Emerson Todd - Balance Electric 05

Emerson Todd
Balance Electric 05
BALANCE/EQ

Ask yourself these questions:
- When does ‘dance’ music become art and cease to be only about shaking booty?
- When does a piece of music stop being a separate entity and diffuse itself into the very ether surrounding you?
- When do the digital tones and textures of pure sound escape from the shackles of CD and MP3 and fill in the spaces between atoms?
- When do they start to nudge electrons and push protons around for fun, dripping into the invisible dark matter that hangs between time and space?

The answers to all these question and indeed so many more lie embedded within the parameters of this fine DJ mix compilation from one of New Zealands finest musical exports, Emerson Todd. Balance presents Electric 05 is a very cerebral affair indeed. While the grooves will have your hooves trotting along nicely should the mood take you, the main effect will be on your cerebellum.

These abstract slivers of techy joy will surely worm their way into your central consciousness and sprout seeds before you can tear yourself away from the beats. That’s not to say that Mr. Todd doesn’t rock a party mind you [I’ve seen the man in action and believe me he can rip shit up staunchly] but many of the tracks featured here will insinuate themselves into your soul with no questions asked and regardless of whether or not you shook your tail-feather to them.  

It’s exceptionally hard to pick a stand out track from this collection, as the whole is so much more than the parts, so comprehensively a work of art in its own right. If pushed Perugia by ADF would get the nudge, mainly due to its otherworldly psychedelic character. All in all this release is a very accomplished and original take on the genre of the DJ mix CD, one that can be played again and again without inducing boredom. The secret is its ability to evoke a big and yet minimal sound at the same time – no mean feat at all.

Enjoy.

Tracklisting: Emerson Todd - Balance Electric 05
01. Emerson Todd – Counterpoint
02. Salvatore Freda & Michel Cleis – Sassicaia
03. Doomwork – Fresh
04. Babak Shayan – Snake in the Grass feat. Strict Border
05. Oxia & Nicolas Masseyeff – Trying Out
06. Jonas Kopp – Deliric
07. The Mountain People – 008.3
08. DJ Sneak – Bongonsonic
09. Emerson Todd – Jacob
10. Wash – The Junkies
11. Guy Gerber – Sugar Cane
12. Robert Dietz – Klondike
13. Strict Border – White Trumpet (Android Cartel Remix)
14. Gavin Herlihy – Train Dodging
15. ADF – Perugia
16. Android Cartel – Return of the Saint (Alan Fitzpatrick Remix)
17. Rampa – Wife

Tom Evans