Balance Selections Podcast

Dave Seaman is one of the original movers and shakers of the UK house movement. He has been DJing for over 25 years playing in over 70 countries around the world. He was the first editor of the clubbers bible, Mixmag, and has remixed and produced for everybody from U2 to Kylie and David Bowie to the Pet Shop Boys. He has also done over 20 mix compilations for the likes of Global Underground, Renaissance and Radio 1's Essential Mix, and also been the main man behind the independent dance music labels, Stress Records, Audio Therapy and now his new imprint, Selador Recordings. Quite simply, Dave Seaman is one of the legends of electronic house music. Interview and tracklist here: https://www.balancemusic.com.au/news/balance-selections-dave-seaman/ Soundcloud: @daveseaman Facebook: www.facebook.com/daveseamanofficial

'In deep space. Abandoned. Many crew? Negative.' That is the immortal line from the huge Space Manouevres anthem 'Stage One', an exemplary piece of production which arguably defined the late-90's and early-00's progressive house scene. John Graham played an integral part in that era, not only through the Quivver handle (check 'She Does'), but through monikers like the Space Manouevers, Skanna, Stoneproof and Tilt (from 93 - 2002). You might be even more blown away to learn about his work in Hollywood as a movie scorer: 'The Taking of Pelham 123', Twelve' and 'Shrek Forever After (2010); plus recorded music for video game trailers such as 'Transformers', The Call of Duty' series and 'Batman: Arkham City Riddler'. His credentials speak for itself, and of late a whole new generation is opening itself up to Graham's talent. Last year he became Beatport's third-highest selling progressive artist with 'Mumbo Jumbo' (it also went on to find itself in Beatport͛'s Top 10 best-selling progressive tracks at the end of that year). Released on Bedrock, it also became the label's number one selling single of 2017. His new imprint, Controlled Substance, just celebrated it's debut release with new Quivver track 'Hype', which is certainly living up to its name: 'Controlled Substance is already ranked 88th in the top progressive label on Beatport, after just one release - so it’s pretty hard to be disappointed with that.' And it's not hard to see why the label is charging to the front, 'Hype' is an impressive piece of production. With the news that Quivver will be doing the coveted closing set at the Rainbow Serpent Festival on his upcoming Australian visit, this mix should serve a the perfect primer of what to expect. This is deep, dark and driving in equal spades. Interview and tracklist here: https://www.balancemusic.com.au/news/balance-selections-61-quivver/ Soundcloud: @quivver_john_graham Facebook: www.facebook.com/QuivverMusic/

There can be no doubt that Third Son is a name swiftly becoming more recognisable on global dancefloors. His mixture of deep, brooding melodies and tight, techno productions are starting to find favour amongst many - and his laser-precision DJ sets are in high demand. Joseph Thomas Price comes from good stock, a musical family based in London who trained him as a musician from a young age. As a teenager he developed a taste for jazz before being seduced by rock music, before Radiohead’s ‘Kid A’ really showed him the potential of electronic music. (‘That blurring of electronic and rock music was a real revelation for me at the time’) This healthy appetite for all shades of music has developed a sound which has piqued global interest, and he is already traveling the world as a full-time DJ only one year after the conception of the Third Son project. Price’s moody techno can also be found on scene labels like Noir, Einmusika and Syncopate - not to mention his own Polymath imprint. With an EP coming out on Gardens of God's label, Sodai, and Dense and Pika's Kneaded Pains imprint, it stands to reason that interest will only skyrocket more. Price will be heading to Australia to play at the Rainbow Serpent Festival alongside shows in Melbourne, Sydney and Launceston (check dates below). Ahead of his arrival the producer has taken the time to compile the 60th edition of our Balance Selections podcast series: expect deep heat from start to finish. Interview and tracklist here: https://www.balancemusic.com.au/news/third-son-balance-selections-60/ Soundcloud: @thirdsonuk Facebook: www.facebook.com/thirdson.polymath Catch Third Son on his Australian tour at one of these upcoming dates: Friday 19th January: Thick as Thieves Fridays @ Revolver Upstairs, Melbourne Saturday 20th January: The Burdekin, Sydney Thursday 25th January: Our House Resurrection, Launceston Saturday 27th January: Rainbow Serpent Festival, Victoria

Hamburg isn’t the first city you think off when you consider global hubs for nightlife, but Hamburg has turned out to be the quiet achiever. Recently named as the world's number one city for nightlife, Hamburg has well and truly situated itself as a destination for nocturnal activities. And right in the middle of that is local heroes Adana Twins (btw they aren’t real twins)… Formed in 2006, Adana Twins was forged through a platform of laid-back hip-hop alongside techno. Their 2012 Exploited Records offering, ‘Strange’ and ‘Everyday’, really showcased their wide-ranging musical upbringing (‘Strange’ was a tribute towards 60’s act The Doors) - and also opened them up to a global audience. 

Since then, the duo has been on a production tear, their deep take on house endearing themselves wherever they play. Of late, they have started to dabble with a more muscular techno sound, point in case the recent outdoor festival-sounding throb of ‘Uncompromising, released earlier this year on fellow Hamburg producer Solomon’s Diynamic imprint (it also spent a fair amount of time on the Beatport charts). The duo will be heading to Australia and New Zealand over the new year with dates at festivals like Beyond the Valley and Earth just outside of Melbourne, Space Ibiza in Sydney and also Rhythm and Alps in New Zealand. Other dates include the Tiny Dancer NYD event in Melbourne and Revolver Upstairs the week after. Ahead of their arrival the duo took some time to prepare a mix featuring music form acts like Rodriquez Jr, Margot, Denis Horvat, and recent Balance Selections compiler Tim Engelhardt. Prepare yourself for a double injection of deepness from Hamburg’s finest. Interview + tracklist: www.balancemusic.com.au/news/balance-selections-059-adana-twins/ Soundcloud: @adanatwins Facebook: www.facebook.com/adanatwins

You pay attention when industry heavyweights like Sasha and Guy J name check an artist as a potential ‘one to watch'... and Khen is definitely worthy of that. Through a consistent stream of high quality releases on labels like microCastle, Lost & Found, Sudbeat, Bedrock and Vivrant, the Tel Aviv-native has earned himself a rightful place as an equal in the the group of highly talented artists coming from his home country of Israel (Guy J, Mantzur, Shlomi Aber, Sahar Z). The fans have showed their support too, his ‘One Day of Independence’ debut LP on said Lost & Found went on to peak at number 1 on the Beatport top 100 progressive and overall releases charts. And his tour dairy is becoming increasingly busier, booking requests filtering in from all corners from the globe. There is a lot to like about this podcast, from his own productions to tracks from artists like past Balance Selections compliers Stelios Vassiloudis, BOg and Guy Mantzur, all flawlessly presented in way that should win over a lot of listeners. Interview + tracklist: https://www.balancemusic.com.au/news/balance-selections-058-khen/ Soundcloud: @khenmusic Facebook: www.facebook.com/KHENMUSIC

A techno storm is brewing in Barcelona - and its name is Shall Ocin.

.. Over the last 3 years Shall Ocin has been on a roll with some huge productions, culminating in him becoming a highly valued member of Maceo Plex’s Ellum Audio stable. Not only is his productions filled with laser precision engineering, but his melodies draw inspiration from a subconscious space which only a lucky few inhabit. (Check the busy, care-free structure on ‘Tribute to Summertime’, or the almost stern-like melodic charge of 'Forgive Me’)

 Recently the producer made headlines with the launch of his brand new label Clash Lion, anticipation stretched to its limits due to the debut track which featured the return of Maetrik (ICYDK who that is, it’s Maceo Plex’s highly popular techno alter ego). Quite the coup... On Balance Selections 57 Shall feature 4 tracks from his label Clash Lion alongside tracks from Maetrik, Fur Coat, Isolee, Fort Romeau and more. Brace yourself for some serious dancefloor action... Interview + tracklist: https://www.balancemusic.com.au/news/balance-selections-57-shall-ocin/ Soundcloud: @paneoh Facebook: www.facebook.com/shallocin

Being in a production duo with your brother seems like it could potentially be a recipe for conflict, but for Germany’s Monkey Safari this couldn’t be further from the truth. For these two siblings there isn't time for bickering, their name an easy clue into their sunny disposition. Even their bio states that ‘their mandate remains the same, sending sunny vibes to make even the darkest dance floors smile.’ And that they do with ease… They can’t be locked down into one sound either, their discography feature a wide variety of labels from Minus to Bedrock to Solar Distance. (And don’t forget their own imprint Homage who recently signed tracks from Blond:ish and John Tejada). On the collaboration front they can count studio sessions with the likes of Moby, Guy Gerber, Josh Wink and more, the demand by artists to collaborate with them getting stronger by the day. And for good reason too, they currently seem to have the midas touch (their recent release ‘Oxy’, featured as part of John Digweed’s ‘Bedrock Frequencies’ compilation, reached #2 in Beatport’s Progressive House chart.) They also have a brand new album 'Odyssee' which just got released on their Hommage label after a consuming production effort: ’It was a very long process for us, hence the title.’ Monkey Safari will be heading to Australia late in November for a weekend’s worth of dates which includes Strawberry Fields festival (check last week’s Balance Selections with Tim Engelhardt for another Strawberry Fields featured act): ‘We’re playing Ricardo's in Sydney on Friday, Strawberry Fields Festival and XE54 in Melbourne on Saturday, and a secret garden party in Perth on Sunday.’ And just in time they have delivered a fresh Balance Selections mix. Forget about what you think you know of Monkey Safari, with tracks from Ben Klock, Recondite, Tale of Us and more, they once again prove with this mix that they are brilliantly illusive to pin down. Interview + tracklist: https://www.balancemusic.com.au/news/balance-selections-056-monkey-safari/ Soundcloud: @monkeysafari Facebook: www.facebook.com/monkeysafari

There is no doubt that Tim Engelhardt is considered one of the scene's most talented up-and-coming electronic music stars. If you need proof just have a look at his discography: He released his first track at the age of 14, and since then he has gone on to release over 20 singles and EPs before the age of 20 (he is currently 19 years of age). It was the music of fellow Cologne resident Robert Babicz which inspired Tim’s journey into electronic music, and in a serendipitous twist of fate the revered engineer also took Tim under his wing, further inspiring Engelhardt to continue producing. All of his productions have a big emphasis on melody, and it’s this unique melodic sense he possess which has seen labels like Innervisions, Poker Flat, Traum Schallplatten and Babiczstyle all sign Tim Engelhardt tracks. This Balance Selections mix drops just in time for his upcoming Australian tour which includes a highly anticipated slot at Strawberry Fields festival alongside acts like Sebastian Mullaert, Andrew Weatherall, Daniel Avery, Monkey Safari, Frankey & Sandrino.... you get the idea, it's a big lineup. And you won't be disappointed with this effort, it's filled with glorious Tim Engelhardt originals alongside cuts from artists like Trikk and Toto Chiavetta. The future of dance music sure is looking good… Interview + tracklist: www.balancemusic.com.au/news/balance-selections-tim-engelhardt/ Soundcloud: @timengelhardt Facebook: www.facebook.com/tim.engelhardt.artist

Finnebassen might be one of the more well known house cats to come out of his home country of Norway. He is a naturally talented musician who won’t shy away from playing live guitar on his productions, always favouring a hint of nostalgia to permeate his tracks. A regular performer in his hometown since 2008, it was only from 2012 onwards when the rest of the world sat up and noticed. Then again, how you could you not pay attention to the Norwegian’s amazing run of nu-disco and house flavoured productions. His release on Electronique Digital ‘If You Only Knew’ reached number 3 on the Beatport Nu Disco Chart, and the Noir Music-signed track 'Touching Me' reached the number one spot on Beatport’s Deep House chart. Not to mention releases on labels including The House of Disco and even major players like Warner Music. Gig-wise Romania and Belgium are all scheduled for the Finnebassen treatment later this year, alongside appearances at Berlin's Watergate, Amsterdam ADE, and a tour of Brazil in November. As the first Norwegian artist to do a Balance Selections podcast, Finnebassen does not disappoint. And with tracks from Minilogue, Red Axes and Trikk, this mix will soothe many ears. Interview + tracklist: https://www.balancemusic.com.au/news/balance-selections-054-finnebassen/ Soundcloud: @finnebassen Facebook: www.facebook.com/finnebassen

Canada’s John Acquaviva is one of those behind-the-scene players whose influence spread far and wide. He is a businessman, artist and punter in equal spades, and have dedicated 4 decades to the global dance music industry. As a co-founder of Beatport and Final Scratch, he has helped sculpt the dance music transition from analogue to digital, and from vinyl to CDJs and laptops. (’I think of it as a horse and buggy age in that once you have a car, which in DJ life was both Final Scratch technology and Pioneer perfecting CDs, it’s hard to go back.) A chance meeting in 1989 with fellow Canuck Richie Hawtin, lead to the creation of one of the most pivotal techno imprints, Plus 8 Records (which released music form artist like Cybersonik, Speedy J, Kenny Larkin and Plastikman). They followed that up in 1993 with the more house and tech-flavoured Definitive Records, which, almost 25 years later is still relevant as ever. Today, Acquaviva calls himself a vinyl collector, insatiable entrepreneur, executive film producer and label owner. Yet above all, John Acquaviva is the quintessential performer at heart. His DJ career has surged forward with sets at BPM Festival, Space Ibiza, Output in Brooklyn, Bellevue in Zurich and Crobar in Buenos Aires to name a few. With tracks from Henrik Schwarz, Matthias Tanzmann, Artslaves and more, this is a deep and body-moving tech workout with one the scene’s most reliable and longest-serving pioneers. Interview + tracklist: https://www.balancemusic.com.au/news/balance-selections-53-john-acquaviva/ Soundcloud: @jacq Facebook: www.facebook.com/JohnAcquavivaOfficial/

Oliver Huntemann... Need we say more? One of the true pioneers, you can trace his roots all the way back to the early 90's as a early member of Humate, work your way through his many accomplishments and end up at today where he is still as relevant as ever. Not only has he added his expert touch to some of the globe's biggest acts (from Underworld, to Chemical Brothers to Depeche Mode), but his label Ideal Audio has been releasing deadset quality since 2008 (and that includes his album H-3). The German is also extremely sough-after as a collaborator, and his co-productions with Dubfire in particular, resulted in some of that year's biggest dancefloor bombs. Of late, Huntemann is constantly releasing quality through his label Senso Sounds, which has grown exponentially in popularity. And as the legend tells us, there are plenty more to come: 'The priority for this year is set on the release of my new album 'Propaganda‘, coming out on Friday 13th of October. The singles 'Poltergeist‘ and 'Rotlicht‘ are already rotating very well and ’m very excited to have the whole story soon available for everyone. Beside this I have just signed great new singles to Senso Sounds from my buddy Hatzler, Brasilian DJ Alex Stein, German producer Carlo Ruetz and some cool tracks from various artists for the succesful Senso Sounds Level Series.' Currently on tour in Australia, we count ourselves lucky that Oliver has found the time to craft a podcast which throbs and pulsates in all the right places. With tracks from Andre Winter, Tale of Us and of course, Oliver himself, this is the sound of a true techno craftsman. Interview + tracklist: www.balancemusic.com.au/news/balance-selections-052-oliver-huntemann/ Soundcloud: @oliver-huntemann Facebook: www.facebook.com/OliverHuntemannOFC

For over a decade now Christian Smith has been at the top of his game, and as one of the world’s leading exponents of techno, he has made his mark as a DJ, producer and label boss. Born in Stockholm, he had his formative years in Frankfurt, after which he spent some time in the USA before moving to Sao Paulo. Currently residing in Palma, Mallorca, you can say that his love for music is on par with his passion for experiencing different cultures, a lust for life which translate into his music and the success of his label, Tronic. Since 1997 Tronic has been the go-to label for serious techno action, releasing tracks from the likes of Chus & Ceballos, ANNA, Paco Osuna, Loco & Jam, Kaiserdisco, Enrico Sangiuliano, Nick Curly and more. It recently celebrated it’s 200th release too, an impressive feat indeed, and is currently the number two best-selling techno label on Beatport. Tronic will also house his upcoming album which is slated for a release in October, a project which will feature collaborations with Victor Ruiz, Harry Romero, 2pole, Wehbba, Drunken Kong, and John Selway: ‘I am very pleased with the outcome of this project. Its mostly club tracks, but they all fit together nicely’. An enticing prospect. Considering that majority of Christian’s online mixes are live recordings, we could’t be more happy to finally tease the label boss to create a special studio mix - and he shares the sentiment: ‘It’s very rare that I actually do mixes at home. I tend to use live recordings only, so this was a special one for me.’ On his Balance podcast you will get to hear some of the unreleased collaborations from the upcoming album, alongside another side to the producer: ‘I prepared a mix that’s still very much me, but also slightly more musical techno.’ interview + Tracklist: www.balancemusic.com.au/news/balance-selections-051-christian-smith/ Soundcloud: @christiansmith Facebook: www.facebook.com/officialchristiansmith

In 2002 the fourth instalment of the Balance Series was mixed by Melbourne favourite Phil K, its combination of the then in-vogue tribal house and nu-breaks regarded by many as one of the highlights in the series. Not long after he was tapped by DJ Mag to be a part of their DJ World Series campaign, and he compiled an 11-track cover mount CD which showcased Australian breakbeat producers. Depending on who you converse with, this mix is considered one the best breaks mixes ever compiled (and in this writer’s opinion it is a very valid argument). Phil is also part of production duo Lo-step (alongside Luke Chable) who in 2007 released their criminally underrated debut LP Because We Can on Global Underground. More famously, their music found heavy support from Sasha who signed ‘Burma‘ for his classic Involver mix. (On that note too, Phil has teased us with the promise of new Lo-step music: “Before the end of the year a couple of new Lo-step remixes which I can’t talk about yet…”

) But when it comes to technique he has few rivals, and this is one of many reasons Phil K is considered one of the best in the world. In his hometown of Melbourne (and for those in the know around the world), Phil is revered as the DJ’s DJ, a technician who’s curiosity and love for new technology is only upstaged by his ability to tame each new item and employ it into his sets as if it’s been around for years. Even Pioneer has acknowledged his innate understanding of technology, and they approached him to help with the development of a prototype for the DVJ-X1 (the first visual and audio live mixer). What we are getting at is that Phil K is a deadset legend and there aren’t many on this planet that can claim the skills or natural talent that he possess. Needless to say, we are ecstatic to finally have Phil compile us a mix, and in light of our mini-milestone of 50 podcasts, just in time too: He is an artist who has played such a vital part in the Balance narrative. With this mix he has delivered a engaging 2 hour extravaganza which in true Phil K style traverse breaks, house, techno, and whatever else. Featuring a mouth-watering selection of forward-thinking artists including Objekt, Pangaea, Kowton plus tracks from Phil’s new production alias Digital Stars… This is something else... interveiw + Tracklist: http://www.balancemusic.com.au/news/balance-selections-phil-k Soundcloud: @peaking Facebook: www.facebook.com/djphilk

A chance meeting between two airplane passengers turn into one of the most enduring techno/house production duos of our time... What would the odds on that be? Well, apparently not that bad, as that is exactly what happened between Dan Duncan and Igor Tchkotoua when, unbeknown to each other, they booked the same flight in '99. That chance meeting set a series of events in motion which has turned them into one of today's most popular techno acts. In the early 00’s their Submission Record label released bomb after Pig&Dan bomb; each release’s minimal and uniquely coloured artwork catching your attention in the record store, the music on it arresting your attention on the dancefloor. Straddling a fine line between techno, progressive, house and whatever else they felt inspired by, those early days set them up for a promising career which payed dividends: Labels like Yoshitoshi, Cocoon and Herzblut all came knocking and the gig invites started to flow in. Today Pig&Dan can easily be considered underground mainstays, and their increasingly tougher techno sound has become a firm favourite with audiences globally. Their label, Elevate, has been responsible for some heavy Beatport chart toppers; just check their latest production ‘Obsession’ which is currently doing serious dancefloor damage. Adam Beyer’s popular Drumcode imprint have also been releasing Pig&Dan productions of late, and as Dan Duncan informs us : 'Next in line is 'La Bruja' which is our newest track about to drop on Drumcode's new A -Sides compilation this August.’ No doubt that will be another bullseye... Ahead of Pig&Dan's Australian tour (Dan Duncan will be flying the flag solo this time around), the duo have delivered a mix with the tough-as nails beats reigned in just a touch: 'In this mix we wanted to project a bit smoother and more melodic side to our sound. Something that's not so peak time and spread our musical wings just to show our versatility.’ Featuring brand new collaborations alongside H.O.S.H. and Monika Kruse, this mix is 100% proof of why Pig&Dan is in such high demand... Soundcloud: @pig-and-dan Facebook: www.facebook.com/piganddan Interview + tracklisting: www.balancemusic.com.au/news/balance-selections-049-pigdan

If you are a dedicated electronic music fan, there really is no need to give you too much of an introduction into the world of 16 Bit Lolitas. For those that are uninitiated, welcome to a whole new world. The Dutch duo of Ariaan Olieroock and Peter Kriek have been around since the early 00's, releasing the sort of productions which always reserved space in many revered DJ bags. They received worldwide recognition with tracks like ‘Murder Weapon’, ‘Nobody Seems To Care’, ‘Sedna’ and remixes for the likes of Sander Kleinenberg and Armin van Buuren. Where many early-00's prog producers faded away, 16BL endured its heyday to stay as relevant today as they were a decade ago. Lately, the 16 Bit Lolitas have been focusing some of that energy into their side project, Cubicolor; a project with Tim Digby-Bell which of late has been gaining some serious momentum, even seeing them receive some attention outside of the club scene (they 'are currently working hard on the new Cubicolor album'). For their Balance excursion the Dutch boys have kept to form with a beautifully crafted selection of tracks and remixes from artists like Patrice Baumel, Trikk, Audiofly, Adriatique and more. And needless to say, 16BL have delivered a masterful mix. Soundcloud: @16bitlolitas Facebook: www.facebook.com/16bitlolitas Interview + tracklisting: http://www.balancemusic.com.au/news/balance-selections-048-16-bit-lolitas/