IT’S here – Dance Music for Dummies. Next to the Triple J’s annual Hottest 100, this is the best annual compilation of 2006 dance/trance/house/techno music and a must for your iPod, lesser MP3 player, car stacker or home/barracks system.

You’ll recognise a few tracks revisited, including Shot You Down (Bang Bang).

As with previous years, this UK Ministry of Sound set contains two CDs – Disc 1 mixed by John Course and Disc 2 by Mark Dynamix.

You will notice that Mark tends to play and sample much more than John, but for those who love this kind of music, like me, it’s a must-have annual.

– Warrant Officer Class Two Andrew Nichols

A SELF-titled album either means you think you’re pretty good or you’ve run fresh out of title ideas.

I don’t think Lloyd is out of ideas because Alex Lloyd is stamped with everything that makes his signature sound so popular.

While his last album, Distant Light, wasn’t exceptional, Alex Lloyd has more of the Black The Sun qualities, lyrically and musically.

For Alex Lloyd enthusiasts – the big man is touring Australia now.

– Lieutenant Simone Heyer

IF YOU’RE looking for a CD that leaves you feeling light and happy in any situation, hunt down Ben Lee’s latest.

His recent success at the ARIAs further cements his position in the Australian music scene as one of a special breed.

He went from a group – Noise Addict – and has become an award-winning singer in his own right.

Ben’s gentle voice and positive lyrics will draw you into a world of butterflies and lollypops.

Cheesy?

The description maybe, but the album is great.

– Lieutenant Simone Heyer

ONCE you’re a fan of David Gray’s soulful, rhythmic sound, you’ll buy anything that has his name on it before hearing it.

He hasn’t brought out anything since A New Day at Midnight in 2002, so Life in Slow Motion has been a few years in the making. It doesn’t disappoint.

Everything that makes David Gray addictive is going strong. Gray the lyricist knows that a song is more than just good music and it’s the lyrics that make his albums powerful.

Life in Slow Motion was recorded in a new studio – not the bedroom-sized studio of his other albums – but I can’t say I can recognise the difference.

– Lieutenant Simone Heyer