As we’ve come to expect from Ace’s much-admired series of Jon Savage-curated two-CD collections, this new – and sadly final – volume is a multi-genre delight, taking the listener from house to baggy via post-punk, proto-grunge, minimalist avant-garde, the advent of sampling and more.

Among the many highlights are ‘Mystery Of Love’ by Mr Fingers, a track that turned Savage’s head during a trip to New York in early 1986; Hüsker Dü’s ‘Could You Be The One?’ from 1987, a perfect example of their melodic abilities; the action-packed ‘It Takes Two’ by Rob Base & DJ E-Z Rock, which could be heard blasting out of boomboxes all over New York in spring 1988; Paul Oakenfold’s 1989 remix of Happy Mondays’ ‘Wrote For Luck’ into the early baggy classic ‘W.F.L.’; and the Holographic Goatee Mix of ‘What Is Love?’, the overlooked flip of Dee-Lite’s international hit ‘Groove Is In The Heart’ of 1990.

The compilation – and the series – ends with a contrast: David Morales’ seven-minute hardcore trance reconstruction of the Pet Shop Boys’ ‘So Hard’ followed by the reflective, sinuous guitar chime of the High’s ‘Take My Time’. They represent the twin poles of Jon Savage’s musical choices at a time when dance culture was still expanding exponentially and rock music had rediscovered its swagger and joie-de-vivre. Ten years in the making, the series began with a set devoted to 1965 and ends with 1990, two great periods for music.

Track listing

Side 1

01 Mystery Of Love - Mr Fingers

02 Safety Net - Shop Assistants

03 Let's Go Swimming (Gulf Stream Dub) - Arthur Russell

04 Word Up! - Cameo

05 Could You Be The One? - Hüsker Dü

06 Preview  Finished - Throwing Muses

07 Big Decision (Extended Version) - That Petrol Emotion

08 Pump Up The Volume (Remix) - M/A/R/R/S

09 Traveling At The Speed Of Thought - Ultramagnetic MC's

10 Paid In Full (Seven Minutes Of Madness - The Coldcut Remix) - Eric B & Rakim

11 Theme From S-Express - S-Express

12 It Takes Two - Rob Base & DJ E-Z Rock

13 Crash - The Primitives

14 Break 4 Love (Spanish Mix) - Raze

15 Freak Scene - Dinosaur Jr

16 Che - Spacemen 3

17 Full Fathom Five - The Stone Roses

Side 2

01 Teen Age Riot - Sonic Youth

02 A Day In The Life (Club Mix) - Black Riot

03 She Drives Me Crazy - Fine Young Cannibals

04 Hallucination Generation - The Gruesome Twosome

05 Hard Light - Band Of Susans

06 W.F.L. (Think About The Future - The Paul Oakenfold Mix) - Happy Mondays

07 One Of Our Girls Has Gone Missing - A.C. Marias

08 The World According To Sly & Lovechild (Soul Of Europe Mix) - Sly & Lovechild

09 Only Love Can Break Your Heart - Saint Etienne

10 Hippychick (No Acid Ted Mix) - Soho

11 The Only One I Know - The Charlatans

12 Rockin' Over The Beat (Rockin' Over Manchester Hacienda Mix) - Technotronic featuring Ya Kid K

13 What Is Love? (Holographic Goatee Mix) - Deee-Lite

14 So Hard (David Morales Remix) - Pet Shop Boys

15 Take Your Time - The High