Various: Grand Theft Auto Vice City soundtrack Volumes 1-7

By RUSSELL BAILLIE

(Herald rating: * * * )

Could videogame makers be the new DJs? Might as well be, judging by this series of compilations based on the dubious but enter-taining car-stealing PlayStation 2 title (see review previous page).

Each album replicates a playlist from a radio station from the titular city which exists in an 80s time-warp — so, yes, just the thing for shoving into the disc-changer for the office Christmas party.

Though be warned and be prepared for the ffwd button, as both the love-songs-til-midnight "Emotion 98.3" and the solid gold hits of "Flash FM" feature songs by Toto, the equally dreadful Africa and Hold The Line respectively.

Elsewhere, "Wave 103" urges a skinny leather tie revival, as it confuses New Wave with New Romantic pop; "V-Rock" is dashboard-head banging, all-metal anthems, stretching from Loverboy to Slayer; "Radio Espantoso" is a pleasantly percussive collection of classic Cuban hits; while the grooviest are "Fever 105's" post-disco R&B funk-athon and "Wildstyle Pirate Radio's" neat summation of prehistoric hip-hop which, unleashed at that party, should encourage your workplace's very own David (The Office) Brent to create what in years to come will be forever known as "the embarrassing break-dancing incident".

Label: Sony