Various Artists
Balance 019 – Henry Saiz
Balance Music [AU]
2xCD / MP3
Release date: 06 21 11

Today sees the release of the newest Balance comp, this time featuring the talents of Spaniard Henry Saiz. My experience with Saiz is limited to his remix work for Bedrock but with this release, frankly, I could not be more pleased. This album is a real treat. It is more like an artist album from Saiz than a straight-up mix CD as it features only unreleased tracks and collabs between Henry and other artists.

There is no denying that Henry is a versatile producer. He effortlessly skips from his Boards Of Canada-styled intro (swore I heard a clip of Be-Zet’s ‘Maya And Aliens’ in there) to the pulsating slower house style that is becoming more predominant (think <115 BPM) and gradually stemming out into more club-friendly territory. The diversity here is the best part. It captures the spirit of some of the best spread-out Balance comps (SOS, Chris Fortier) and packs it into 2 discs. Very impressive. My subjective observations are going to prove  worthless other than me saying it is warm and cozy while at the same time being very complex. Really, it is the best Balance comp I’ve heard in some time. Take a moment and check this one out. 8/10

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