France has certainly contributed its fair share of genre-defining pioneers to the world of EDM. They must put something in the water over there, for there’s no denying that some of the most interesting and boundary-pushing dance music has originated from the country during the past 20 years.

One of the more intriguing characters of the French scene is producer and DJ Agoria (*Sebastien Devaud* to the authorities), who has been perfecting his techno-driven craft for over a decade now. His last contribution to the world of commercial mix-CDs was for the At The Controls series back in 2007, so it’s been a while between drinks. Agoria’s work is characterised by a blending of the darker and deeper shades of techno with a strong awareness of emotion and atmosphere, all grounded in a genre-blending approach that weaves together often disparate styles.

On here, Agoria takes the concept of the DJ-mix compilation and twists it into something a little different across two intriguing and challenging discs. The variety of styles makes for a wild ride, with bits of deep house, techno, funk, pop, jazz and classical all thrown into the eclectic pot. It’s a pot jammed full of music. Across each disc, there are 25 tracks, and then within some of the individual tracks are samples from different tracks, and samples from tracks that appear elsewhere in the mix.

Agoria here seems to be using tracks almost as sound bites to create interlocking waves of mood and emotion. Some tracks appear in their full-length versions, while others don’t make it past the 30-second mark. Each mix starts and ends with the same track (albeit in the form of very brief sounds rather than the entire tracks), so it’s almost as if Agoria is drawing on the symphonic tradition of classical music, incorporating recurring themes and motifs into his mixing.

The strengths of this compilation are to be found not just in the music, but in the spaces and gaps that Agoria creates. The uncluttered nature of the mixes allows the subtleties and nuances to work their magic and make an impression. Some of the tracks are obscure, while others are from more recognisable names, such as LCD Soundsystem, Tosca, and Boozoo Bajou.

The first disc starts off in a very subdued manner, and doesn’t actually begin to resemble anything close to a dance mix until just over fifteen minutes in. Some of the opening material is just sublime; with grandiose, orchestral tones rippling throughout the introductory sequence, embedded with delicate electronic sound effects. The first sweet spot comes with the inclusion of Gun from Icelandic singer Emiliana Torrini, whose haunting vocal tones fit beautifully with the dark sounds Agoria wraps around them. You soon begin to feel like you’re being taken on a unique musical journey into the darker recesses of a fantastically warped mind, and this is most apparent on Agoria’s own crazy pieces, which reflect the work of a producer at the top of his game.

When he drops Altre Voci, and blends it into Glimpse’s Train in Austria, the mix shifts into mind-bending territory, with a swirl of operatic voices, pounding beats, frenetic organ riffs and huge synth washes creating irresistible moments of epic intensity. Then just as you think you’re flying right into the peak of the mix, Agoria pulls it right back, laying down some smooth tech-house with shadowy undertones. There’s an absolutely gorgeous Todd Terje remix of Felix Laband’s Whistling in Tongues that is just spiritual in its execution.

The ultra-sharp editing of some of the tracks ensures there is little chance of anything outstaying its welcome, but there are occasional frustrating moments where you wish some tracks had been left to play out a little longer. This is certainly the case with the shimmering tech-house track Back 2 My Roots from jozif, which drops out in less than a minute.

In a twisted kind of way, this sense of frustration actually enhances your listening enjoyment. It’s as if Agoria is teasing us, presenting us with small pieces of sonic gold, and then cruelly snatching them back. What this means is that, on subsequent listens, these pieces become even more special, and you savour every second of their brief appearances.

The second mix is more beat-driven than the first, although it still contains those fantastic shifts and jumps between styles. Indeed, starting the mix with the emotive Loud Loud Loud by Greek progressive rock legends Aphrodite’s Child demonstrates just how far removed from dance music parts of this mix are, and really reflects Agoria’s sweeping appreciation of music as a whole.

The dark techno shades begin to creep in with Szarpiesz Minerwa from The Same, but then the mood becomes a little lighter with some jackin’ house from Ogris Debris and some bouncing electro from Francesco Tristano. We then journey through some sparse tech-house, Agoria gently preparing us for the build that comes when he drops his own hypnotic Libellules and the psychedelic techno freak-out French Kiss by Avril.

In a similar fashion to the first disc, just as the mix peaks, we are pulled right back down with a classical-inspired composition by Radiohead’s Jonny Greenwood. Then, just to really mess with your head, Agoria brings French Kiss back in – and the best thing is, it all fits together perfectly.

The tail-end of the second disc contains some really nice moments of sublime deep house, and you find yourself wrapped in lush, warm layers of tripped-out electronica. A particular highlight has to be the epic Spitzer remix of Aufgang’s Sonar, which rides along on a simple synth riff to build into a glorious peak of sonic ecstasy. Agoria then brings us delicately back down to earth with the piano-driven Serge Santiago remix of Shit Robot’s Simple Things, and the kooky indie-pop of KiD A’s Lonely wraps up proceedings in achingly beautiful fashion.

This release is an absolute masterpiece of sound, tone and texture. It truly is a superb effort from Agoria; one that transcends the ephemeral nature of most dance mix compilations to shine with a glorious timelessness. This is quite simply an essential purchase for any discerning music lover.

Balance 016: Agoria is out now on EQ through Stomp. Agoria tour dates:

Saturday 17 April – Disconnected – Balance 016 Launch Party @ The Civic, Sydney
Sunday 18 April – Likes Of You – Balance 016 Launch Party @ Revolver, Melbourne