To many, he is best known for his smash production of 2005 The Fruit, which destroyed many a dancefloor all across the world. But for Dutchman Sander Kleinenberg, there is more… Oh so much more. One of the most enduring names in progressive house, he holds residencies far and wide, from Amsterdam to Paris to Ibiza, throwing up monster session after session that never fails to captivate and energize. While it’s been nearly two years since he last released a mix compilation, he’s back again with This is… Sander Kleienberg, and he offers us a taste of this trademark magic, even if there’s no fresh produce in sight.

To put it simply, the CD is top notch. With 28 tracks crafted together across the two CDs Left and Right, he weaves us through a diverse selection of progressive, tech and electro that I just could not get enough of. I had to listen to it a few times to double check it was actually as good as it appeared on first listen. But I was proved wrong… It turned out to be even better.

The first disc Left features an abundance of what is much more than great tunes; the beauty lies not just in their selection, but in the way that Kleinenberg morphs them together. Kicking it off with the soft, staccato piano of Folk I Farta from Disk Jokke, it quickly transforms into a series of squeaks and bleeps that leaves you captivated and intrigued as to where the journey will lead. From there it moves straight into Loosen Up Children from Kraak & Smaak, with some sexy lyrics and our first taste of what will become the norm for the compilation – some funky, yet not too chunky bass-lines. And so it continues through the vast majority of the first offering; Kleinenberg keeps it all in check, but provides a pretty impressive and exhilarating sound. It’s electro, but not in that all too familiar fashion that smacks of cheddar; it’s an original sound that keeps you guessing with an uplifting sound, one that can often be eerie and brings countless highlights.

Tom Novy’s personal tribute to Kleinenberg on his remix of the DJ Smash track Moscow Never Sleeps will be keeping up more than just a few Muscovites, and it’s one of the standout tracks on the Left CD. Dancing with Strangers from Rossell holds serious attitude and is tweaked to the extreme, before our boy drops it all back nicely into Arabesque from Chymera, the high-pitched samples delivering a sound that you can’t help but feel chuffed about. It kicks off a triumvirate of tracks that for me, blows the roof off. Pitch & Hold with Battle of Flowers, the hot Gui Boratto remix of Babicz’s Sin (this track is a belter), and the Trent Cantrelle remix of Deep Flexion’s Emotions of the night… Seriously kids, throw that trio of tracks together in the way that Kleinenberg has here, and it’s going to be absolutely lapped up by anybody. Hot. Shit hot! As we exit stage Left, we hear the appropriately named Beautiful Life from Gui Boratto. And after hearing a collection of music this good, life cannot be anything but.

Enter Right, the second instalment, and Kleinenberg takes it all down a notch, starting it off with an acapella of Mutual Dependency from Siciana Soul, married very nicely into Jah Rule from Rhythm and Soul feat. Paul St. Hilaire. All very mellow stuff given the relatively fast paced nature of the first disc, and I was a touch intrigued. Slowly but surely though the tempo rises, and the tracks start getting belted out. Chinese Drip from Minz holds on to that eerie feeling that made an appearance on the first disc, but the Nic Fanciulli remix of Eyerer & Hinz’s Tucan is for me, progressive/tech/electro at its very best. This is a monster track, and the bleaps, beats, squeaks and sounds are all vintage Fanciulli. The tempo continues rising, but the listening remains just as easy: Incoming and Summer’s Gone from David K and Blake and Monroe respectively combine some solid tunes, and with some hot sultry vocals in the latter, it’s a solid package.

Again, Kleinenberg does not put a foot wrong. The track selection is flawless, the mixing seamless. Dancing in Dark Rooms from Quivver takes it up another notch and really gets the blood pumping. Then, suddenly – but oh so nicely – sensing that the end is nigh, he throws into a series of tracks that have a distinctly uplifting feel to them, in effect thanking you for the experience and hoping that you’ve enjoyed the journey. Wrapping it up with the much hyped – and justifiably so – Dubfire interpretation of Smith & Selway’s Transit Time, he brings to an end what is a thoroughly impressive ride.

Kleinenberg puts it thus: “It’s like a puzzle. You have 28 pieces and somehow, you are going to make it all work together.” For me, he doesn’t just get them to work together, he absolutely nails it. Little wonder that he’s becoming increasingly popular on dance floors across the globe. A top production.