The inthemix compilation at year’s end is fast becoming an institution, reflecting the heights of the preceding year, pumping it out in the best way possible. This year’s release, subtitled ‘Future Facing House for the Electro Generation’, is compiled by London’s Ben Watt, and Melbourne’s own Ivan Gough. It hits the mark time and time again. Formerly half of the successful duo Everything But The Girl, Ben Watt began DJing in London in 1995, but today is widely seen as one of the most influential deep house and electronica spinners on the circuit. His offering here shows us exactly why. It’s no surprise that he has been carving up dance floors across the globe.

He does not mess around, and the genre of which he is one of the undisputed masters – electro infused house music – comes out with both barrels firing. Taking minimal time to warm up, he fires straight into the Trentemoller remix of Djuma Soundsystem’s Les Djinns – a wicked track littered with ripping drops and an eerie guitar sample that is in one word captivating. The heart rate monitor kicks along nicely into Leger’s mix of Hystereo, and the set begins to take shape with Watt treating it like the artwork that it arguably is. He gets listeners enthralled, excited, even a little titillated, with the chunky basslines never far away. We move into Spencer Parker’s appropriately titled Beautiful Noise, and Watt stays on the money, while gently taking it up a notch. Like a movie, you’re waiting for the plot climax, and knowing that with each beat, each melody, you’re inching painstakingly closer to the culmination.

Pairing up Jimpster’s Square Up with Rodamaal’s Musica Feliz – with Nicinha’s vocals in the latter coming through with full effect and accompanied with strong electro overtones – this track, like so many others here, completely captivates you. Bubbling over nicely with the catchy Acid Dance of the Plum Fairy by D-Pulse, everything is kept in check, with the ante still gently upped ever so subtly. Through what would be the middle of the set, he throws Justin Martin’s Fugitive and Rocco’s Roots 4 Acid for consumption, and it demonstrates the epitome of both genres – electro and house – in their own space. While it’s been done before, Watt combines them with ridiculous ease – creating an undefinable and stirring sensation. He backs it all up with the climax of the set – in Alexander Maier’s Road of Injury morphing in to Bent’s Magic Love – the latter being a distinct move away from the electro to a more uplifting and pure house experience – The Black Magic Vocal Mix wrapping things up absolutely perfectly. If this were a club set – everyone would be smiling and very satisfied.

Disc two sees our home grown success story, Ivan Gough, get behind the decks – and fresh from his continued success as one half of TV Rock, as well as everything he’s achieved before that – this is pure Gough brilliance. Nikola Gala’s Night Walk kicks off the affair, providing a nice mellow feel in a distinctly uplifting house space, before a smooth relay into Francois DuBois’ Blood (the remix from Andy Cato of Groove Armada fame gets a run here) , and it is a ripping double act with the acapella layered from the well known Lost by Roger Sanchez. Gough stays well within the realm of electro house at all times, but does it with a dynamism that keeps you guessing. Heavy basslines and smooth drops litter the set, and Timothy Allen’s Pearl Essence – with the distinct 4/4 guitar riff – manages to pick things up a ever so gently, acting as the perfect foil to Rej; by one of my personal favourite outfits at the moment, Ame. These guys are one of the pure personas of electro, and here, Gough does the track justice – letting it sit there in almost five minutes of eerie loneliness.

Chuck Love’s Living At Night, with some seriously chunky bass, is one of the highlights and shows us house at its cheeky best. John Dahlback’s My Secret, layered with an acapella of Princess Superstar’s Perfect, gives the set serious funk and plenty to keep punters happy. Just to keep them guessing though, he comes back to Sanchez, playing two versions of Lost – in a D Ramirez Remix vs Acapella sound off – and as you listen, you can’t help but smile. Rounding off an 80-minute set with Hypnotized from Thomas Gold and Chriss Ortegga, complementing Tyler’s lecture on what seemingly is dance music, it rounds off a set that shows Gough’s talent, and puts his wares out there for show and to full effect.

Whether released by inthemix or not, at the end of the day this CD further consolidates the dominance of the electro house sound, albeit taking a decididely more underground approach. It’s certainly a sound that’s here to stay for a little longer, and as a result this compilation is an absolute must have. Messrs Watt and Gough; we salute you.

To buy this CD from the ITM Shop click HERE.