After a short hiatus, one of Australia’s truly great mix compilation series is back with EQ’s Balance pres. Electric 03, compiled by one of Australia’s most internationally revered DJs Ben Korbel. Electric, the sidekick to EQ’s seminal Balance mix compilation series, presents the third installment in the series following the single disc album in 2005 by Gavin Keitel and the ‘06 double-disc from King Unique and NuBreed. ‘07 was a missed year for the series, but if this latest release is anything to go by, the future looks prosperous for the Electric series.

To say this release has been a long time coming for Ben Korbel is an understatement. Electric 03 is his long overdue debut mix compilation, and it’s a decade in the making. At the start of this decade Korbel transformed the Sydney dance music scene with his work on the revered Sounds on Sunday weekly night. Current day Korbel chases the sun, spending the better part of the year in his hometown of Sydney before spending Australia’s ‘winter’ months based out of London and also Ibiza, where he performs annually at the immortal We Love Space Sundays. As if juggling his DJ sets in 4 corners of the globe wasn’t enough, Ben is busy promoting festivals and touring artists through his companies Sounds Group and Egg Group, with the former responsible for the annual We Love Sounds that which tours each June.

This mix is a seamless progression of a genre that has been, to a lesser extent, built in Australia by Korbel. ‘Future Techno’ has slowly evolved into a genre unto itself, a sound that uses classic European techno, vintage progressive, crisp neo-electro and deep driving house as its bricks and mortar. As master of command, Korbel takes the audience of an aural journey of pure bliss.

Using this mix to reaffirm to the Australian dance music public his peerless sense of lineage, his irrepressible passion for a great tune and his impeccable programming and seamless mixing. From the first flutters of Luciano through the liquid funk of Der Dritte Raum to the classic stabs and washes of LFO, this mix provides a consummate selection of the finest producers from the underground house and techno scene, also including the likes of Ricardo Villalobos, Swayzak, Pikaya and Rob Mello to name but a few.

If you’ve loved the previous Electric releases and gush over it’s “big brother” Balance series, then you’ll rejoice following the purchase of this album. What this album lacks in size (only a single CD) it makes up for in quality. It masterfully showcases a seamless fusion of deep house and techno that is expertly blended together by one of Australia’s leading DJs. To say this album is an aural pleasure is an understatement to say the very least. The Electric series is back with a bang; and so is Ben Korbel!