Balance Selections Podcast Balance Music

Burning Man, Lightning in a Bottle, Rainbow Serpent, Berlin’s Sisyphos, and LA’s Pattern Bar—these global festivals and clubs have all hosted Amháin in their DJ booths at some stage. And for good reason: the high-flying Irishman delivers a sound that’s sleek and classy without ever being too esoteric.

Check out his recent Balance Music release, the Hallen EP. A collaboration with EMPHI, it’s a double dose of progressive gold that’s elegant and engaging - all adjectives you can ascribe to this Balance selection too. Featuring tracks from Balance alumni including GMJ, Matter, and Zankee Gulati, this is the work of an artist in complete control of their craft.

@amhain_dj

The name Steven Weston is gaining more prominence, which is well overdue given his impressive career in music. His CV includes an engineering background working with artists ranging from drum and bass act Rudimental to reggae artist Chronixx, while he’s toured the world playing keyboards for the likes of Ladyhawke, Charli XCX, and Mikky Ekko. Weston also counts James Lavelle as a fan, having regularly collaborated with the veteran for 10 years now. But his passion lies in deep, progressive music, and since entering the arena he's signed to labels such as Anjunadeep, Bedrock, and Last Night On Earth.

With tracks from GMJ, Durante, UNKLE, and Duo State, this Balance Selections mix highlights a music purveyor who lives and breathes the intricacies of the sound he has dedicated himself to.

@stevenweston

Nowadays, finding a good full-length album is challenging, which is a real shame. For decades, the LP was a beacon of artistic intention, but streaming platforms like Spotify have reshaped the way music listeners engage with music. To hold attention, it needs to stand out. It needs dynamics. Thankfully, 'Nostalgia,' the new Alex O'Rion full-length, does just that. We had an illuminating conversation with the producer about what makes this album such an essential listen.

To celebrate the release, the high-flying Dutchman provided us with an exclusive mix stamped with his usual seal of quality.

Full tracklisting and interview: https://bit.ly/4br0zeZ

@alexorion

Pockets of electronic music characterized by deep, blissful breakbeats, are once again permeating the scene. Dabbling in this new wave is British DJ and producer Braxton. After joining Anjunadeep in 2019, he quickly gained recognition for a sound that blends blissful atmospheres with warm house and fractured beats. Check his latest Bedrock release alongside Steve Weston: 'Lanes' features bold drums, soaring melodies, and an epic scale that evoke the glory days of prog breaks. Here, Braxton continues his fine from with a soothing blend of progressive textures featuring tracks from Monkey Safari, Nox Vahn, Trilucid, and unreleased tracks from Braxton himself.

@braxtonofficial

UK-based artist and DJ Four Candles, whose real name is Kris Brown, is recognized for his innovative approach to dance music that avoids fleeting trends. After working with industry legend Nick Muir, his artistic break came on Bedrock Records. Follow up productions found their way onto some of the most respected imprints, from Selador to Afterglow and Tenampa.

His recent Balance release, ‘On the Fence' (featured below in Q+A), is one of the standout moments on the recent Balance presents Dave Seaman and Quivver compilation. It’s a unique production rooted in the prog of yesteryear but with a contemporary twist: it’s a sound borne from staying artistically true to oneself.

On this excellent mix, Four Candles builds the energy with artisanal ease. Alongside tracks from Donato Dozzy, Spence Brown and Kamilo Sanclemente, you’ll also find exceptional takes by Four Candles on tracks from Leftfield and Sasha.

@fourcandlesmusic

Considering his more than 30 years of experience in electronic music, it’s safe to say that Pablo De Mattei AKA PAUL (AR), knows a thing or two about dance music. It's evident in his bookings: From Lollapalooza to Creamfields to Moonpark, there aren’t many Argentinean music festivals that haven’t featured Paul (AR) on their stages. He defines his style as a mixture of Progressive and Tech House, a style that has taken him across the globe from Spain to Peru. Labels from Sudbeat to Perfecto has featured his work, and he was most recently seen on Balance Music through his contribution to the 'Balance presents Dave Seaman and Quivver' compilation.

Featuring a host of unofficial Paul (AR) remixes of acts like James Zabiela and Way Out West, alongside original tracks from Nicolas Rada, Dmitry Molosh, and more, the Argentinean delivers a delightful 90 minutes of progressive music suitable for any occasion.

@pablo-de-mattei