Pacha is back with their latest mix compilation, and this transcontinental triple-disc album takes mixes from the hottest Australian and international talent. Australia’s Sam La More takes the reins on the first disc while Richard Grey and Soul Avengerz take hold of disc two and three respectively.

Sam La More is most well known as one half of electro act Tonite Only along with Groove Terminator, and here he kicks things off with La Musique from fellow Australian live act Riot In Belgium. Immediately the album is thrust onto the dance floor as La More quickly establishes an uptempo electro house pattern that sustains for the duration of his mix. Settling into a nice groove early on, the mix EXPLODES a few tracks in with the Herve remix of Licky (Work It Out) by Princess Superstar. This is a weapon that’s been devastating dance floors around Australia, and the world, ever since its first inception. The middle of the set is where La More really goes to work, with a long line of some of electro house’s biggest hits of the past 12 months from names like D Ramirez & Mark Knight with Columbian Soul, Running From by John Acquaviva & Madox feat. Tommie Sunshine as well as my personal favourite Not Enough by the S Man himself Roger Sanchez, with Australia’s producer extraordinaire Dirty South on the remix.

La More then settles the mix into a solid electro house groove with some notable productions by Kavinsky and Mark Knight, before finishing the mix explosively with a few absolute bombs, including a couple old favourites given a new touch. Firstly TV Rock and Dirty South remix an old classic Feels Like Home by Meck; and then to follow the immortal Nathan Fake classic Outhouse gets the Valentino Kenzyani remix treatment with the Wide Road accapella over the top, with devastating effect. La More finishes with one of his own remixes, of Return to New York by Arthur Baker which finishes a sublime first disc to the album.

Flipping over to disc two and Subliminal house hero Richard Grey takes grasp of the reins and starts things off with one of his own productions, the big room house number I Believe. The tone is immediately different on this disc with Grey stamping his own sound on it with authority. There’s plenty of big room house numbers here with this disc very much so representing the dirty house that is in the album’s title. The mix is tight and fluid with seamlessly programming and mixing and some intense use of effects splattered over a selection of the finest house cuts. Highlights include Giorgio Prezioso & Libex’s Pongo, Freak Me by LXR & Andrea Doria, as well as Life Goes On by three of Subliminal’s finest Richard Grey, Erick Morillo and Jose Nunez, with the labels vocalist Shawnee Taylor providing the vocals. While the mix is executed brilliantly by Grey, the sound and tempo doesn’t match my personal preferences and I’ll be heading back to listen to disc one before listening to it again. In saying that though, it’s still a mix of the highest ilk and plenty of punters out there will feature this disc as possibly their favourite on the album.

Last but not least are the Soul Avengerz, who complete the final touches of the album. Real names Paul Gardner and Wayne O’Connell, they’re famous worldwide for some of the biggest productions in the world of house music and here they are given an opportunity to further show their performance prowess to the masses. They open their mix with one of their own productions, a soulful house anthem One Love. There’s some big anthems thrown in that makes for an enjoyable listening experience but just like Grey’s mix, the set appears to lack the thrust & tempo that is so prevalent throughout La More’s first disc.

Overall, and it might be just personally, but the second and third disc just didn’t have the same striking effect as disc one did on me. Sam La More should be commended for his efforts, but by no means take this review as a write off of the other discs, because they are still quality pieces of production. It’s just that our little Aussie mate La More has taken his just that bit further; it really is a mix of the highest possible ilk. This is one of Pacha’s finest compilations and a must buy for those electro & dirty house lovers amongst us.