The tenth ‘Balance’ release is something of an epic, and shows off the series’ recently found versatility. Three mixes are on offer, perhaps predictably entitled Downtempo, Midtempo and Uptempo, and while the first two are well worth hearing it’s the Uptempo disc that captures the spirit of past releases. Jimmy Van M builds this perfectly from the rounded, chilled out Trentemoller remix of Djuma Soundsystem’s ‘Les Djinns’, the beats getting more aggressive through Jordano, Tom Pooks and Hug to a storming finish. ‘Downtempo’ drifts dreamily through the consciousness, with Boards of Canada, Wax Poetic and Bonobo, while the midtempo shows a pleasing line in experimentation, contrasting the Cocteau Twins and Aphex Twin with Speedy J and Ellen Allien. Outstanding value for money – and a trio of discs that flow naturally from chilled beats to full on clubbing.
5 Out Of 5
Reviewed By: BEN HOGWOOD
