James Holden - At The Controls (Resist Music) 2006

[Goa Bill]

 

CD1

1 Apparat -Wooden (5:17)

2 Plastikman - Cor Ten (2:18)

3 Massive Attack vs. Mad Professor - Trinity Dub (Three) (2:20)

4 Kate Wax - Angel Blues (2:18)

5 Death In Vegas - Anita Berber (4:14)

6 Petter - Some Polyphony (5:43)

7 Vox Sola - Metro Pop (2:53)

8 Issakidis - Hotter Now (Stripped Down Mix) (1:20)

9 Holden - Lump (6:16)

10 Midi Miliz - Trace Function (4:57)

11 Harmonia - Watussi (0:52)

12 Holden - 10101 (3:22)

13 Stavöstrand & Skugge - Medean (3:06)

14 Nathan Fake - Charlies House (Apparat Remix) (6:33)

15 Lucky Pierre - Angels On Your Body (3:39)

16 Christ. - Perlandine Friday (3:13)

17 Fennesz - Rivers Of Sand (1:43)

 

CD2

1 Meta.83 - Opening Titles (4:28)

2 Paul Kalkbrenner - Gebrünn Gebrünn (4:22)

3 Motiivi:Tuntematon - 1939 (4:15)

4 Malcolm Middleton - Solemn Thirsty (4:26)

5 Aphex Twin - Xtal (4:40)

6 Milky Globe vs. Holden - Sun Spots (2:59)

7 Kalabrese - Aufm Klo (4:25)

8 Lazy Fat People - Big City (1:55)

9 Water Lilly - Lottotron Reboot (3:05)

10 Trans Am - Cold War (War Is Stupid Mix) (4:13)

11 Slag Boom Van Loon - Poppy Seed (Boards Of Canada Reprise) (1:49)

12 Egoexpress - Live At Sirius Prime (5:13)

13 Black Strobe - Nazi Trance Fuck Off! (Holden Remix) (8:02)

14 Plastikman - Cor Ten (1:32)

15 AFX - Every Day (4:14)

 

James Holden is a former prodigy kid of the British Trance scene who break through first at the tender age of 18 with the huge Horizons hit that was played to death and was licenced later to many compilations and mix sets including Dave Seaman's Global Underground album. A few years later he set up his own label "Border Community" that considered by many as one of the most interesting and influential labels nowadays including the seminal Soopertrack / Zu Fuss by Extrawelt, Drowning In A Sea Of Love by Nathan Fake and more. Definitely a fine lable with a broad and futuristic view on the electronic music.

This double album presents Holden's eclectic (to say the least) tastes and fuses seemlessly Minimal Techno with Dub, Electro, IDM and even some Psy Trance. Can't say how good are his Dj'ing skills in real life but his Ableton Live skills are impressive. The flow here is remarkable and he manages to fuse so much interesting music without sounding artificial for a second. Really hard to milk some more words for this one but if you enjoyed Sasha's Involver and if you like your music melodic, laidback and warm you should go and check it. Not another hit collection with a super star DJ on the decks. This one was made with love.

10/10

[Jeller]

tracklist looks very nice..

 

you probably also checked the recent Extrawelt work released on Border Community?

[andonis]

Judjing from the tracklist and his good reputation this must be one to look for.

[phatpat]

Definately one of my very fav mix cds to come out this year.

[Sour Milk]

This is listenable music. Car or _Headphones two thumbs up.

[sleepingzombie]

Don't own the album, but listened to some tracks .

Very well produced, high class style.

His environments are smooth, but he is very smart to

avoid repetition and to keep attenction of the listener

always high.

Great ! Sure on top of my to-buy list for this year.