There’s something rather traumatic about picking up a ‘retrospective’ CD to review and finding that you remember most of the tracks from the first time around. Sure, they’re viewed through a misty haze that smells faintly of medic and snatches are easier to recall than whole songs, but they’re definitely cemented somewhere in the dark vestiges of this aging mind. Even so, this is an absolutely gleeful trip down memory lane, as many songs which slipped in and out of consciousness without leaving a track name behind can now be easily identified. And there’s lots of treats to behold – far too much good stuff to squash into one paltry review.

Disc one is from the deepest darkest haziest days of Euro-rave, featuring Belgian, Italian and UK house from the halcyon days of 1990 to 1992. This was the era when my friend and I used to huddle in her big sister’s room, watching as she pulled her hair into a tight, high pony and shimmered around the room in a crop top and the widest pants we had ever seen. Opening with the all time classic Is There Anybody Out There by Bassheads and featuring such classics as Back Again by General Base and Oxy’s The Feeling, the disc gets progressively harder and loses the sunshine slightly towards the end.

The “hardcore” lovers will remember Joey Beltram’s creepy Energy Flash – which simply repeats the words “Ecstasy” over and over, god knows why – and everyone loves the sweetly plaintive sounds of Moby’s classic tune Go (can it really be that old?!). There’s the brilliant Night in Motion by Cubic 22, which drifts from banging beats to lovely piano breaks and the slightly crazed T99 by Anaesthesia. Kinetic, by the Golden Girls, is just as dreamy and perfect as the first time around and one of my all-time favourites from the period, hot on the heels of Don’t You Want Me by Felix.

Feeling slightly bamboozled by memories, I was soon onto disc two “1992-94” when the mighty Germans burst onto the scene and stole its neighbours’ thunder. Oh, the vocals! Who could forget those massive build-ups and breakdowns? There’s plenty of goodies on here too – with an obvious stand-out being the lederhosen-hoppin;’ Hablando by Ramirez & Pizarro and the brilliant OK Alright by Digital Boy, which smacks of the electro to come in the next century. Closer To All Your Dreams is another familiar friend, followed by the almighty Prodigy with their early breaks-rave hit Everybody In The Place. Take Me by Dream Frequency, Liquid by Sweet Harmony and Hurt You by Jonny L also appear, before the CD works towards a gritty finish.

Finally, disc three “1994-96” when the Germans and Italians again reigned supreme. Diving in with a slightly more sophisticated production sound, Get Naughty by Dangerous Zone & Afrika Bambaataa set an upbeat pace. Faithful ravers will remember RTZ In The Name of Love and Come To The Party by Mystify with total delight. The glowsticks might still work if you dig ‘em out! A few dreamy 3am moments were had listening to Do You Feel So Right by Love 4 Sale, To Love by Fits of Gloom, the fabulous Take Me Up by Southend and the twisted and beautiful Green by Infusion. These lovely numbers are interspersed with banging tunes which get faster and more complex track by track, proving just how far the music had morphed in a few short years!

What a ride! If you’re an old(er) duck like me who was strapping on the trainers at dusty doofs back in the mid 90s, you cannot miss this album – if only for nostalgia’s sake.