The Annual 2008 [Box set]

The Annuals seem to get worse every year and this album is no exception. Why cant the Ministry of Sound Produce Annuals like 95-00 again mixed by propper DJ's like Pete Tong,Jules,Tall Paul and even Boy George.

What an earth are MOS playing at? I hope they are enjoying taking the money from the punters and cranking out rubbish like this! If the Decent DJ's were still around this wouldnt happen, there would be decent remixes (not cheesy chart MOS favourites) and also the actual CD's themselves would be nicely mixed too.... DO yourselves a Favour MOS, get a decent DJ (ill do it for free) and let them work their magic..... Im never buying another MOS release again until something major changes.

What a 7 years its been for MoS and their Annual releases! With the Millennium hang over's out of the way, Judge Jules and Tall Paul left the scene and handed the job over to a mindless laptop in 2001, for what was to be the formulae for many Annual's to come. Crammed with cd's of 'classics', cheesy chart hits, and the compulsory awful 3rd CD, it looks like MoS has actually looked at itself in the mirror, and decided to at least 'try' to change. The peak of their change lay in The Annual 2003... I think a DJ would have been egged if any of those songs were played!

Unfortunately, 'the 3rd disc syndrome' is still about, and they have failed to ditch this propaganda, of what was awfully in 2002, a collection of totally bad 80's remixes. Here however, its a 3rd CD of "cut up's", resembling faintly (you guessed it) to some of their previous products... The Mash Up mixes. Is this advertising or did they just run out of ideas for their compulsory 3rd disc? Either way, lets thank them for not producing another pointless DVD that we use once, and then forget about.

Of course on this note, you'll notice the track listing is alot better than in previous years, looking alot more like what we hear on a Friday night on Radio 1, and not what's on those annoying ring-tone adverts. Known tunes among the clubs and radio DJ's alike will be "Ida Corr Vs Fedde Le Grand - Let Me Think About It" and a few others, making it at least sounding a bit more 'authentic' to what 'The Annual' should be all about. It would appear that The Annual vol.1 and vol.2 are the only releases to actually have a 'complete' tracklisting of the most popular played vinyls on club nights.

It's important though to understand that this album still lacks the DJ touch - although their are alot of commercial and brilliant floorfillers, many of the promo's and cuts that have rocked clubs this year failed to make the mark here. I guess we can say that's better than the commercial dribble we've seen in recent years, so it could be a 'smarter' move for now. Commercially however, this ought to put the kids off. The way the Annual has been advertised in recent years suggests its for teens to bop around in their bedrooms. The reality this year is that its alot more electro and mainstream, making it more listenable. And rightly so, the USA have gone electro mad in clubland and its spread over here like wild fire.

Compared to previous years, it's safe to say that The Annual 2008 appears more 'authentic' to what 'The Annual' is all about... "an annual of tunes from clubland". Though this statement may have only lasted for about the first 4 Annuals released, MoS may be coming to terms that they need to change their approach, and so with some fine young ladies on the front cover (out of the window with those sameish coloured lines) it 'may' just end up in your Christmas stocking this year, if you go out on a friday night yourself, at least.

For those who are used to the usual cheese from previous years, you may be slighted disappointed this year that MoS had the courage to prevent artists like 'The Pussycat Dolls' for getting on the album. Although I personally think electro is getting a tad 'sameish' after the last couple of years, its still true to what's being played out their, and that's what counts surely? In summary though, I have to be honest and say that this is a great album filled with some of the best tunes this year, which is what all The Annual is all about. The 5th star however would have come from the all important 'real' DJ mixing - not just a producer.