Ok, so my title may seem to be overhyping this release, but I genuinely consider this to be a major contender. So what makes this mix stand out from the thousands released over the past few decades? Everything. The tracklist, particularly across disc two, is wildly diverse in genre and style, but works coherently in a way which seems almost impossible. The mixing itself is equally distinct, where it seems to change from floating from track to track, to chopping sharply, to beat matching impeccably, yet even the sharp changes work perfectly. Disc Two is the most consistently high quality mix cd I know of, and somehow weaves dubstep, house, techno, acid, gothic, ambient music and even chamber chanting into a flowing, beautifully unfolding master work. What holds this set together is it's mood. It's so dark, brooding, haunting, yet strangley accessible.
Highlights include 'Blank Images' by The Viewers, which is perfectly conjoined to Balil's remix of Francesco Tristano's 'The Melody' on CD1. On CD2, Rone's 'Bora', floating in off the back of Murcof's murky 'Cosmos 1', along with Burial's haunting remix of Jamie Woon's 'Wayfaring Stranger' provide 'highlights' in what is virtually a 5 star offering every tune.
If there is anyone questioning whether Djing is a skill or visionary practice, or whether electronic music has soul or real mood, or whether it is possible to sit entirely different genres of music in the same whole and it work perfectly, then this is the place to find the answer. Agoria leaves us in no doubt what can be achieved with a true visionary at the controls.
5/5