Oh Balance how we love thee… We promised ourselves we’d stop using the world “journey” when we review compilations.  The whole concept of a journey has been so misconstrued that no one even knows what the hell that really means anymore.  Instead, we just try to review music for what it is, and not what we think it should be, or use some shitty generic words in an attempt to fill up as much space as possible (as if this were a 11th grade writing assignment).  In keeping with that, we thought it proper to review one of our favorite Mix series newest release out today (Tuesday).  Deetron may not be known as well as Ricardo Villalobos or Sven Vath, but the guy has been putting out kick ass records since the early 2000′s.  He may not have released 30 records a year, but he’s had tracks on Intec, Green, and Rejected, and that doesn’t include his aliases.  Even Digweed commented on “listening to this guy for as long as I can remember” when Deetron did his guest mix for John’s Transitions show two weeks ago.  So needless to say, we were super stoked when we heard he was putting together number 20 for Balance.  So of course, it only made sense for us to break it down here.  Shall we?

Simply put, Balance has been putting out some of the best DJ compilations we’ve heard in years.  Their recipe is easy… keep it real and keep it simple.  No filler, no obnoxious promoting, no put this in the mix so raver kids will buy it.  For number 20, Deetron was called up to bat after Henry Saiz (read our review of Balance 19 here).  Broken up into two CD’s as has been the case for the last couple of mixes, CD 1 gets right into the dance music.  A bit different than Henry’s mix which was more ambient in the beginning, Deetron (or Sam Geiser… the name his Mom and Dad gave him) starts right off with the KILLER Unabombers remix of Losing My Mind by Shit Robot.  This track is without a doubt one of the best of the year, and has been getting play lately in the New York circuit.

Keeping it upbeat he moves into the great Todd Tejre who has put together some of the best remixes out on dancefloors in the past few years with his new track Bonysh.  BNJMN (better known to most as Ben Thomas) comes through with a track off his Plastic World album that came out a few months ago (Laurent Garnier has been championing the album).  He transitions quick into one of our favorites, DJ Koze and then right into Ricardo’s bomb What’s Wrong My Friends (it’s layered with Wishmountain – Video).  The next track though is a great representation of what this album is… fluent and graceful.  Move D has been killing it lately here in New York every time he is invited to play, and his Hydrophonics EP is a great example why.  The track has a killer piano riff with a bit of percussion and a soothing vocal wafting about in the background that makes you want to float on the dance floor.  True deep house at its finest.  As you can see, Deetron did not just go with the newest unreleased tracks for this mix.  Many of the tracks were released years ago, though many were not well known (or given much props).  As things move along, he moves into the awesomeness that is Carl Craig.  This guy simply cannot do wrong, and his remix System 7 – Positive Noise is no different.  Just quality through and through.  As D keeps it going, you get tracks from Lawrence (who had a great compilation “Timeless” that came out recently on Cocoon), up and comer from New York Nicolas Jaar (the dude is 21), and Avus (who has a few tracks signed to James Holden’s Border Community).  Radiohead’s Thom Yorke also has a track on the mix with Four Tet and Burial with their track Ego on Text Records.  It’s dark and twisted and brilliantly good.

Two of the biggest gems on this mix though come at the end of CD 1.  You can tell Deetron is a veteran and knows what he’s doing, because you can’t have a DJ mix going 60 minutes four to floor kick drum, otherwise you’ll bore the shit out of people and they’ll never listen to the mix again.  Reminds us of when Nick Warren gave us advice that the best thing you can do when making a mix is make it so that people will want to listen to it ten years down the road (which is 100 years in DJ years).  Andy Stott’s Tell Me Anything is deep house perfectness.  A simple high hat along with a good pad and bassline can turn down any mix moving from 100 MPH down to 30 and when you’re trying to end a mix, this can be a good thing.  And in this case it is.  It almost makes you expect that the following track (and last) would be even more downtempo, but then you’re hit with a classic that was championed around the clubs in Chicago in the 80′s.  Savage Progress’ Heart Begin to Beat is actually a track that we know having heard it cruising around YouTube, but to be honest, forgot about it and was completely stunned when we heard it. It has almost a pop 80′s sound to it while staying groovy with a twisted little hook and and tooting/horn sound.  Thing is, it’s relevant as hell today showing how music always seems to recycle itself over time.

In comes CD 2.  For us, for some reason, we usually like the first CD of most compilations… for what reason I have no idea.  Just seems to work out this way.  CD 2 definitely picks it up.  Given its name analogue (CD 1 was dubbed digital), CD2 was done using three turntables and a A&H mixer (we’d assume either a 92 or a DB4).  Ben has been quoted as saying he loves using both formats, so both were presented (CD 1 being mixed with Cubase).  From the awesome progressiveness of the opening track (Lord knows we love good progressive music), D starts it up with I:Cube’s Un Dimanche Sans Fin (I:Cube has been putting out some damn fine dance music since the mid 90′s).  The train chugs along with Substance – Relish, and then goes into Deetronx BOMB of a remix of Roots Panorama – Threee.  The track is a techno monster that we would certainly have heard Danny Tenaglia play at one of his Be Yourself parties years ago in New York.

We’re also happy to see Ripperton on the mix.  He’s been a favorite of ours since John Digweed had him do a mix for his show.  He’s come out with some amazing remixes in the past few years and his taste is similar to that of Deetron’s, so it works in perfectly here.  He did a remix with Deetron earlier this year on Music Man Records (the Depth Frame EP).  Ame’s remix of Osunlade – Envision makes an appearance and continues to be a great tune (even though we’re hearing it out A LOT).  Really can’t go wrong with Ame.  Wax – No. 30003 comes in the middle of the mix, and is exactly what we look for when we scope out techno records.  This is the type of track that keeps us listening to techno when there is so much crap out there labeled as techno.  It’s a track we’ve never heard before, but we’ll certainly be looking out for it at record stores now (even though we probably won’t find it since it looks like its a white label).

The disc continues on with mixes by Mathew Jonson, Four Tet and Radioslave who does a great re-edit of “Let It Rain” (we could critique every track on the mix because many are that good, but you’d be asleep by the time you read this sentence).  Widing things up, Deetron throws in Starblazer, which was a highlight this year for Joris Voorn’s Rejected label and was a favorite of ours.  Rhythm Is Rhythm (better known as Derrick May) follows that with a techno jam from 88 (who better?) and a special edit by Deetron himself of his own track Collide.

Needless to say, this mix is good.  Real good.  And trust us.  We don’t get paid for doing this blog.  Not a cent.  Not even comps to clubs.  We pay just like you for the music we listen to and the clubs we party at (and that includes the booze!).  So if a record sucks, trust us, we’ll tell you it sucks.  The great thing about listening to mixes like this is that you don’t pay strict attention to the tracklist.  You just throw the fucker on and let it ride like a surfer on a wave.  You shouldn’t be touching the fast forward button ever…. ever.

You can preview the mix here:

Rating: 9.0

You can buy it Tuesday the 9th on Beatport.

Visit http://www.balancemusic.com.au for more info.

Digital CD1
1. Autechre – Nine [Warp]
2. Reno Wurzbacher – Julischkaa [Colombage] + Model 500 – Infoworld (Loop) [Transmat]
3. Julio Bashmore – Craboon [Future Boogie]
4. Shit Robot – Losing My Patience (Unabombers remix) [DFA]
5. Todd Terje – Bonysh [Running Back]
6. BNJM – Blocks [Rush Hour]
7. DJ KOZE – The Geklöppel Continues [Kompakt]
8. Ricardo Villalobos – What’s Wrong My Friends [Perlon] + Wishmountain – Video [Accidental]
9. Move D – Your Personal Healer [Uzuri]
10.Todd Terje – Ragysh [Running Back]
11. System 7 – Positive Noise (Carl Craig Remix) [A-Wave]
12. Resonance – Yellow Train [Vadim Music]
13. Burial/Four Tet/Thom Yorke – Ego [Text Records]
14. Maceo Plex – You & Me [Crosstown Rebels]
15. Lawrence – Above The Sky [Mule]
16. Virgo Four – It’s A Crime (Caribou Remix) [Rush Hour]
17. Mr. Beatnick – Synthetes [Don't be Afraid]
18. Cavalier – Kaimanawa [Drumpoet]
19.. Nicolas Jaar – Space Is Only Noise if You Can See (Dave Aju Remix) [Circus Company]
20. Throbbing Gristle – Hot On The Heels Of Love (Ratcliffe Remix) [Throbbing Gristle]
21. Avus – Reality Itself [Border Community]
22. LV and Message To Bears Feat. Zaki Ibrahim – Explode [2nd Drop]
23. Model 500 – Infoworld (Loop) [Transmat]
24. Alva Noto & Ryuichi Sakamoto – Pioneer IOO [Raster Noton]
25. Andy Stott – Tell Me Anything [Modern Love]
26. Savage Progress – Heart Begin to Beat [Virgin]

Analogue CD2
1. I:Cube – Un Dimanche Sans Fin [Versatile]
2. Substance – Relish (Shed Version) [Scion Versions]
3. Roots Panorama – Threee (Deetron Beats) [Versatile]
4. Ripperton – Swept Illusions – Caravan [Unreleased]
5. Osunlade – Envision (Ame Remix) [Innervisions]
6. Mampo Village – Descending of the Supernatural [Sacred Rhythm]
7. Deetron – Croque [Unreleased]
8. Super Flu – Hallo Halle [Monaberry]
9. Sneaker – You Think You Think [Uncanny Valley]
10. Mathew Jonson – Learning To Fly (Dub) [M-nus]
11. Wbeeza – A116 [Third Ear]
12. Reggie Dokes – Haiti [Clone]
13. WAX 30003 (B) [Wax]
14. Romanthony – Bring U Up (Deetron edit) [Glasgow Underground]
15. Mike Dehnert – Umlaut 2 [Clone]
16. Four Tet – Pinnacles [Text Records]
17. Redshape – Son of A [Present]
18. Simon Garcia – Tears In Vain [Perspectiv]
19. Johanna Knutsson – Heavy Baby (Minilogue’s cut for a cut) [Klasse]
20. Surgeon – The Crawling Frog is Torn and Smiles [Dynamic Tension]
21. Cosmin TRG – Fizic [50 Weapons]
22. Radio Slave – Let It Rain (Deetron edit) [Rekids]
23. Deetron – Starblazer [Rejected]
24. Lone – Coreshine Voodoo [R&S]
25. Rhythm is Rhythm – Kaos [Transmat]
26. Ronny & Renzo – Heartbreak Theme (C2 Cinema Remix) [Rekids]
27. Deetron – Collide [Unreleased Version]

Release dates:
UK – October 31st, 2011
Australia – November 4^th, 2011
Europe – November 7th, 2011
Nth America – November 8^th, 2011

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