Steve Angello - 'Sizeism' (Ministry of Sound) Released 27/08/07

Still at the ridiculously young age of 22, Steve Angello has been a mainstay of the house music scene for quite a while now. After a pretty impressive mix album for Ministry of Sound early last year, he’s back with his latest compilation for the label ‘Sizeism’ - a work which he’s no doubt hoping will solidify his status and garner him the reputation beyond just being part of the cringe-worthily named 'Swedish House Mafia.'

On the surface at least, it’s a mighty fine mix - once you’ve got over the nauseating, sickly sweet vocal led opener ‘Bring On The Night’ by Cloud Knickers, that is. However, there’s something missing. Despite the track-listing being pretty much impeccable, rammed to the rafters with house, tech-house and minimal gems from this year and last; for some reason it doesn’t gel cohesively together. The opening tracks signify this perfectly, zigzagging from the ethereal strings of Agoria’s ‘Les Violins Ivres’, to the tribal rumblings of Pier Bucci’s ‘Hay Consuela’ to the blissed-out sun-kissed grooves of Lustral’s ‘Everytime’. All startling brilliant tunes, yes, but it sounds more like a random track selection rather than a methodical DJ mix. Indeed, differing to dance music geniuses like James Holden and Steve Bug who meticulously plan their sets (and CD mixes) and throw in unexpected and eclectic offerings, in being so one-dimensional and direct Angello seems to takes the art out of DJing.

Of course, we may be being a bit harsh here because ultimately Angello does get the job done and those serotonin levels pumping. Littered with some undoubted house classics including the rush of Michel de Hey Vs Secret Cinema’s ‘Compound’, Mr Angello’s Sebastian Ingrosso collaboration ‘Umbrella’ and the stunning ‘Winter’ by Aril Braker, CD1 offers plenty of highs. The second mix begins all minimal, before easily the best dance record of the last year, Oxia’s ‘Domino’, opens the way for more intriguing realms, climaxing with Valentino Kanzyani’s simply masterful re-working of Nathan Fake’s ‘Outhouse.’

Yet, all these plus points aside, there’s no getting away from the fact that this is a slightly un-human mix, that lacks any real inventiveness or playfulness. If Angello could stamp his own personal imprint onto his mixes like he needs to do, then he’d definitely be onto something.