Balance Selections Podcast Balance Music

It’s not surprising to hear Richie Blacker share his appreciation for fellow Irishmen and old-school revivalists Bicep. Just as they draw from scene originators like Orbital, Richie imbues his productions with the spirit of mid-90s open-field raves and Ibiza-flavored piano house.

This sound resonates with notable DJs like Sasha and Skream, who have both signed him to their labels, Last Night On Earth and Of Unsound Mind. With his Mess Express label and regular radio plays on Radio 1 and other stations across Europe, he shows no signs of slowing down.

Featuring tracks from Sasha, Tinlicker, Gui Boratto, and Johannes Brecht, this is an enthralling two hour ride through Balearica, Afro house, and contemporary prog - currated by one of Ireland's best.

@richie-blacker-fuel

It’s been four years since Sweden’s EMPHI announced himself with a release on Yotto’s Odd One Out imprint. Since then, he has filled his portfolio with a list of releases that read like a who’s who of progressive labels and artists.

What makes it even more impressive is that he hails from a city where that sound is borderline non-existent: “You often don't get booked for progressive sound here as the genre has no real scene in Stockholm.”

But fortunately, the global community listened and embraced him. His collaboration with Amháin, the Hallen EP, is a distillation of what makes EMPHI such an exciting prospect: deep, enchanting grooves and melodic flourishes that are borderline soothing.

Featuring tracks from Alex O’Rion, Tonaco, Andrés Moris, and EMPHI himself, this highly entrancing Balance Selections mix ebbs and flows with the confidence of a veteran selector.

@emphimusic

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