- The prog house DJ's double-CD compilation is the equivalent of the prog rock band's double-gatefold concept album: both can come across a bit pompous, as if a mere 80 minutes isn't enough to contain their mighty talent (although with prog house that might only be enough time for eight tunes anyway). Hernan Cattaneo might appear particularly guilty of this, given that the majority of mixes he's put out for labels like Renaissance have been two-CD affairs. In his case, though, his style really does demand the extra time. Like his Parallel edition of Renaissance's The Masters series in 2010, Cattaneo's Balance mix is split into one CD of downtempo and one of clubbier material. It sounds like it wants to take you on—you guessed it—a journey, the trip here being one back in time.
Progressive house stopped living up to the literal meaning of its name a while ago, and Balance 026 evokes compilations from the genre's mid-'90s heyday such as Sasha and Digweed's Northern Exposure—the sort of thing people would throw on at afterparties before everyone started monging out to YouTube videos instead. As such, the whole thing feels curiously nostalgic, even if the oldest tune here is Boards Of Canada's still-stunning "Aquarius" from 1998. Less trance than tranquilised, tracks like Mike Griego's "Sponges" and Gui Boratto's "Half Life" are like warm, relaxing shallows—only with the cloying vocal on Mercurio and Catnapp's "Straight To Hell" does it turn into sickly syrup. In many ways the flashback to Pink Floyd in the slick guitar solo on Chaim's "Blue Shadow" sums things up perfectly, as you will end up feeling—to nick Roger Waters' words—comfortably numb.
CD 2 picks up the pace slightly, but is still more of a jog than a sprint. That gives us time to admire Cattaneo's subtle and sinuous mixing, and allows tracks like his own "Fugazzi" time to breathe, before he takes off with Guy J's "Lonely Color" near the end. It can sound like Cattaneo's on autopilot at times, but when it comes to navigating prog house, there's no one more reliable. Balance 026 isn't something you'll be playing in 15 years' time, but by then Cattaneo probably will have released another load of double-compilations, which isn't a bad thing.
TracklistCD1:
01. Boards of Canada - Aquarius (Version 3)
02. Hernan Cattaneo & Soundexile feat. Luciana - Solitude
03. Chaim - Blue Shadow (Slow Dance Mix)
04. Silinder - Pavement (Paul Hazendonk & Noraj Cue Slow Remix)
05. Mano Le Tough - Changing Days
06. Hernan Cattaneo & Soundexile - Rapideye
07. Derek Howell - Happy To Be Sad (Derek's Happy Again Mix)
08. Mercurio feat. Catnapp - On My Way to Hell (Balance Mix)
09. The Field - No. No... (John Tejada mix)
10. Moderat - Clouded (Interlude)
11. Weval - Out of the Game
12. Mike Griego - Sponges
13. Hernan Cattaneo & Soundexile - Ginga
14. Spooky - Shelter (Slow Phase mix)
15. YEWS - Believe, Belong
16. Hernan Cattaneo & Soundexile - Lunar
17. Damabiah - Irminsul, le pilier du Monde (2014 Edit)
18. Gui Boratto - Half Life
19. Guy J - Dizzy Moments (AM Mix)
CD2:
01. Hernan Cattaneo & Soundexile - Into The Edge
02. Roi Okev & Hakimonu - Changes
03. Chaim - Underwater
04. Ivory Street - Modjo (Andy Arias Interpretation)
05. Hernan Cattaneo & Soundexile - Parallax
06. Hernan Cattaneo & Soundexile - Fugazzi
07. Cid Inc - Fragile Circle
08. Khen - Sweet Break Up
09. We Need Cracks - Joran
10. Guy J - Esperanza (Santi Mossman Rework)
11. James Teej Feat. Richie Hennessey - Disclosure (Simon Vuarambon Remix)
12. Guy Mantzur & Sahar Z - Patterns (Guy Mantzur's 2014 Remix)
13. Guy J - Lonely Color
14. Hernan Cattaneo & Guy Mantzur - Imaginarium
15. Hernan Cattaneo & Soundexile - Lotus