For a few hours one scorching July day, Brighton Beach became the venue for the Big Beach Boutique 2, one of the biggest parties the UK has ever seen. Thanks to the city's star resident, one Mr Cook, 250,000 revellers were able to forget a decade of shindig-stifling legislation and party for free while perfecting that great move, "the pebble shuffle". Predictably, a wave of negative press followed, but for anyone who was there, it was one of the most memorable events since the sun set on the Summer of Love. It's near impossible to bottle that kind of atmosphere, but Big Beach Boutique 2 is a good attempt to bring the sun to your speakers. While excerpts from support DJ sets such as Groove Armada's mid-pace "Superstylin" and the Lo Fidelity Allstars feisty "Tied to the Mast" create a carnival feel, its only when Cook kicks off with Tim Deluxe's "It Just Won't Do (dub)" that things really get going. Not the most eclectic mix album ever, the barrage of tech-house does become a little tiresome, and Mint Royale's "Sexiest Man in Jamaica" doesn't work so well off the beach. But, with superb moments such as Cook's magnificent mix of X Press 2's "Lazy", all told it's a great slice of nostalgia. --Christopher Barrett