Balance Selections Podcast

Ranj Kaler is a name becoming more regular on the global scene. After losing his DJ residency at the start of the pandemic, he used the lockdown to focus on music production. Within six months, he was releasing tracks on labels like ARRVL and Four Candles’ Keep Thinking, alongside attention grabbing reworks of Sade and Kate Bush. Since then, he's released music on labels including Capital Heaven a...

Electronic producer/DJ Ok Sure is a prominent name in Melbourne's music scene, renowned for her dark, moody, and melodic sound that has made her a fixture at festivals like Rainbow Serpent and Let Them Eat Cake. She’s a regular on Australian radio and hosts a show on Reform Radio in the UK, which was nominated for a Mixcloud Online Radio Award.

 Her extensive discography spans nearly 15 years, fe...

Katrin Souza's journey is a remarkable example of turning adversity into creativity. Despite growing up in an orphanage and lacking formal musical education, Katrin Souza overcame significant obstacles to pursue her dreams. After discovering the joys of electronic music, she dedicated her nights to studying music production while balancing a full-time job and raising two young children as a single...

In Melbourne the names of Jacob Malmo and Tom Evans are well known as solo artists. Together, they have carved a niche for themselves as The Journey, a name synonymous with sturdy progressive. It's a sound that's been forged with their combined 20 years plus of dance music experience - and one that’s gaining traction internationally. Alongside multiple European tours, they have graced stages at ic...

We head to Western Europe to spotlight Rokazer, a French producer and DJ who has been quietly crafting main room dance floor music for well over half a decade. It’s synchronous how the word "rock" is embedded in his Rokazer alias: he has a knack for creating rocking propulsive progressive aimed at making people dance. And mentioning main room masters like Eric Prydz and Deadmau5 as creative inspir...

In 2011, Lithuanian producers Donatello, Arnas D and Kastis Torrau entered a competition to remix Sasha’s “Cut Me Down.” Their entry won and was released on Last Night On Earth. Currently, a YouTube upload of their wistful remix has amassed 17 million plays and 3,991 comments singing its praise. That’s impressive numbers for any dance music genre. Since then, with a string of releases on notable l...

Recently, we released a highly accomplished 4-track EP featuring Kamilo Sanclemente in collaboration with fellow Colombian producers. One of these collaborators is producer/DJ Juan Pablo Torrez, a well-known name in his native Colombia. He is a radio host, producer, and label owner (Clubsonica, which was named "Best Record Label" in 2023 at the Colombian Dance Awards), and with over a decade’s wor...

Anyone with a passing interest in early and mid-2000s progressive breaks will know the name Fretwell. The Sheffield producer's lush take on the sound was signed to renowned labels including Global Underground, Bedrock, and Electrofly, the breaks offshoot of Baroque Records. Most notably, he contributed the exquisite "Faceless" to Anthony Pappa’s Balance 006. Nowadays, he occasionally returns to pr...

Sistersweet is a DJ/producer from Moscow, Russia, and a resident of the local Digital Emotions crew. She is an active member of her community, spreading the progressive sound through her LUCHiSVETA radio show on www.megapolisnight.ru and support slots for DJs such as Kasper Koman and DJ Ruby. Production-wise, she is slowly building a portfolio with releases on labels like Balkan Connection, SkyTop...

Noel Sanger is a Florida native with a career spanning nearly three decades in progressive house and trance. Starting on classic imprints like Limbo and Release Recordings, he went on to work with artists like Erasure, Nadia Ali, John Taylor of Duran Duran, and Markus Schulz. Today, he runs Dissident Records, a label boasting tracks from artists like Kamilo Sanclemente, Jamie Stevens, Gai Barone,...

🚨 To commemorate 20 years of Balance 006, Anthony Pappa compiled a special 2 hour mix, a 2024 rendition if you like of his revered Balance entry: one hour of lush prog breaks and one hour of hypnotic 4/4. 🚨 ================================================ Few DJs capture the imagination of prog punters like Australia’s Anthony Pappa. Known for his technical proficiency and ability to mix tracks...

Hailing from a lineage of creatives, Rocío Portillo is part of a new generation of South American producers making serious waves. Staunchly Argentinean, the influence of Hernan Cattaneo were  always going to loom large on her musical development. And so it happened that she attended one of his Moonpark events which would seal her fate: "It was then that I fell deeply in love with electronic 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 Ea...

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...

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 dou...

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 regul...

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 conversati...

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 drum...

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 F...

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...

The old adage "they don't make them like they used to" might seem trite; however, it certainly applies to Belgian producer Pole Folder. During the 2000s, his knack for delivering epic and soaring productions that immersed you into a world of narrative was unparalleled. Listen to the amazing "Apollo Vibes" (alongside CP); it is intricate yet feels huge, unfolding its themes with the confidence of a...

A Just Her set blends electronica, house, and deep techno, imbued with an emotional touch designed to capture both the feet and heart of her audience. This skill was honed through a journey from buying vinyl with paper route earnings to becoming a distinguished DJ, producer, songwriter, and label owner (Constant Circles). It's an aspring story, one that's led Just Her to a notable discography on l...

From the opening track of this mix, you know you're in for a ride. ’Dance Dance’ is an edit of an old Bollywood classic SAQIB made with Haider Uppal. Its the lush groove sets the tone for a 90-minute dance of deep-fried disco that flirts with main room prog in the most analogue way.

 Hailing from Pakistan, the now Brooklyn-based DJ is an ardent student of music, an arc that includes playing heavy...

Around the turn of the millennium, Danny Bonnici, as part of Nubreed, was at the forefront of an emerging sound known as progressive breaks—a golden era in electronic music. Celebrating that, he has curated a 2-hour mix featuring tracks from Luke Chable, Nubreed, Sasha, Andy Page, and more. Click link above for tracklist and our Top 5 Essential Progressive Breaks interview with Danny. @dannybonnic...

Hailing from Hungary, Peter Makto has been involved with dance music for over twenty years. His self-described rebellious spirit deeply resonates with the creative freedom that electronic music offers. It serves as a conduit for his self-expression, and as hinted in his Balance Q+A, it’s an approach he ties to a deeply spiritual foundation: “I believe in fate and in the laws of the universe always...