Words: Sarah Bayly

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Looking for some new beats to warm you up from the cold Melbourne chills? One of the latest editions to the Balance Presents Series is a mix by Spanish legend Henry Saiz. Balance Music is Melbourne based and distributed by Universal for the Aus and NZ market. Balance specialises in highlighting top quality electronic, indie and dance music and brings us the latest and greatest.

Having already mixed his own CD compilation back in 2011, for Balance 019, Saiz is back at it again. Being likened to Joris Voorn, and James Holden and performing at Ultra Miami and Sonar among others over the many years this Madrid native is no novice to wowing a crowd.

To sum up his career and celebrate a decade of his label, Natura Sonoris, Henry Saiz has created a mesmerising compilation lasting nearly 2 hours long with over 20 tracks. The extensive mix is exclusive from his label where he has previously used different gear to produce the unique sound for Balance 019 mixing vinyl, cassette, reel-to-reel tapes as well as over 100 field recordings. This time Saiz wanted to “do something special” and being six years since his last CD he “thought it was the perfect timing to do a new collaboration.”

The compilation of tracks contain unreleased tunes airing for the first time, reworked old favourites and a bunch of Saiz’s own new released tracks.

It starts off dark with Depeche Modes’ 80’s electro-pop sounds in the first track ‘Lone Wolf’. Saiz’s tracks such as the remix of ‘Damabiah’ and his own samples are woven into the compilation also containing the marimba roulade of Bufi’s ‘Bird Song‘ and strong beats of ‘Sonder’ by Jeop Mencke’s for the first section.

The second part is more energetic with ‘The Walrus’ from Marc Marzenit and the enchanting Luminous Black from Brian Cid. Saiz’s brings in the vocals with ‘The Light’ and remixes it with additions of the piano fingers of bRUNA, this is a stark contrast to beatless emotive ‘Entree,’ a Saiz remix from Sistema.

The final segment is where Saiz shines through with the collaboration ‘No Name’ with Peter Dundov and languishing tunes from Voltaeric.  He closes with his own production to finish off the epic set with ‘Spiricom (See you Soon)’.

His penchant for being adventurous and curious in selecting music means he changes it up each time and tries to create an intense and visual musical experience. With turning and dropping at the exact times, the captivating journey Saiz takes you on is truly something.

Listen to the preview edit here. With over 26,000 plays already, there’s a good reason to have a listen. Saiz’s compilation will be released here in Aus on 14th July and check him out in person in August. See below for tracklisting and tour dates.

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Tracklisting

1.1. Henry Saiz – Lone wolf (A Reality Mendley)

1.2. Hal Incandenza – Contacto

1.3. Bufi – Bird Song

1.4. RIP BESTIA – African Wedding Ceremony  (JMII’s Sagrada Familia Remix)

1.5. Landikhan – Veneno Mortal (R.I.P Bestia acid antidote JP 8080)

1.6. A Friend of Marcus – She Who Annihilates + samples from Henry Saiz – Our Discovery

1.7. Damabiah – Sur les Genoux de L’Automne (Henry Saiz Remix)

1.8. Joep Mencke – Sonder

1.9. Tentacle – Goliath (Brassica Remix)

1.10. Henry Saiz – Secrets (Tuff City Kids Remix) + (Brassica Remix)

1.11. Marc Marzenit – The Walrus + samples from Henry Saiz – The Nothing

1.12. Victoria Rodriguez – Moon on a Bright Day

1.13. Brian Cid – Luminous Black + samples from Hal Incandenza – Ventura

1.14. Henry Saiz & Tentacle – The Prophetess

 

2.14 Henry Saiz & Tentacle – The Prophetess

2.15. Henry Saiz – The Light (bRUNA Remix 2017 Master)

2.16. Sistema – Entreé (Henry Saiz Remix)

2.17. Henry Saiz – Rave Flute + Samples from Henry Saiz – Moonlight Wolf

2.18. Petar Dundov & Henry Saiz – Infinite Promises + samples from Henry Saiz – Sleepwalk

2.19. NVSBL – Woodhouse (Henry Saiz Remix)

2.20. Henry Saiz – Death Drive (Eduardo de la Calle Remix) + Henry Saiz – The Pendulum + melody from Voltaeric – Sandman

2.21. Henry Saiz & Cora Novoa – Golden Dawn (Brynjolfur Dream Mix)

2.22. Henry Saiz – September + samples from Marc Marzenit – Track for the End

2.23. Henry Saiz – Spiricom (see you soon) (Hal Incandenza Remix)

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Tour dates

Melb – Friday 18th August at Brown Alley

Syd – Saturday Aug 19 at the Return to Rio Launch @ Manning Bar

Bris – Sunday Aug 20 at Lemon & Lime @ Capulet, Brisbane