(EQ/Stomp)

Mix CD’s, they’re everywhere. As ubiquitous as the motor car, as omnipresent as the very air you breathe, the compilation CD is to dance music what the thorn is to the rose. The thorn of course is sometimes beautiful in of itself, but most often it’s simply painful and forever destined to be in the shadow of that gorgeous, original flower. Yet they find themselves in nature inextricably bound together. So it is that throughout the modern age, young men and women have used the dance mix CD to sing in place of their own flawed voices. We pour out our heart’s deepest and widely held feelings, so that perhaps another may realise the depth of our love, devotion or even (occasionally) hatred. When one finds a DJ who can mix such a compilation for us and tug the heart strings so delicately, yet effectively, that DJ should be revered and that compilation held close to one’s own heart, for it’s rare indeed. Ladies & Gentleman, welcome to the Balance Mix CD series.

Sean Quinn, Kasey Taylor, Bill Hamel and Phil K have already delivered four quite diverse and rewarding compilations in this series and the bar is raised again with this, the 5th instalment by UK wunderkind and current live circuit darling, James Holden. Holden’s direction differs slightly from his predecessors, who themselves have been known for brilliant forays into breaks and progressive sound production and live sets over the years. Holden has a bag of production tricks equally worthy, but being so wide that he could no doubt take the ‘Sesame Street Theme’ song and, somehow, make you believe it is the coolest and most essential tech-house track you’ve ever heard. He doesn’t actually achieve that here (at least, not using Big Bird’s voice!), but does manage to pull off enough mixing tricks and canny song selections to make you believe it is entirely within his capability to do so.

Disc 1 is full of artist’s names that, if you’re not actually a DJ, will not immediately be recognisable. But the real beauty of a quality DJ mixed CD, one that attempts to move beyond mere hit track selection as it’s basis, is that all the tracks featured seem to be familiar. By the time you’ve listened through twice, you’d swear you’ve heard these all before and had them in your collection for months. You’ll also be totally convinced of Holden’s power to thrill, contained as it is within these impressive mixes. That’s the skill of a DJ like James Holden, who seeks to create a feeling, an emotion and a real direction in his work and that’s exactly what’s on offer here. Beginning with some tasty electro tinged beats and then gradually moving into deeper house sounds, Holden ducks and weaves under every punch thrown in any attempt to put a label on him. By midway through the first disc he’s hits high gear with (surprise, surprise!) an Australian remix track: Jase From Outta Space’s ‘Do What You Want’, ably remixed by local heroes Infusion. How fitting for a man that so obviously loves our scene to have the standout remix track come from this country. Continuing further then into melodic trance territory and some techy-breaks, Holden avoids every pigeonhole while creating a seamless blend of pure sonic auditory indulgence. Nice…

By the time you hit FC Kahuna’s ‘Hayling’ (which even your old Mum will have heard before) over on Disc 2, there’s little doubting the quality of the release. This is intelligent, thoughtful mixing, without resorting to any blindingly obvious tricks and overall track selection that is perfect. More electro is blended with progressive trance, breaks and tech-ers elements, all amalgamated into a pleasingly solid experience. Further highlights include Holden’s own melodious ‘The Wheel ‘, Epsilon’s beautiful trancey ‘Lifeformationic and old playing mate Gill Norris (another Earthcore highlight performer from last year) with ‘Forme’. But naming tracks is not what this mix should be about. Trainspotters will have their fun regardless, but for the rest of we mere mortals, take heart that this is a compilation of quality, melodic, occasionally edgy, but always perfectly placed sounds that work together to create a deeply satisfying whole.

James Holden is a DJ who does a lot more than ‘just play other people’s music’ and Balance 005 is an album with a lot more depth than most mixed compilations. If you have something to say (to yourself, or another), Balance 005 will speak volume upon volume, for you.