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12"
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LF 048EP
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Guy J returns to his own Lost & Found imprint with two absolutely stunning pieces of journeyman techno. "Aurora" hits with chunky drum arrangement that's reminiscent of Deep Dish at the height of their powers; deep, driving, and wide enough to carry the weight of the pristine synths, humanized rhythmic textures, and melodic weaves. "Airborne", meanwhile, is the full trip: almost ten minutes of locked-in beauty gliding you further into a state of unblinkered positivity. Immaculate elevation that seems to come from nowhere; timeless emotionally rich techno like this is universal.
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CD
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BAL 009CD
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How do DJs imbue compilations with the sense of worth, majesty and mystery that they once had in the pre-internet age? The smart ones pour enough time, originality and exclusivity into their mixes to justify a purchase and to ensure that their effort stands the test of time. On his Balance mix, Guy J achieves both in magnificent fashion. One of John Digweed's brightest discoveries of the last decade, the Israeli producer grew up listening to the Bedrock boss' groundbreaking Northern Exposure mixes and Transitions radio show. A focus on progression and evolution makes Guy J's music and sets so captivating, straddling the divide between deep progressive house and dubby techno with stunning flourishes of euphoric melody. On this incredible Balance mix, he has taken the essences of some of his best-loved tracks by other producers and filtered them through the prism of his own stunning sound, re-editing and reconstructing them to create a truly original listening experience. A truly epic reverb embalms the yearning, ethereal strains of Flowers & Sea Creatures' collaboration with DJ Yellow, "No One Gets Left Behind," as the mix gently, beatlessly begins (think Radiohead dosed up on Valium in a vast church). We effortlessly segue into the lush textures and exotic instrumentation of Roger Martinez & Secret Cinema's "Menthol Raga," deep bass and a warm beat brought gradually into play. From these monotone depths emerge the sorrowful bass line and heady atmospherics of Henry Saiz's "Sante Fe," and a bubbling interpretation of a Radio Slave a cappella that heightens the energy considerably. Juan Deminicis' "Once Upon a Time" tempers the mood back down, setting up the seductive melancholia of Navar's "Phases of Grief" for maximum impact, all brooding bass and emotive riffs. Pezzner's mix of Pavel Petrov's "Fever" gets amped up into a hypnotic, head-nodding slice of deep tech house, moving perfectly into the rich strings and shimmering keys of Charles Webster's Lanoiraude remix. Just as the energy is swelling, we're pulled back down once again into the sumptuous sea of melody and warmth of his Dactilar "Day One" edit, the beat simmering down to near-nothingness. Again, it's an expertly implemented lesson in contrast, the soaring motifs and heady vocals of Echomen's "Perpetual" blossoming out of this pause for breath. Guy Matnzur's "I'm Your Country" ramps up the momentum once again with hard-hitting bass interspersing heavenly breakdowns, and WOW's "Killa" providing a glistening penultimate slice of big room splendor. Robert Babicz's "Duba" provides the dreamy swansong that rounds the mix off; another beatless beauty laden with spine-tingling emotion. It's all over too soon, demanding rapid repeat listening. This magical mix is sure to be a strong contender for one of 2013's finest, and has everything going for it to live on well beyond those end-of-year lists.
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12"
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TURBO 062EP
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"When Guy J's 'Skin' hit #2 on Beatport, it was a defining moment. Beatporters had spoken loud and clear, deafening the shrill cries of infant bloggers. The Isreality EP was a hit for Turbo, and we were amazed to see a lush, proggy track outsell most of our heavily hyped 'bangers'. After that success, Guy's manager sent me a bunch of new tracks, many of which ended up on the critically acclaimed Esperanza LP. 'Shaman' was my favorite of the bunch. We could have just released it, but next-level A&R is about more than choosing tracks. It's about choosing eras, and we needed to finish nu-rave before we could begin the tropic-o-bongo house revolution of 2009. Credit the Turbo administrative vacuum for sitting on a track this good for so long, until great remixes are done, and the world is ready. Tiga and I have both played it towards the end of some very special sets in the last year. It has a nice type of 'soft' impact. It somehow manages to add energy to the crowd without being louder than the track before it. To the tired ears of veteran DJs, that's a rare pleasure. There are also some great remixes in this pack. A subtle, punchy rework by Mohan Das; an extremely playable, deep, dubby mix from the venerable Cari Lekebusch." -- Thomas Von Party
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12"
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MANUAL 014EP
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"Manual Music presents a massive EP by Guy J. Together with Guy Gerber, Chaim, David K. and Shlomi Aber, Guy J is one of the main contributors to the popular sound from Israel at the moment. Combining the warmth of progressive house with elements of minimal techno, Israel has a very distinctive sound at the moment. Guy J has had recent releases on infamous labels such as Azuli, Renaissance and Bedrock and is therefor making quite a name for himself. This release features the huge original mix and remixes by Frenchman DJ Yellow (Ovum, Poussez!) and the talented Dutchmen Thomas Lauren (Dualblock)."
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