Album Review: Ministry Of Sound - The Annual 2022

Around this time of the year Ministry of Sound release their Annual compilation which features the best dance tracks of the last twelve months: the complications are always a good barometer of where dance music is at the moment.

Unlike previous years this new compilation has 40 tracks spread over just two CD’s. The more familiar and popular dance tracks feature on the first half of the collection with Tell Me Something Good from Ewan McVicar kicking off the party.

Calvin Harris teamed up with Tom Grennan for this summer's big track, By Your Side which Grennan will hopefully perform in his northern concerts in summer 2022. Who would have thought that an old Boney M number would end up being a mainstay on Radio 1 this summer? Majestic X gave Rasputin a makeover for a new generation bringing Boney M back into fashion.

German DJ Topic had a big European hit with Your Love sampling the old ATB hit, whilst Irish DJ Shane Codd provides his big track Get Out Of My Head which is more like a classic house number rather than what else is on offer here.

CD2 sees London Grammar getting the Paul Woodford remix treatment of How Does It Feel. If you were familiar with the original mix of the song you probably would not recognise the version here.

Disclosure always has a knack of using the basics of house music to create an interesting soundscape, evidenced here on their remix of Streets from Doja Cat.

The 2021 update of Another Chance from Roger Sanchez gets the Oliver Heldens treatment, though if you remember the original version you might agree with me that this new rendering detracts from the track. If something is not broken, don't fix it.

As the music continues the quality starts to wear away as the tracks become less memorable. 2021 was not a good year for dance tracks that will be remembered and played in ten years time.