When a new Balance CD arrives on my desk I usually drop it straight into the player because of the quality I’ve come to expect from the people over at EQ Recordings. Last up was a hefty 3-disc affair from Will Saul and now we’ve been treated to a double-disc affair from French producer and DJ Agoria. As with all good compilations the first play didn’t leave me 100% convinced but after several more plays it’s grown on me immensely and it’s still in heavy rotation.
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Disc one—Aller Retour—starts off in ambient, experimental territory before easing into the reverb heavy vocals of Emiliana Torrini which are backed up by an addictive guitar hook. A minute later and Agoria’s taken the vibe into the eery stripped back techno world of Arandel with a superb transition between the two tracks. That for me sums up the style of both discs with Agoria’s ability to stitch contrasting tunes together in a masterful and effortless fashion. The mix continues to a climatic yet esoteric high point with the operatics of Altre Voci and The Field’s proggy live mix of Over The Ice. Easing off the mid-disc peak he meanders back into a groovy nu-disco/garage finish with Todd Terje, Prins Tomas and Trus’me all taking their place in the line-up.
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Balance 016 Disc Aller Retour “Soundcloud Edit” by AGORIA
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I’m a big fan of disc one except I feel like Agoria has self indulged a tad much by including his Altre Voci tune in the middle of the mix. OK, so it’s created a peak to the disc but the operatic vocals are bang out of place alongside the other vocals on the disc, and if you consider how he’s got to this point it’s just not necessary.
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Disc two—Rising Sine—is the standard 4/4 disc of the compilation. Again, I’m not going into much detail but I will say that I’ve played this disc a good deal more than it’s counterpart. Why? Because it stands out. It has more of a narrative—if you can use that term with electronic music—and with Agoria’s expert programming it just feels more complete. Quite honestly I prefer the tracks on it and I’m a big fan of tracks like the addictive You and Me remix of Ogris Debris’ G-Thong. The final 8 tracks from Einmusik’s melodic bomb Atlantis through the magnificent Serge Santiago remix of Shit Robot’s Simple Things (Work it Out) into Martyn’s interpretation of Efdemin’s Acid Bells continue to impress me each time I listen to it. Just awesome.
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Balance 016 Disc Rising Sine “Soundcloud Edit” by AGORIA
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However, like on disc one I was disappointed by Agoria’s decision to go in for more mid-disc dramatics with the unnecessary cello solo which features in the mash up of Jonny Greenwood’s Tehellet and Agoria’s Parasite which, to boot, is sandwiched by Avril’s peak-time monster French Kiss. Don’t get me wrong, I think he’s trying to do something a bit ‘avant garde’ and ‘edgy’ here, but it disrupts the otherwise perfect flow of the disc so I could do without it all together.
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Anyway that shouldn’t stand in the way of you checking out Agoria’s Balance because it’s really worth it. His use of vocals to anchor both discs works really well and it’s clear that he’s taken a fresh and compelling approach to producing it. More importantly it features 14 exclusives and it’s a great way to experience a fine selection of tunes that have been blended together by someone who I’m sure will become a big name.
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It’s US release date is March 16 but for some reason Amazon has it available from March 23. You can pre-order it HERE. If you’re in Miami for WMC you should check out the Balance 016 Release Party with Agoria, Will Saul, Joris Voorn, Desyn Masiello, Chris Fortier and Luke Fair at the Victor Hotel on Friday March 26. The track lists for both discs are after the jump. (more…)