Nick Warren 'Balance 018' Review

Nick Warren is progressive house royalty having been at the pointy end of the genre for a generation. As much as I normally steer clear of stuff labelled 'prog' I've seen Nick DJ many times and, without fail, he always impresses. His sets are a vast contrast to most out there - full of interesting and original tracks and put together in the silky manner Warren is know for. The Balance compilation series is the perfect stage for Warren to showcase the underground end of progressive house they've obliged with their latest mix. 

Disc 1 of the mix kicks off with moody, druggy grooves from Spiel, Underset and into the percussive and twisted 'The Tribe Has Spoken' by Flord which signals the beginning of business time. Paul Hazendock's and Eelke Kliejn follow with typically sinister synth-led prog before Jamie Anderson and Owain K's 'Without Sound' strips things back to a sparser, hypnotic groove. The Terry Lee Brown makes a showing with his housey remix of Warren's own 'Buenos Aires' and Nomad in the Dark twists cut-up vocals into a sinister, ethnic moment with 'Drones (Take Me)', the highlight of the first mix. Giorgos Gatzigristos signals the end of the first mix with the dub techno-meets-prog 'Tickless'.

Disc 2 of the mix is surprisingly housey kicking off with the wickedly funky 90s throwback style 'Collider' by Tripswitch and remixed by Warren. Risings tech/prog talents Beat Factory hit the mix with their low-key, buzzing 'Let’s Take a Walk' before Lank unleashes the king-hit of the mix, his bottom heavy and gurning 'Ain't No Problem'. Warren leads you through the kitch 80s style synths of 'Aragorn' by Solee, the bubbly '80D Test' by Steve Libby before his own OMD-ish 'Flowers' remixed by Solee into a weird glitch-filled groove before the mix ends with the melodic and sultry 'Bread' by Pablo Acenso.

What Warren does so well on this Balance mix is his hooking you into a dark groove which frames the melodic peaks so much better than dropping one epic number after another. If you love prog this will really float your boat and if prog isn't usually your thing, then this will go a long way to changing your mind. Wicked listening. 5/5 

Nick Warren - Balance 018 is out now on Balance Music 

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Stan Kolev 'Emotional Content Remixed' : Review

'Emotional Content Remixed' is primarily a collection of the single release remixes from Stan Kolev’s 2007 album with a few new remixes added in for good measure. The opening remixes of the LP intro ‘Routts‘ are done by Faces who takes things synthy in the progressive style Ready Mix are known for. Beat Factory’s remix of the same track is a more big-room affair with a techy slant and cut up vocal snippets used to great effect. ‘Inner Sense’, a total gem in its original form, is remixed by Dutch duo Edwin & Ferdy who impress with their trademark, a laid back and low key vibe remix. Christos Fourkis remixes the same track taking a more groovy, hypnotic vibe while UK’s K-Bana takes on two remixes ‘Inner Sense’ and ‘Get There’ with a bouncy, crisp groove for both. Eelke Kleijn’s remix of ‘Flashback‘ is also included - a grinding gem which would rock any late night jam with ease. Daniel Kyo, Marrakech, The Quasar, Add2Basket, Human8 and more contribute solid mixes making, in all, 15 remixes with more than enough quality to set up any lover of progressive or tribal infused house with a hour of quality listening.

@Beatport: Emotional Content Remixes

Rob Warner's Top 10, August 09

I'm not normally a fan of progressive house in the UK prog sort of vibe but there have been piles of releases about recently which strike me as almost making prog cool again. I'm not sure they'd have me raving in a stadium but they're showing some quality meshing the best of early 00s darker prog and current tech-house styles etc. Office Gossip is back in fine style with 'Sirius A' which also comes with a rocking remix from Kruse & Nuernberg.

And as is often a relative newcomer impresses with an original number in the form of 'Horn Rash' by Nick Verwey. Fantastic track!

Rob's August 09 Top Ten

1. Office Gossip - Sirius A (Dark Energy Records)
2. Nick Verwey - Horn Rash (Playtime Records)

3. The Quasar & The Pressure - Take Me Over (Eelke Kleijn Remix) (Ready Mix Records)

4. Danny Howells - Long Hot Summer (Dig Deeper)

5. King Roc - Beautiful But Weird (Sasse Remix) (Process Recordings)

6. M.in - Bap da Pap (WePlayMinimal)

7. Ariel lights Figueroa - The Cup (NightChild Records)

8. Moti Brothers - Fire Magician (Pure Substance)

9. Ducer - Heavy Cloud (Andy Slate Deep tech Mix) (Redflux)

10. Frunk29 - Chicken Daughter (E-teb rmx) (Indéks Music)

Classic Pick: Bjork - Isobel (Dim's Enchanted Forest Mix - 1995) - Dimitri From Paris at his soulful best.

Rob Warner - Top 10 Chart - March 2008

Rob's "Future Garage" Top 10 Chart March 2008

1. Christian Scott - Thank You Lord (Sweet Mix) (Slanted Black)

2. Stan Kolev - Flashback (Eelke Kleijn's Remix) (Ready Mix)
3. Loan Souls - Sun Is Shining (Dirty Souls Luca Ricci Rework) (Aenaria)

4. Manuael de Lorenzi - More n More (Immigrant)

5. P.J.C Project - Smalltime (Milton Jackson Mix) (Helvetica)

6. Tobias Hoppe - Qis (Extended Breaks Mix) (Pure Substance)

7. Tom Macoye - Number 5 (Vezotonik)

8. Terje Bakke - Rocketbird (Only Records)

9. Jeff Bennett - Instant Need (Paul Hazendonk Remix) (Kungfu Dub)

10. Greg Puppa - Sense Da Groove (BP Zulauf Mix) (Helvetica)

Album Review - Stan Kolev "Emotional Content"

If Stan Kolev's "Don't Be", released last year on Ready Mix Records, was a sign of things to come then he was well on target. Riding the fine lines between house, tribal, progressive and trance, "Emotion Content", is a breath of fresh air so far as electronic artist albums go in recent years. Making dance floor tunes is one thing but producing a quality album which can be listened through and appreciated as one work is another. "Emotional Content" has done just that.

Leading in Kolev lays down his style pretty quickly. An laid-back ethnic and progressive mash-up of styles paves the way with "Routts" and "Suspended Memories" before the tempo picks up with "Inner Sense", a sultry 90s-style New York house number - subtle and groovy. "Deep This" follows on and you can see where Kolev is going - adding in synth riffs and more edgy elements.

Last year's album teaser "Don't Be" is included in an album edited version before the next peak-time numbers fall in the form of "F-substance" and "Flashback", one of those x-factor tunes which defies genre: future-garage-tech-prog to make a wild attempt. "Even Flow" and "Hollow" kick ass in a more energetic synthy way and will bode well with fans of more euphoric (I didn't say 'trance' but goddamit this makes me like the notion for a change) sounds.

It isn't often an album makes the top grade for me but "Emotional Content" gets an easy 5 out of 5. There doesn't need to be any genre sticker attached to this release except: forward-thinking dance music.

- "Emotional Content" is available now on Ready Mix Records at Beatport. The single release of "Flashback", including a remix by Eelke Kleijn, will be released in March. Other remixes due in 2008 from Bart Van Wissen, Add2Basket and more.