturing both the chunky sounds of clubland and the steamy underbelly of jagged electronic music.

Though both outfits are relatively new, these Mashed mixologists share a passion and skill for making dancefloors bleed. Tonite Only are ex-pat’s Simon Lewicki (Groove Terminator) and Sam Littlemore (of Pnau fame). Riot in Belgium are Bennie Single (DJ Damage) and Joel Dickson (DJ Belgium/Cut Copy). Their respective shiny compact discs are bursting with concrete slabs of booty shaking electro, squelchy aceeeed and synth dusted indie.

Tonite Only head up disc one. They open the festivities with a deadly combination of their own Where The Party’s At, a custom remix of Princess Superstar’s Perfect and Rio’s chunkin’ funkin’ Race Is Set. This tight opener is followed by the transformation of the killer D. Ramirez mix of Bodyrox’s Yeah Yeah into the Midnight Juggernauts’ Shadows. Next on deck is the first of two well-executed mashups: a battle royale between the voyaging Hook N Sling & Kid Kenobi’s The Bump and Tonite Only’s smash hit Danger (The Bomb). Very tidy! The intermission is handled by a MSTRKRFT remix of Wolfmother’s Woman that somehow manages to inject a touch more verve into this now worn-out tune. Mashup number two then creeps up with its saucy blend of Leopold Gregori’s Renaissance and The Similou’s All This Love.

The good times don’t stop there. Peaches’ Downtown pops up in a roughly chopped version by the versatile Simian Mobile Disco. This slowly melds into Phunk-A-Delic’s aptly titled Rockin’, a lush and lo-fi little pearler that is peppered across two further tunes: Phunk Electric’s Video Games Crash and 1gnition’s fresh Airtight. Rob Aker’s Everyday I Love You Less And Less makes a brief appearance before Warning Sign by the esteemed Tiefschwarz proves it’s still as much fun as ever.

One of the highlights of the mix is Emslice vs Denga’s Sumo, a rollicking little tune that expertly resurrects the 8-bit video game vibes of times gone by. The formulaic Otherwize Then by Steve Angello is eclipsed by a blonky Trentmoller mix of The Knife’s We Share Our Mothers Health that ambles carelessly into the dubby bass-licked mélange of Easy. Then it’s time for a bolt from the blue: Frankie Knuckles’ oldschool classic Baby Wants to Ride! The mix wraps up with the rickety sounds of The Futureheads’ Hounds of Love and White Rose Movement’s rockin’ Love Is A Number.

Not to be outdone, the Riot squad prove they too have a few gems tucked in their quiver. Their mix cuts straight to the chase, laying down Super Discount’s acid-twinged electro house retouch of WhoMadeWho’s Out The Door, sprinkled through which are cheeky teasers of the lads own The Acid Never Lies. This entrée is quickly devoured by the Solid Groove Remix of Hot Chip’s Over and Over, with that lush Balearic breakout. Next is the Detroit booty funk of The Whistler and Simian Mobile Disco’s steamy and agressive Hustler. Presets frontman Kim stars with the sex’d up Wet’N’Wild before a 40 second snippet of the toothless Tiga’s Do It Don’t Stop.

After that there’s a Riot treatment of Sneaky Sound System’s I Love It, a surprise flashback to Zombie Nation and a solid Justice remix of Nazis by the ever-twisted Mr Oizo. The racy sounds of Riot’s own Le Music kink along for five and a half clock revolutions before the snarling hum of Miserable Girl by Soulwax and Edu K’s salacious Sexomatic emerge from the steam. Next is a cocktail of fuzzy and seductive sounds from Yelle, Palermo Disco Machine and Alex Gopher. Add to the mix the full cut of The Acid Never Lies, Paul Woolford’s Erotic Discourse, a dated yet still fabulous Discopolis and Neo’s remix of the captivating Booka Shade tune In White Rooms, and you have a highly polished musical trip.

While neither of the mixes can touch those of the first two releases in terms of creativity, this latest Mashed is still a highly enjoyable jaunt through the electro/tech influenced sounds rocking clubs across the country.