Serving to remind us that Dusseldorf could be famous for something other than Kraftwerk, Outside World is an accurately compact retrospective of German synth collective Propaganda's all-too-brief flirtation with popularity in the mid-1980s (and that's hardly surprising, given their label's obsession with tugging on the udders of Frankie Goes to Hollywood for all they were worth). At a time when English musical ears were suspicious of post-Abba foreign accents-was "99 Red Balloons" really all our European neighbours could contribute to the EEC pop mountain?-and yet strangely in awe of all things efficiently cold and Teutonic when it came to synthesisers (the Mobiles, Ultravox, New Order) Propaganda were not found wanting. In Claudia Brucken, they had the archetypical blonde German ice maiden who sang with all the sang-froid of a devil-worshipping abattoir supervisor while their slickly produced (man of the moment Trevor Horn, of course) and sinuous synth-pop reached its classically melodic apex on the timeless "Duel" (a UK Number 21 in 1985) and its grievous, piston-rhythmed punk sibling "Jewel". As with Frankie Goes to Hollywood, you'd need a box set to collate the manifold vinyl remixes issued by designer label ZTT at the time, but Outside World cuts to the chase and tells the Propaganda novice all he/she needs to know in a delightfully silvery disc-shaped package. -Kevin Maidment.

Having pretty much cornered the market for great dance compilations with Clubber Guides, Trance Nations, Annuals and the like, Ministry Of Sound took a step away from the dancefloor with its first major chillout compilation The Chillout Session. And as with their more uptempo assortments, the quality of the tracks is superlative. From the subtle downtempo beats and pieces of Jakatta's "American Dream" to the Ibizan sunset vibes of York's "The Awakening" to horizontal classics like Lemon Jelly's "In The Bath" and Leftfield's "Melt", you can almost picture the lava lamp steadily bubbling away in the corner of the room. It's not all instrumental tracks, either, Alex Gopher's "The Child" and Fatboy Slim and Macy Gray's collaboration on "Demons" both pop up to add a little bit of late-night soul. The only problem is who gets up to put the second CD on. -Helen Marquis.

Though both Groove Armada's Tom Findlay and Andy Cato hail from London, the pair choose to kick back to Ambleside in Cumbria when recording. As with a great deal of dance music through the 1990s, though broadly still considered house, the sound of Vertigo takes as much from the jaded, trip-hop of Bristol as it does from the uplifting house of Studio 54. It is this collusion which defines the LP with the vocal of "In My Bones" ruffled by a techno low end while the chugging backbeats of "Chicago" act to set off a delicate Chic-esque guitar. With an ear for spine-tingling samples lending a gentle weight to what would otherwise be innocuous instrumentals, the crumpled breaks of "At The River" perhaps offer the best example of this, and even the more straightforward forays into the genre are enlivened and enriched by broad influences, the pair have created a modern day classic. -Kingsley Marshall.

Second Toughest in the Infants came three years after Underworld's potent debut Dubnobasswithmyheadman. Following the group's massive Trainspotting soundtrack hit "Born Slippy", at first glance this offering seems to carry the same epic and elaborate edge of that huge hit. Opening with an opulent triptych called "Juanita", "Kiteless" and "To Dream Of Love"-three tracks which segue seamlessly into each other and form a quite splendid 16-minute Underworld-a-thon-the trio certainly weren't afraid to indulge when making this LP. The next track, "Banstyle/Sappys Curry" seems to confirm this, weighing in at an impressive 15 minutes, though this time nose-diving into some atmospheric, oceanic drum & bass a la LTJ Bukem. Throughout the rest of the album, Underworld alternate between assuaging their raging club beats with warm washes of sound and beatless splashes of colour, and offering more straight-up heavyweight club fodder. "Confusion the Waitress" carries a definite prog-rock feel in places, "Pearls Girl" takes a more breakbeat-fuelled route and is arguably one of the album's most thrilling moments, while tracks such as "Air Towel" are as insubstantial as their name suggests-flimsy, inconsequential "Detroitian" workouts lacking real punch. "Blueski" is a little better, straying as it does into an acoustic psychedelic roam while the final track "Stagger" is a similarly beatless meander, though more maudlin and electronic this time and featuring Hyde's best vocal performance of the album. Overall, there are some solid tracks here, but it's less sinewy and more indulgent feel make it not quite as essential as its predecessor. -Paul Sullivan.

A far deeper, more enduring outing than his spectacular 1991 debut. Producer Trevor Horn calls on a cast of dozens (including Joni Mitchell who duets on the lovely "If I Could" and the ubiquitous Jeff Beck) and channels his famous, over-the-top tendencies into a sumptuous bed of sound that makes Tears for Fears sound minimal. Soulful first single "Prayer for the Dying" will set the pace, while "Kiss From A Rose" is a huge ballad. -Jeff Bateman.

Beaucoup Fish is Underworld's third studio album and sees them return to form after a slightly lacklustre second LP (Second Toughest In The Infants). Not that this latest missive from the famous trio (Darren Emerson, Karl Hyde and Rick Smith) possesses the same raw energy as their debut Dubnobasswithmyheadman, but it does benefit from differences such as more experimental use of sounds, slicker production and a generally more intricate feel. The albums opener "Cups" is a case in point, a subtle, fluid grower that sees Hyde's usually excitable vocals toned down and more ensconced in the mix. The trio show that they are still fond of pumping chemical onslaughts though with the redoubtable "Push Upstairs" and other thumping club tracks like "Jumbo", "Something Like A Mama", "Kittens and Moaner". The trio have obviously decided to try a few new things out on this LP too, such as "Shudder/King of Snakes", which starts with a wonky Oriental vibe before morphing into nine minutes of drum-fuelled propulsion and heavy sounds. Hyde's voice-which comes close to a kind of rhythmic scatting here-continues to stay low for the most part (though fans can still discern his nonsensical lyrics), becoming more assertive on tracks like the mellow, beatless Skym. Elsewhere, tracks like "Bruce Lee" sees Underworld experiment with a hip hop beat and some Dadaist vocals, and with some meandering breakbeat on "Something Like a Mama", though neither track seems to come off terribly well. If anything, this album proves that Underworld are best when they stick to their classic, distinctive club sound. -Paul Sullivan.

Justice is the moniker of the Paris-based production duo Gaspard Augé and Xavier de Rosnay. Their approach to crazy-quilt dance-pop hybridism is infectious, if a tad off-putting here and there. The duo rose to fame due to an MP3 single and super smart video for the excellent, kiddy-chorused house-pop number "D. A. N. C. E. " in 2007, and they soon thereafter signed to the suitably named label Banger. They manage to make really silly and fun music in a way that frequently comes off in a pretentious manner. It's ridiculous to name your album after a symbol, especially if it's †. [+]

Take the sweet soul vocals of Caron Wheeler. Add jazzy hip hop beats and early Balearic rhythms. Mix with one of the most influential producers of the decade, Nellee Hooper, and pour through the musical uber-talent of Jazzie B. The result is Soul II Soul's seminal debut album Club Classics Volume 1. Although it was originally released in the 1980's, the chart-topping tunes still retain their credibility and freshness. Almost a greatest hits collection, the album contains "Keep On Movin'" and a phenomenal a cappella version of "Back To Life". An exceptional and innovative record whose rough edge keeps it fresh. -Ed Potton.