Hospital Records are without a doubt a powerhouse (no London Elektricity pun intended) of the drum & bass scene, not only in the UK but across the globe. The label is no stranger when it comes to major releases, from their series of mixes – including Plastic Surgery – to artist albums from Nu:Tone, High Contrast, etc. There’s also their Hospital Mix albums, which continue to dominate the market.

It’s not only the quality of music that ensures their success, but also the accessibility to their releases. A source of many big tunes, like ‘Goldfinger’, ‘Free My Soul’ and ‘You Don’t Have to Run’, are the Weapons of Mass Creation mix CDs. The third album in this series comes in a two disc pack, the traditional unmixed (containing thirteen tracks) and an accompanying mix album from Hospital legend Danny Bryd.

Four tunes really stood out for me; London Elektricity’s remix of Hard Fi’s ‘Hard to Beat’, Apex feat Ayah with ‘Space Between’, L.A.O.S’ ‘Panda Style’ and Blu Mar Ten’s ‘Starting Over’. ‘Hard to Beat’ is a great hands in the air dance floor tune. It was a great track to remix, and the London Elektricity rework adds to the song and demonstrates the adaptability of drum & bass.

Apex’s ‘Space Between’ is going to be a massive tune, and it’s already getting a fair bit of action from the likes of Andy C. It’s one of those spacious tunes, with a big build and tough vocals from Ayah. The thing that I liked about L.A.O.S’ ‘Panda Style’ was that it was a fun tune. The title is taken from the main sample, a narration on the lives of pandas. Blu Mar Ten’s track is another smooth one, with a very sweet female vocal hook. It’s the kind of liquid sound that Hospital has really made a name for itself with.

I was quite disappointed with Logistics’ remix of London Elektricity’s ‘The Great Drum and Bass Swindle’, I just don’t think they did enough with it. It sounds more like a VIP mix than a full remix. Another disappointment was Cyantific’s tune ‘Space Station Crew’. I have been a huge fan of these guys, but I found this tune a little bland, considering their previous efforts. The Danny Bryd mix of the tracks is a good showcase of the tunes; it also includes a number of his own tracks that are not included on the first disc.

Although I found the album a little hit and miss, overall I did enjoy it. There’s still no questioning Hospital’s power in the scene, and there’s no doubt that the tunes released from the album will get a fair work out in clubs.