★★★★☆
The ten-year anniversary of the Pukka Up imprint acts for the acceptable side of mainstream clubbing. Forget a backhanded compliment; it’s a gratifying boost to court tracks that have held their own to a widespread audience after working their way up from the underground or clubbing outskirts in a pleasingly natural advance. After ruling Ibiza waves and lighting up London — leading to a ten-party/country birthday jump-off — PU’s 24-track document will set barbeques a-sizzle, pouring plenty of recognizable arm-raisers into a funky sing-it-back punchbowl, served by a crew of get down-guarantors.
Boarding the Boat disc, Fish Go Deep’s “The Cure & the Cause” continues to dart with the suppleness of a veteran Yoga instructor, telling Harry Romero’s Chicago throwback “I Go Back” to breathe more easily. Vocal staples from Joey Negro, ATFC, Soul Central, Bob Sinclar and Blaze are tunes most can greet with a weekend-has-landed grin, modern greats that once docked will have you whistling them on your way to work.
With Swedish House Mafia and Axwell about to start their bids for world domination (or before the piano riffs became too much), the big room Club disc takes up the baton for wanting to wear the next clubber’s sweat, Avicii and The Freaks involved in showing how well your deodorant’s performing. With EDM a transparent presence without it being nauseating, Pukka Up blow a kiss at rivals getting both the compilation and the classics market wrong. X marks the spot.
File under: Junior Jack, Sam Obernik, D Ramirez