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19 of 21 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Holden a minute!, 16 April 2006
One of the things that put me off the whole 'prog' house/trance scene around three years ago was the way in which people would think they were moving the scene into new waters because they'd come up with some half baked technological idea to make matters 'interesting'. Cue mix CDs by the likes of Sasha and James Zabelia that became far more about the equipment they were using than the music they were playing (NB Sasha: Ableton/Maven will not make a dull tune more interesting, it'll simply allow you to drag it out for even longer).
I purchased "James Holden At The Controls" on a whim in a kind of "I wonder what he's up to these days" fashion (the same mentality that saw me buying "Fundacion") and it's a blast. Not because it was "Mixed live with Prototype DJ Control Surface by Iter1, U-Control, Casiooh-La-La 3.1417 etc." but because tune-wise, it rocks. Press releases and reviews have tried to make out what a big deal it is that artists as diverse as Plastikman, Massive Attack, Harmonia, Malcolm Middleton, Aphex Twin, Fennesz etc. could share space in the same mix, but the reason it works is because Holden's mixing doesn't treat it like it's a big deal at all. Rather his penchant for psy-trance melody, big bassy drones and Krautrock repetition holds the mixes together, finding a common thread in such supposedly disparate genres.
On disc 1, Holden also explores diversity in tempo, an area hitherto uncharted in most 'prog' mixes. In fact, for the first eight tracks, one could almost be forgiven for thinking they'd bought a Global Underground "Afterhours" compilation by mistake, such is the plodding tempo from which proceedings are kicked off. But this is all part of Holden's great ability to build, and when his own "Lump" brings in some hefty bass synths the mix really kicks in. Harmonia's 70's Krautrock piece "Watussi" mixes in sublimely with Holden's up-to-the-minute production "10101" and Border Community label mate Nathan Fake (with a little help from Apparat) contributes some intense '80s electro synths to the proceedings before the mix blisses out with it's melodic peak - Lucky Pierre's stringtastic "Angels On Your Body".
The more upbeat disc 2, in comparison, is somewhat front loaded. The first six tracks are sublime, covering all bases from stomping electro to drum-led shoegaze, early Aphex Twin and futuristic broken beat without mixes being jarring nor smoothed over to the point of inconsequentiality. However, Holden's minimal reworking of Black Strobe's "Nazi Trance F**k Off", good as it is, seems like something of a modest peak and AFX's melodic synth noodlings and creepy vocal samples are somewhat tacked on at the end, despite being not quite impactive enough for "One more tune!" status.
Despite these flaws though, Holden's put together a commendable 2 disc experience here. The tracks are melodic enough to engage you but with enough nooks and crannies to warrant repeat listenings. The mixing is spot on - forget the equipment, there's a human quality to the way these tracks were put together. In the immortal words of Andy Weatherall, electronic music should be about music "made with machines, not by machines" and as long as Holden keeps injecting that human quality, dance music will always have an ace up its sleeve.
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6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A Breath of Fresh Air, 3 Sep 2006
James Holden At The Controls is a breath of fresh air in a market saturated by mix CDs. Both discs are equally imaginative and sound like nothing else I have ever heard (and I listen to a lot of music).
Holdens tastes have changed from his forray into progressive trance and the Border Community boss serves up downtempo grooves, wierd glitchy electronica and techno with beautifully programmed mixing and effects. He takes less obvious classics from Plastikman and Aphex Twin and adds them to an overwhelming wall of fuzzy sound and harmony. CD1 is slightly more downtempo and could even be a very original electronic take on the traditional Ibiza sunset grooves one would hear at Mambo or Cafe Del Mar. The essence is the same, blissed out grooves and melody. CD2 is slightly more dancefloor orientated with 4/4 beats, funk and uplifting synths.
This is an excellent achievement which has made me feel like buying his Balance mix from a few years ago.
Like this? Try: Nathan Fake - Drowning In A Sea Of Love
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5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
original mix, 10 April 2006
This mix album took me a bit by surprise as I was expecting something along the lines of his Balance CD. Instead it's a more laid back affair. Things do pick up a little on the second CD, but it's not a "banging" CD. If you are looking for that, then look elsewhere. If this all sounds negaitve, it isn't meant to. On the contrary, this is a brilliant and original CD. One of the tracks on the first CD is from 1974!! The inclusion of Xtal, one of Aphex Twins many beautiful pieces, was an inspired choice. It also contains some of the Border Community stalwarts like Nathan Fake and Petter. He really is "pushing things forward" (cliche, I know) with his music. This mix is in line with that. Fantastic overall, and one of the best mixes I've had the pleasure of hearing in years.
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