VARIOUS ARTISTS “Energy Rush – Safe Six” (Dino)/“Keep On Dancing” (Dino)

WHILST HARDLY expanding the frontiers of modern club culture, the Energy Rush series does offer a handy overview of what’s happening at the poppier end of the dance spectrum and with 20 tracks that are either currently in or recently departed from the charts, represents excellent value for your hard earned moolah.

Standing head and shoulders above the opposition on Safe Six (ouch!) is Leftfield & Lydon’s vitriolic anti-Hollywood rant, ‘Open Up’, which finds the ex-Pistol reinventing himself for the umpteenth time and having an absolute ball in the process. Let’s hope this unexpected burst of creativity carries through to the next PIL album.

Other stand-outs include the Urban Cookie Collective’s lightweight yet instantly addictive ‘Feels Like Heaven’, The Goodmen’s drum heavy ‘Give It Up’ and Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince’s ‘I’m Looking For The One (To Be With)’, which amidst all this hi-tech jiggery pokery proudly flies the flag for traditional soul values.

I can’t make my mind up about The Orb’s ‘Little Fluffy Clouds’ – last night, in a somewhat heightened state of perception, it seemed the most wondruous creation this side of Everton F.C. but in the cold light of day the words ‘self’, and ‘indulgent’ spring to mind. Perhaps what’s needed here is a scratch‘n’sniff sleeve.

A soft target, I know, but I can’t let an opportunity pass to put a Doc Marten into 2 Unlimited, whose ‘Maximum Overdrive’ rewrites their last six hits and is every bit as execrable.

While Energy Rush has an obvious raison d’etre, Keep On Dancing is little more than an exercise in gathering together an assortment of tracks which are presumably being licensed at, er, competitive rates. The compilation does boast a fair smattering of gems – ‘Uptight (Everything’s Alright)’ is a welcome reminder of how good Stevie Wonder used to be, Sylvester’s ‘You Make Me Feel (Mighty Real)’ is still the ultimate camp disco anthem and Womack & Womack’s ‘Teardrops’ comes perillously close to giving MOR a good name. No complaints, either, over the inclusion of Lil’ Louis’ seminal ‘French Kiss’ and Cameo’s ‘Word Up’ but the unholy trinity of Rage’s ‘Run To You’, East 17’s ‘House Of Love’ and KWS’ ‘Please Don’t Go’ is enough to turn even the most open minded of punters into a violent dancophobe.

Handy for filling the gaps in your collection but hardly an essential purchase.

• Stuart Clark