Clik here to view.
Danny Howells
Balance 024
Balance Music
If there’s one mix compilation that I continually return to and always get excited by, then it’s Danny Howells’ 'Global Underground 027 Miami' mix from 2005. It still resonates in 2013, and is a testament to Howells’ ability to select and compile music in a way that creates timeless arcs of sheer sonic beauty that reveal new shades and subtleties with every listen. Coming five years after his Renaissance mix, this is a mouth-watering prospect, the genius of Howells teamed with the expertly curated Balance brand. I’ve learnt not to have high expectations of anything, but in this case, it’s impossible not to approach this hoping for a mind-blowing listening experience.
Disc one, or rather “That Mix”, explores some deep and dark territory. The ghostly tones and broken beats of Desolate’s remix of Essay’s 'Find You' and the Jamie XX remix of Four Tet’s 'Lion' create a seductive introduction, flowing gracefully into the subdued progressive textures of tracks from Lady Blacktronika and Ivano Tetelepta. Will Saul and October turn Michael Mayer’s 'Mantasy' a darker shade of techno, while two successive tracks from The Mole lend a subtle funk to proceedings before the glistening chimes of Joakim’s 'Another Light' and delicate disco of Sisterhood’s 'Call Me Ishmael' signal a turn towards the light. Matthias Vogt wraps Ian Pooley’s 'I Got You' in an achingly beautiful sonic frame, and then Howells flips it back to the happy side with the shimmering piano runs of AWOL’s 'The Ramp'. The mix wraps up in smooth fashion with a couple of gently rolling house cuts from Alland Byallo and Axel Boman.
Disc two, or rather “This Mix”, provides something of a lighter contrast, but contains the same emotional power. The gently undulating harmonics of Maricopa’s 'Neon Shoals' create a calming introduction, although we’re quickly launched on to the dance floor with the space disco of Campion’s 'Ekul' and the sublime old-school house of Shur-I-Kan’s 'One Ten'. Howells pulls out some melodic gems with Seva K’s hypnotic 'Falling' and the cosmic funk of Durerstuben’s 'Haeckls Kosmos', and then takes us down a darker path with the psychedelic rumblings of Daze Maxim’s remix of Le Loup’s 'Brotherland' and the twitchy pulsing of Rompante’s 'Save Me From This Kaos'. Ewan Pearson delivers the goods with his rework of Kaltehand & Natasha Waters that sees Howells gently take the mix to its peak, climaxing with a couple of Prins Thomas remixes of Crimea X that shift from rolling grooves and deep bass lines to shiny melodies and fluttering rhythms.
This is going right alongside GU027 as one of my all time favourite mixes. I have no doubt that I’ll still be listening to it in eight years and that it will still sound as beautiful as it does now. Excellent, magnificent, glorious, awesome, flawless – dig out your own superlative and it will apply to this. Howells demonstrates not only that, despite some opinion to the contrary, the mix compilation is still very much a valid form of artistic expression, but also that he’s one of the finest DJs on the planet. 'Balance 024' is a master class in how to engage the listener on a variety of emotional levels through an exquisite selection of sounds, rhythms and vibes. This is definitely one to add to your list.
Tracklist:
That mix
1) Essay – Find You (Desolate’s Get Together Mix) [Fauxpas Musik]
2) Four Tet – Lion (Jamie XX remix) [Text]
3) Lady Blacktronika – Song Of Love Overdue [Your Only Friend Recordings]
4) Ivano Tetelepta – Smokin’ G [Fear of Flying]
5) Michael Mayer – Mantasy (Will Saul & October Mix) [Kompakt]
6) The Mole – Our Time Has Come [Maybe Tomorrow]
7) The Mole – A Daily Affair [Maybe Tomorrow]
8) Joakim – Another Light [Tigersushi]
9) Jimpster – Porchlight And Rocking Chairs (KiNK Remix) [Freerange]
10) Sisterhood – Call Me Ishmael [Tief]
11) Robot Needs Oil – Mood Swings (Simon Garcia Remix) [Artreform]
12) Ian Pooley – I Got You (Matthias Vogt Remix) [Pooled Music]
13) Nicco – Its Over (Oxia Remix) [Recline Music]
14) A.W.O.L. – The Ramp [Suol]
15) Alland Byallo – A Red Dilemma (Brooks Mosher Spirit Box remix) [Release Sustain]
16) Axel Boman – Look What You’ve Done To Me [Hypercolour]
This mix
1) Maricopa – Neon Shoals [Back to the Balearics]
2) Campion – Ekul (Soul Renegades remix) [Audio Parallax Records]
3) Shur-I-Kan – One Ten [Lazy Days Records]
4) Sixth Avenue Express – Can’t Stop Feelin’ (Deep Sound Express Dub) [Pole Position Recordings]
5) Seva K – Falling (Original Mix) [Audio Tonic Records]
6) Durerstuben – Haeckls Kosmos [Pampa]
7) Chopstick & Johnjon ft. Signaljacker – Roots (Original Instrumental Mix) [Suol]
8) Le Loup – Brotherland (Daze Maxim’s remix) [Eklo]
9) Rompante – Save Me From This Kaos [Liebe Detail]
10) Kaltehand / Natasha Waters – Pages (Ewan Pearson Remix) [K/NW]
11) Crimea X – Yev (Prins Thomas Diskomiks remix) [Hell Yeah Recordings]
12) Crimea X – Dream is Gone (Prins Thomas Diskomiks remix) [Hell Yeah Recordings]
13) Jagwar Ma – Four [Future Classic]
14) Sandrien – Haters [Wolfskuil Records]