BALANCE 020

Balance have surprised me again with their choice of DJ to create the latest mix in the series. I had never heard of Deetron before. The result is a mix which is as different to the others in the series as the predecessors are to each other.
Every Balance release sounds different to all the others. There is no house style which I can detect. This is good, it keeps the series fresh and spontaneous.
Deetron's CD is a mellow ride of modern house music with influences of soul, funk and disco apparent. CD1 takes twists and turns while CD2 is more straight forward driving house. They are both excellent.
Deetrons style reminds me of Tenaglia. Except that he is not as dark. His taste is more irridescent and bright. However he mixes the tunes together in a similar way as Tenaglia in my opinion. There are twists and turns, contrasts and harmony.
It really is very skillfully mixed. I liked this CD. It is inspiring and intelligent sounding. A bit refined perhaps. Not too refined; just elegant and sophisticated. Deetron is similar to Tenaglia in this way too. And in his choice of tunes. Its not progressive, or techno etc. But modern "house music" instead - with its soul, funk and disco characteristics.
Thanks to Balance for another superb dance CD.

I love this release. After the layered, processed and analogue feel of Henry Saiz's Balance 019 mixes, Deetron's offering may feel very different, but, after a while, I've found myself playing Deetron's mixes more and more, enjoying their airy, elegant quality and ability to reveal more and more after several listens.

I liked the concept of having one mix digital and the other analogue from the outset.

There's a subdued energy to the first - the digital - mix. It moves smoothly on, it's elegant, controlled, but intense - I can't quite put my finger on why, but it feels incredibly tight, but airy at the same time. I love the build up of the first three tracks for the vocal to kick in in track 4 "Loosing My Patience". It works so well! The set then moves on, keeping tight control, winding down and opening up to let in some emotions towards the end, until an absolutely unexpected and all the more brilliant and quirky last track by Savage Progress "Heart Begin To Beat", which I heard on the mix for the first time and fell in love with straight away. It's a track from the 80s, but it feels absolutely fresh and up to date with the rest of the mix and choosing it as an ending was a stroke of genius.

As to the second disc - the analogue mix - it feels direct, focused, and its flow is simply astounding. Deetron is a master DJ, judging from his mixing here, as the vinyls seem to merge into one seamless ride completely effortlessly. Excellent choice of tracks, energizing mixing, everything feels just right.

All in all, Deetron provided two top quality mixes that will reward on repeated listens. It may be important to say that it took me some three months to reach this level of appreciation - I own about a dozen mix compilations that I really love and, even though I didn't fully appreciate what I'd bought at first with this one, I simply couldn't resist playing the mixes whenever I needed something more focused, more accomplished and elegant. Deetron's Balance now occupies a unique spot in my collection.

I love the series for the variety and the personal touch each DJ brings to their release, and the fact that it introduces me to tracks I'd never have come across otherwise. Deetron's mix is no exception. It rates way up among the top ones.

This is very good, and I am looking forward already to the next recording in the Balance series as so far I have not been disappointed at all. I had never heard of Deetron before, but I will certainly look out for more of his work.