Various Artists - Global Underground: THIRTY [3LP Aqua & Purple]

Global Underground celebrates three decades of after-dark club culture with THIRTY, a collection of brand new, exclusive tracks from across its extended family, spread over a 3LP set in aqua and purple vinyl.

The series launched in 1996 and became a byword for the long-form DJ mix, with Sasha, John Digweed and Paul Oakenfold among the names who turned city-stamped releases into a collector's habit. For the anniversary, the label asked thirty artists for new music, and this triple vinyl edition gathers eighteen of those tracks across six sides, giving each one room to unfold.

The mood is classic GU: progressive house and melodic techno built for the small hours, all long builds and patient release. Guy J's "Rise" stretches beyond eight minutes of slow-blooming melody, Rodriguez Jr. brings warmth and bounce to "Amarillo", and "Night Sky" pairs Nadia Ali with the moody production of Frankey & Sandrino. Long-serving GU name Nick Warren teams up with Nicolas Rada for the driving "Fuego", while Danny Howells and Dave Seaman also turn up to toast the occasion.

It plays like a family photo album for the progressive scene, with veterans and newer names side by side. Thirty years in, the label still knows exactly how a record should sound at three in the morning.