Browse by Label: EQ RECORDINGS/BALANCE MUSIC (AUSTRALIA)

Artist:	MAAS, TIMO
Title:	Balance 017
Label:	EQ RECORDINGS/BALANCE MUSIC (AUSTRALIA)
Format:	2CD
Price:	$23.00
Catalog #:	BAL 001CD

Timo Maas is a master of reinvention. Emerging during the excess of trance's heyday in the late '90s with his fusion of techno, progressive house and funk in a rivetingly futuristic manner, he quickly became the remixer du jour for both the club underground and the commercial big leagues. This is Maas' first official compilation in 9 years. As the artists says himself, "For me 'the trip' is quite important to create, with a mix of brand new, even exclusive material, but also tracks that rock my world at the moment and most essentially have rocked my world for many years (the so called 'classics')." Maas draws us into his musical world with two sumptuous cuts of ambient electronica from his studio, before boldly grabbing our attention with Nicolas Jaar's already-classic, woozy early-morning anthem "Time For Us." CD1 is all about displaying his melodic, charismatic, emotive side -- the turgid electro-pop of Vector Lovers, the lush disco licks of Toby Tobias and the tripped-out eccentricity of DJ Koze keeping you hooked. Jazzy pianos are drawn in, Maas reminding us that this electronic lark is not the be-all-end-all of music as the opposing tech house backbone becomes more prominent. Mathias Schaffhäuser's "The 1st Thing" signals that Timo's tech vein is starting to throb, with animal noises permeating the sexy wiggle of the track. A slice of classic Tenaglia ups the ante, and it looks like we're set for a thumping finale before the majestic, blissed-out melody of Carl Craig's "At Les" pulses in, setting us up for a classy and experimental closer which sees Maas and Santos collide with Elgar and William Orbit. The second act makes no attempt to disguise its intent, laden with thudding kicks, plenty of rolling percussion and the intricate attention to detail that peppers his sets and productions. It's largely comprised of works from him and his colleagues from his quirky new label Rockets & Ponies, with numerous exclusives across both discs. Elements that don't always reveal themselves at first listen are stacked all around this mix -- intricate layers, trickery in the stereo field, unearthly effects and chiefly, hefty groove throughout. At first tracks come thick and fast -- more sexy Maas magic, into some wonderfully deep Kenny Larkin, before the mix begins to unwind. Things start taking a turn for the weird -- his remix of We Fell To Earth's "Lights Out" showing tinges of the '70s psych rock that he and Santos while away hours in the studio to, and eerie sci-fi sounds crawling all over the place. Eventually, the psychedelic feel subsides, giving way to the blissful melody of Alex Dolby's re-rub of the Rockets & Ponies anthem "Chinese Massage," and the mix then dips down once again into deeper territory before unleashing a torrent of acid filth. Timo's Lost Veteranos project appears with the gnarly, industrial intensity of "It's Wronger," before a classic 303 double-header from Emmanuel Top and Hardfloor bangs you into submission, taking you back to a wonderfully simpler time. A sprinkling of magic dust rounds off this heady compilation in the form of his own epic, unreleased version of Placebo's yearning "Ashtray Heart" -- a fittingly powerful finale. Other artists include: Dana Bergquist & Peder G, Sasse, Solvent, Random House Project, Phattivan, Deetron, Mathias Kaden, Henrik Schwarz & Kuniyuki, Giorgio Roma, Alex Flitsch, Patrick Chardronnet, Santè & Adam Port, The Crystal Ark, Florian Hollerith, Marc Romboy & Stephan Bodzin, Alex Niggemann, Matthias Tanzmann and The Mole.

Artist:	WARREN, NICK
Title:	Balance 018
Label:	EQ RECORDINGS/BALANCE MUSIC (AUSTRALIA)
Format:	2CD
Price:	$23.00
Catalog #:	BAL 002CD

With a proud reputation for securing sublime, forward-thinking DJs that best represent the ever-changing nature of dance music and the shape of things to come, it's little wonder that as the Balance Series has grown in notoriety, so too has the interest from fans and artists in who will be chosen to take control of the next groundbreaking mix. With compilation releases from James Holden, Joris Voorn, Will Saul and Agoria, Balance now introduces the legendary UK artist, Nick Warren. You can tell when Nick Warren's on the decks. The music emanating from the DJ booth is that perfect club mix of driving percussion and soaring musicality, bursting out of the speakers. Warren's impressive career has seen him release the very first Back To Mine compilation, a staggering eight albums for Global Underground, and one for Renaissance. He is also in control of A&R for record label Hope Recordings, as well as being a member of the highly-acclaimed duo Way Out West. Starting as tour DJ with Massive Attack, moving onto a residency at UK super-club Cream and playing at every self-respecting club on the planet has led him to this natural position as one of the world's most respected DJs. Nick's DJ career spans two decades and is driven by a continual desire for change, with his sound forged by an enduring relationship with cutting-edge producers all over the globe, in many cases, long before they become established. This is no better represented than in the continuing bi-monthly Radio show Soundgarden on Friskyradio which attracts over 150,000 unique tune-ins to each airing, or his mixes for John Digweed's Transitions and now this mix album for Balance. Features tracks and remixes from Nick Warren, Jamie Anderson, Terry Lee Brown Jr., Lank, Paul Hazendonk, Ormatie, Speiltape, Shamil, Underset, Fiord, Eelke Kleijn, Owain K, Nomad In The Dark, Franck Orff, Giorgos Gatzigristos, Tripswitch, Julio Largente, Beat Factory, Stamina, Lank, Yamil Colucci, Victoria R, Solee, Steve Mill, Steven Libby and Pablo Acenso.

Artist:	SIAZ, HENRY
Title:	Balance 019
Label:	EQ RECORDINGS/BALANCE MUSIC (AUSTRALIA)
Format:	2CD
Price:	$23.00
Catalog #:	BAL 003CD

Balance lines up Henry Saiz for another exciting chapter in their leading compilation series. The Spanish electronic producer brings his unique formula to the esteemed mix series with an exciting conceptualized approach. Through attempting to occupy the creative space closer to that of an artist album, rather than a club mix, Henry has delicately created an odyssey in sound. CD1 explores how music has the power to contain and store personal emotional experiences. This is the characteristic that Henry loves most about music, that "evocative power to send you back to your childhood or to a specific moment of your life." In order to create that evocative and psychedelic atmosphere, this CD has an elaborately-crafted lo-fi sound through the use of varying analog formats such as cassette or vinyl. Saiz expertly harnesses his intricate knowledge of sound through the use of a multitude of layers, sampling, edits and the use of lot of vocals to create a melodic and intense experience that attempts to connect with memories and complex emotions. Following the same concept, but offering up a balance is CD2, which is more geared towards the dancefloor. As ever, the track selection is eclectic in its outlook, but has a definite tech-house feel that is tinged with the influence of house, melodic techno, disco and Detroit alongside the plethora of styles Saiz uses for his musical motivation. Adding to the experience is the fact that Henry has chosen to use only unreleased productions and exclusive collaborations with other artists. So there are plenty of rare inclusions on the track-list that make for a completely fresh listening experience. Notable highlights are Saiz's own new downtempo version of "Lady In The Mirror" and new tracks from him like "Eterno Retorno," which effortlessly fuses the past and present. Exclusively made for this are collaborations with Marc Marzenit, Dosem and Pional. New tracks like "Together" by Border Community's Ricardo Tobar and Petar Dundov aka Solar Sailor's "Horizons" revisit Henry's musical journey with their distinctive progressive and futuristic sound. Additionally, Henry's new moniker Hal Incandenza is featured here for the first time and offers up some amazing productions in the form of "Little Mountains" and also "Mystical Tree." This is another truly breathtaking outing from one of electronic music's gifted proponents, and fully lives up to the forward-thinking expectations of the seminal mix series. Other artists include: Tyrane, Jesse Somfay, Spada, Cora Novoa & Spaceman, Kitkaliito, Esperanza, Calypso Synth Ensemble, Armed, Eelke Kleijn, Mono Electric Orchestra, Charles Gudagafva, AMyn, Liz Cirelli & Minski, Okain, Simon Garcia, Anneke van Giersbergen and Sistema.

Artist:	DEETRON
Title:	Balance 020
Label:	EQ RECORDINGS/BALANCE MUSIC (AUSTRALIA)
Format:	2CD
Price:	$23.00
Catalog #:	BAL 004CD

Swiss melodic techno bastion Deetron has chosen to embrace both the past and present of mixing disciplines on Balance 20. CD1 was mixed digitally, with additional production and editing in Cubase and Wavelab, and CD2 was recorded with three turntables and an Allen & Heath mixer -- and some very special dubplates. Deetron's mix takes in seminal classics, exclusives, rare cuts, lesser-known gems, and a healthy blend of big names and underground heroes. CD1 sees the blissful tones of "Nine" from Autechre and a tease of Model 500's twinkling "Infoworld." Detroit-style beauty comes from Unabombers' take on Shit Robot's "Losing My Patience," arpeggiated proto-trance lushness from Todd Terje's "Bonysh" and hypnotic magic from DJ Koze's "The Geklöppel Continues." Move D is drafted in for some jazzy piano action on "Your Personal Healer," leading into Carl Craig's re-rub of System 7. There's a collaboration between Radiohead's Thom Yorke, Four Tet and Burial, and a little funk colors the mix via Maceo Plex. Caribou's remix of Virgo Four's "It's A Crime" ups the ante, Mr. Beatnick's "Synthetes" takes us in a different direction, and Cavalier's "Kaimanawa" brings deep house flavor to the table. Ratcliffe's take on Throbbing Gristle's "Hot On The Heels Of Love" lays its emotion-drenched chords under loops of Nicolas Jaar's detached voice, before LV, Message To Bears and Zaki Ibrahim's "Explode." A dubbed-out closing section gives way to an eccentric finale, in the form of Savage Progress' bugged-out and vampy "Heart Begin To Beat." CD2 is focused on straight-up house and techno grooves, keeping the momentum and energy high. Ripperton's "Swept Illusions" leads up to Âme's stunning reworking of Osunlade's "Envision" and the effervescent charm of Deetron's "Croque." Super Flu, Sneaker and Wbeeza enter in old skool jack mode while Reggie Dokes' piano beauty "Haiti" flies effortlessly over the top of a mysterious, snappy old skool tech house white label (Shed) -- and then Romanthony joins the party. Simon Garcia's "Tears In Vain" takes the mix to a higher plane, sublime Dutch techno leads into another Four Tet gem, and Deetron's edit of Radio Slave's "Let It Rain" ups the tension. Lone leads into actual retro techno from Derrick May, then an epic slice of Carl Craig magic -- and what better way to finish than with an exclusive dubplate from our faithful curator? Other artists include: Reno Wurzbacher, Julischkaa, Julio Bashmore, BNJM, Wishmountain, System 7, Resonance, Lawrence, Dave Aju, Avus, Alva Noto & Ryuichi Sakamoto, Andy Stott, I:Cube, Roots Panorama, Mampo Village, Mathew Jonson, Mike Dehnert, Redshape, Johanna Knutsson, Minilogue, Surgeon, Cosmin TRG, Rhythm Is Rhythm, Ronny & Renzo and C2 Cinema.

Artist:	FANCIULLI, NIC
Title:	Balance 021
Label:	EQ RECORDINGS/BALANCE MUSIC (AUSTRALIA)
Format:	2CD
Price:	$23.00
Catalog #:	BAL 005CD

Saved Records boss Nic Fanciulli delivers a stunningly intricate mix for this installment in the Balance Music series. The first CD, entitled simply Balance is a subtle and expertly crafted mix that balances a plethora of diverse tracks, often three at a time, to create an expansive but well focused journey. Infused with a true timeless quality, the mix was approached in a way that will enable it to sound as good in ten years time as it does today. Individual records were meticulously edited one by one to provide the album with a fluid and natural flow, displaying a more heightened sense of musicality than we are often used to in dance music. Its intelligent arrangement really paves the way for an overriding sense of permanence that is so often missing in many of today's compilations. On the second CD, Saved, Nic showcases the sound and ethos of his own Saved Records with a collection of records exclusive to the imprint. While keeping the focus on quality house music, the mix highlights the diversity within the label with a discernable collection of tracks that straddle various styles, atmospheres and tempos, many of which are available exclusively through Balance 021. From deep and melodic grooves to stripped-back bounce, rolling bass-lines, jacking beats and everything in between, the second disc truly emphasizes the dedication to quality that has made Saved one of the most respected labels in the UK and around the globe. Artists: Luca & Bruno, Maya Jane Coles, SIS , DifferentME, Iron Curtis, Eastmen, Cassy & Chris Carrier , Jae B, NTFO, Rhadow, Franck Roger, Mendel Turner, Oscar Offerman, &ME, Ray Okpara, Obi Jazz, And.Id, Joris Voorn, SLG, Smolny, Pol_On, Lovebirds, Quell, Ricardo Villalobos, Jay Haze, Efron, Luca & Bruno, Piek, Anonym, Humano, Vernon Bara, Igor Vincente, Martin Eyerer, Glimpse, Jay Shepheard , Marco Basanov, Omar S, Gianni Callipari, Simon Baker & Robert James, Guti, Livio & Roby, Samu.l, Mark Broom, Robert James, Subb-an, Philip Bader, Andrea Oliva, Emerson Todd, Robert Dietz, Stacey Pullen, Davide Squillace, Clio, Harvey McKay, Alex Tepper, Boris Ross & Jeff Moore, Loco Dice, Winx, Chiapet, Rolando, Paul Ritch, Hollen, Radio Slave, Pirupa, Gary Beck, Nikola Gala, Mark Fanciulli and Skylark.

Artist:	AGORIA
Title:	Balance 016 - EP1
Label:	EQ RECORDINGS/BALANCE MUSIC (AUSTRALIA)
Format:	12"
Price:	$12.00
Catalog #:	EQG 291EP

Here are some exclusive tracks taken from the Balance 016 compilation mixed by Agoria. The Same is a Polish duo who won a competition on Soundcloud for fresh tracks -- they are the winners amongst more than 1,000 submissions. Oxia is a long-time friend of Agoria's, and "Less Time" is a true jewel. Jozif's track fit perfectly in the Balance mix, and Kid A is someone who you are likely to hear more of in the future with her amazing vocals.

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