Balance 006
Anthony Pappa unearths a mix of sonics and frequencies onBalance, as the Australian DJ casts an ever wider musical net. 2002'sResolutionwas of a similar bent, with a refined and varied texture that expanded on the rote progressive dance of his Global UndergroundNuBreedbreakout. Here, Pappa confidently throws yet more ingredients into his turntable stew. He glides,Sasha-like, through disc 1, as airy bits from Chimera ("Natural High") and KVK ("Reality Theory") bounce off darker mood music. It's a little schizophrenic, especially when comically dour songs like "Nothing Is Real" threaten to stall the momentum. By contrast, the second disc starts off with too much consistency, threatening a predictable finish. But after a smoking workout on "All I Wanna Do" from Rhythm Unlimited, Pappa pulls out the bread-and-butter trance via "Freakout," then segues into a lively set-closing sequence starringQuivverand Ben Camp.Balanceis a strange title for such a slippery record, but Pappa manages to tie it all together, and remains a DJ to watch. --Matthew Cooke