EQ Recordings: Cat.# EQGCD029
Released March 2010
Track List:
Disc 1: Aller Retour
01. Gregg Kowalsky - Ashes From Evermore
02. Alva Noto - Monophaser 2 / DJ Koze - Lords of Panama
03. Mark Pritchard - ?
04. Manvoy de Saint Sadrill - Soeheniona
05. ToscaM - Joe Si Ha
06. Emiliana Torrini - Gun
07. Agoria - Parasite 2
08. Arandel - inD#5
09. Messina - Columpnam
10. 19.454.18.5.25.5.18 - When I Think Of
11. Pom Pom - 10
12. Agoria - Altre Voci
13. Glimpse - Train in Austria Part 2
14. The Field - Over the Ice (Live mix)
15. Olibusta - La Pazz
16. Cubenx - Mis Dias Y Tus Noches
17. Felix Laband - Whisitling in Tongues (Todd Terje remix)
18. Jozif - Back 2 My Roots (Jozif's 5 o'clock Fabric Shadow edit)
19. Bibio - Jealous of Roses
20. LCD Soundystem - 45:33 (Trus'me remix)
21. Boozoo Bajou featuring Rumer - Same Sun (Prins Thomas Diskomiks) / Oxia - Less Time
22. Hatikvah - Synchronicty (Block Barley & Engin Ozturk Holmby Hills Remix)
23. Rio en Medio - The Last Child's Tear
24. Tipper - Just as the Sun Went Down
25. Gregg Kowalsky - Ashes from Evermore / Alva Noto - Monophaser
Disc 2: Rising Sine
01. Sylvain Chauveau - Hurlements En Faveur De Serge T.
02. Aphrodite's Child - Loud Loud Loud
03. Taron Trekka - Shirol / Suedmilch - We Were
04. The Same - Szarpiesz Minerwa
05. Ogris Debris - G-Thong (You and Me remix)
06. Francesco Tristano - Knee for Thought
07. Different Gear - One Thing More (Dub mix)
08. Michael Forzza - Abstractor 2.0
09. Chris Carrier and Jef K - Morning
10. DVS1 - Running
11. Drama Society & Vladislav Delay - Almodrama
12. Agoria - Libellules
13. Avril - French Kiss
14. Gadi Mizrahi - I Know
15. Jonny Greenwood - Tehellet
16. Avril - French Kiss
17. Mark Broom - Twenty Nine (Broom 09 mix)
18. Einmusik - Atlantis
19. Perc & Passarella Death Squad - Temperature's Rising
20. Aufgang - Sonar (Spitzer remix)
21. Shit Robot - Simple Things (Work it Out) (Serge Santiago remix)
22. Efdemin - Acid bells (Martyn remix)
23. 3 Chairs - No Drum Machine part 2
24. Kid A - Lonely
25. Sylvain Chauveau - Hurlements En Faveur De Serge T.
IN BRIEF: The series continues to mash things up.
I’m not certain when it started (Fortier’s 3-disc offering is my pick, although I’m sure many others would say Holden’s was the jump-point), but the Balance series has become synonymous with DJing Artistic Indulgence. For a while, that mostly entailed thematic sets rather than standard dubplate rinsing, the sort of sets undoubtedly inspired by Sasha and Digweed’s offerings from the 90s. Then Joris Voorn decided to take things one step further, using tracks as bits of samples to create a larger whole. It was an ambitious project and earned the man a ton of critical praise for the effort, even if the actual musical product was only - *gasp* - good. Now, subsequent Balance sets have followed his example, bringing crap-loads of disparate tunes into tracklists, growing ever more eclectic and quirky as we go. To be fair, this has more to do with the types of DJs now being featured. Whether it’s been EQ Recordings trying to recapture Voorn’s buzz or it was their intention to take the series down this road, I’m not sure. Whatever the case, we should expect to see more ‘kitchen-sink’ sets in the future.
Anyhow, getting to the task at hand: Agoria. Born Sébastien Devaud, the guy deejayed and released various singles throughout the 00s before getting a major break with At The Controls, a DJ mix series that grew in prominence at the same time as Balance did (again, thanks to James Holden), but folded shortly after Agoria’s offering. Uh oh… might this be an evil omen? Ah, heh, not likely, since it was due to the end of Resist that saw At The Controls’ demise. Still, early buzz on this release did have some red flags flaring up. After all, just how many of these ultra-eclectic sets can we sit through before someone overreaches?
These are two very odd CDs. Monsieur Devaud seems to have no qualm about mismatching genres and free-wheeling mixes. Unlike Voorn’s clinically perfect stitching, there are many rough transitions, quirky key mashings, and flow derailments, providing a very loose tone to the music. I actually rather prefer this approach, as the feeling of an intimate human touch becomes more prevalent, faults and all. And honestly, the faults seem to melt away once you give these CDs a couple listens. It’s quite like a mixtape, where such roughness makes sense once you realize the context of the song selection.
That said, the first CD really is a bit of a mess. Oh, it starts out fine, taking in some laidback vibes for a nice, chill start; however, if the vocal mash-up of Soeheniona with Tosca’s Joe Si Ha is off-putting for you, you may as well skip the rest, as there are rougher ones down the road. Before that though, we get a nice build-up of ominous minimal-tech, peaking out with an inspired mix of his own operatic Altre Voci, Glimpse’s Train To Austria, and The Field’s Over The Ice. And man, you gotta’ love the fact he uses a live recording of the latter, giving the peak just that extra bit of energy as you hear the crowd cheering.
Unfortunately, all forward momentum dies here, as Agoria opts to ease us back down to chill territory to end the CD out. All well and good, and he capably manages this for a few tracks. Things get wonky though, as he begins pitching tunes down so it sounds like we’re trudging through molasses. It sucks all energy out of the set, and we’re forced to amble through a collection of classy funk and soul songs that fail to mesh into an enjoyable flow.
The funny thing is the peak of this ‘home’ disc is more exciting than the peak of the ‘clubby’ CD2. After getting my trainspotter senses tingling with opener Loud Loud Loud by Aphrodite’s Child (the first verse was used in one of my favorite hip-hop tunes, and I never knew where it was from …until now!), Agoria takes us on yet another ominous minimal-tech build. Though it lags in a few places - because minimal-tech always lags when played for too long - there are enough creepy effects and melodic moments to keep your attention. During the big peak, however, it gets messy. The backbone is Avril’s take on the classic French Kiss, which is quite good, but thrown in there is the breathy vocal of I Know, which unfortunately comes saddled with a mismatched bassline; and then we have a breakdown detour for an eerie cello solo (Tehellet). Agoria tries to hold this breakdown for far too long, expecting us to sit through it as it somehow works in his mind while the audience can only uncomfortably cheer him on, hoping he’ll sort things out eventually. Instead, what was intended to be a riveting climax comes off forced and wincingly tedious.
After that, it’s back to the dark minimal-tech beats and trancey, blissed vibes. Sweet, and easily wipes away those cringe-inducing feelings from the peak of the CD. There’s perhaps a few obvious tunes here (Acid Bells, Twenty Nine), but also cool obscurities (Sonar) to keep things fresh. The fact the end of this CD plays out like a traditional DJ set probably also helps keep things on an even keel after the rocky middle-section.
Though there are problems to be had with Balance 16, I still give this a strong recommendation. Forced moments notwithstanding, I just prefer the rougher sound on display here, not to mention the wide range of music on hand. Agoria may not have matched any of the series’ highlights, but it’s still a set that’ll hold your attention.
Score: 7/10
ACE TRACKS:
Rather pointless highlighting tracks in sets like these.
Written by Sykonee, 2010. © All rights reserved.
Released March 2010
Track List:
Disc 1: Aller Retour
01. Gregg Kowalsky - Ashes From Evermore
02. Alva Noto - Monophaser 2 / DJ Koze - Lords of Panama
03. Mark Pritchard - ?
04. Manvoy de Saint Sadrill - Soeheniona
05. ToscaM - Joe Si Ha
06. Emiliana Torrini - Gun
07. Agoria - Parasite 2
08. Arandel - inD#5
09. Messina - Columpnam
10. 19.454.18.5.25.5.18 - When I Think Of
11. Pom Pom - 10
12. Agoria - Altre Voci
13. Glimpse - Train in Austria Part 2
14. The Field - Over the Ice (Live mix)
15. Olibusta - La Pazz
16. Cubenx - Mis Dias Y Tus Noches
17. Felix Laband - Whisitling in Tongues (Todd Terje remix)
18. Jozif - Back 2 My Roots (Jozif's 5 o'clock Fabric Shadow edit)
19. Bibio - Jealous of Roses
20. LCD Soundystem - 45:33 (Trus'me remix)
21. Boozoo Bajou featuring Rumer - Same Sun (Prins Thomas Diskomiks) / Oxia - Less Time
22. Hatikvah - Synchronicty (Block Barley & Engin Ozturk Holmby Hills Remix)
23. Rio en Medio - The Last Child's Tear
24. Tipper - Just as the Sun Went Down
25. Gregg Kowalsky - Ashes from Evermore / Alva Noto - Monophaser
Disc 2: Rising Sine
01. Sylvain Chauveau - Hurlements En Faveur De Serge T.
02. Aphrodite's Child - Loud Loud Loud
03. Taron Trekka - Shirol / Suedmilch - We Were
04. The Same - Szarpiesz Minerwa
05. Ogris Debris - G-Thong (You and Me remix)
06. Francesco Tristano - Knee for Thought
07. Different Gear - One Thing More (Dub mix)
08. Michael Forzza - Abstractor 2.0
09. Chris Carrier and Jef K - Morning
10. DVS1 - Running
11. Drama Society & Vladislav Delay - Almodrama
12. Agoria - Libellules
13. Avril - French Kiss
14. Gadi Mizrahi - I Know
15. Jonny Greenwood - Tehellet
16. Avril - French Kiss
17. Mark Broom - Twenty Nine (Broom 09 mix)
18. Einmusik - Atlantis
19. Perc & Passarella Death Squad - Temperature's Rising
20. Aufgang - Sonar (Spitzer remix)
21. Shit Robot - Simple Things (Work it Out) (Serge Santiago remix)
22. Efdemin - Acid bells (Martyn remix)
23. 3 Chairs - No Drum Machine part 2
24. Kid A - Lonely
25. Sylvain Chauveau - Hurlements En Faveur De Serge T.
IN BRIEF: The series continues to mash things up.
I’m not certain when it started (Fortier’s 3-disc offering is my pick, although I’m sure many others would say Holden’s was the jump-point), but the Balance series has become synonymous with DJing Artistic Indulgence. For a while, that mostly entailed thematic sets rather than standard dubplate rinsing, the sort of sets undoubtedly inspired by Sasha and Digweed’s offerings from the 90s. Then Joris Voorn decided to take things one step further, using tracks as bits of samples to create a larger whole. It was an ambitious project and earned the man a ton of critical praise for the effort, even if the actual musical product was only - *gasp* - good. Now, subsequent Balance sets have followed his example, bringing crap-loads of disparate tunes into tracklists, growing ever more eclectic and quirky as we go. To be fair, this has more to do with the types of DJs now being featured. Whether it’s been EQ Recordings trying to recapture Voorn’s buzz or it was their intention to take the series down this road, I’m not sure. Whatever the case, we should expect to see more ‘kitchen-sink’ sets in the future.
Anyhow, getting to the task at hand: Agoria. Born Sébastien Devaud, the guy deejayed and released various singles throughout the 00s before getting a major break with At The Controls, a DJ mix series that grew in prominence at the same time as Balance did (again, thanks to James Holden), but folded shortly after Agoria’s offering. Uh oh… might this be an evil omen? Ah, heh, not likely, since it was due to the end of Resist that saw At The Controls’ demise. Still, early buzz on this release did have some red flags flaring up. After all, just how many of these ultra-eclectic sets can we sit through before someone overreaches?
These are two very odd CDs. Monsieur Devaud seems to have no qualm about mismatching genres and free-wheeling mixes. Unlike Voorn’s clinically perfect stitching, there are many rough transitions, quirky key mashings, and flow derailments, providing a very loose tone to the music. I actually rather prefer this approach, as the feeling of an intimate human touch becomes more prevalent, faults and all. And honestly, the faults seem to melt away once you give these CDs a couple listens. It’s quite like a mixtape, where such roughness makes sense once you realize the context of the song selection.
That said, the first CD really is a bit of a mess. Oh, it starts out fine, taking in some laidback vibes for a nice, chill start; however, if the vocal mash-up of Soeheniona with Tosca’s Joe Si Ha is off-putting for you, you may as well skip the rest, as there are rougher ones down the road. Before that though, we get a nice build-up of ominous minimal-tech, peaking out with an inspired mix of his own operatic Altre Voci, Glimpse’s Train To Austria, and The Field’s Over The Ice. And man, you gotta’ love the fact he uses a live recording of the latter, giving the peak just that extra bit of energy as you hear the crowd cheering.
Unfortunately, all forward momentum dies here, as Agoria opts to ease us back down to chill territory to end the CD out. All well and good, and he capably manages this for a few tracks. Things get wonky though, as he begins pitching tunes down so it sounds like we’re trudging through molasses. It sucks all energy out of the set, and we’re forced to amble through a collection of classy funk and soul songs that fail to mesh into an enjoyable flow.
The funny thing is the peak of this ‘home’ disc is more exciting than the peak of the ‘clubby’ CD2. After getting my trainspotter senses tingling with opener Loud Loud Loud by Aphrodite’s Child (the first verse was used in one of my favorite hip-hop tunes, and I never knew where it was from …until now!), Agoria takes us on yet another ominous minimal-tech build. Though it lags in a few places - because minimal-tech always lags when played for too long - there are enough creepy effects and melodic moments to keep your attention. During the big peak, however, it gets messy. The backbone is Avril’s take on the classic French Kiss, which is quite good, but thrown in there is the breathy vocal of I Know, which unfortunately comes saddled with a mismatched bassline; and then we have a breakdown detour for an eerie cello solo (Tehellet). Agoria tries to hold this breakdown for far too long, expecting us to sit through it as it somehow works in his mind while the audience can only uncomfortably cheer him on, hoping he’ll sort things out eventually. Instead, what was intended to be a riveting climax comes off forced and wincingly tedious.
After that, it’s back to the dark minimal-tech beats and trancey, blissed vibes. Sweet, and easily wipes away those cringe-inducing feelings from the peak of the CD. There’s perhaps a few obvious tunes here (Acid Bells, Twenty Nine), but also cool obscurities (Sonar) to keep things fresh. The fact the end of this CD plays out like a traditional DJ set probably also helps keep things on an even keel after the rocky middle-section.
Though there are problems to be had with Balance 16, I still give this a strong recommendation. Forced moments notwithstanding, I just prefer the rougher sound on display here, not to mention the wide range of music on hand. Agoria may not have matched any of the series’ highlights, but it’s still a set that’ll hold your attention.
Score: 7/10
ACE TRACKS:
Rather pointless highlighting tracks in sets like these.
Written by Sykonee, 2010. © All rights reserved.
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