Search - Jimmy Van M :: Balance 010

Perfectly Balanced

Rohan Narine | Queens, New York | 12/13/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Upon listening to Balance 005, and 008, I have grown to enjoy these sets as they would be played in a club (e.g. Crobar). The Balance series has done a fine job of choosing their DJ's, and they have certainly made, in my opinion, their most refined choice in Jimmy Van M. Coming from a Miami background, and Dj'ing in New York, he has certainly established himself as one of the best at constructing a set. He wastes no time in laying down three discs here for Balance's 10th installment.





As we all know, disc one is chill out. I really enjoyed his transition from track one into track two. Also, his track 10 into track 11 from sisters Anoushka Shankar and Norah Jones is very nice to hear. All the while, he is preparing the listener for disc 2, as is evident with the last track on disc one, which is minimal, dark, and constant.



Disc two, midtempo, it not significant of the beats per minute. Although I did not guage the three discs, two and three are more beat driven than the first, and I don't think that disc three is faster than disc two, but they are more around the same bpm's (124 - 126). The highlights of disc two are basically every track. (Upon looking at the sleevenotes, one can see that all the tracks, more pertinent to discs one and two, span the course of 12 years. One track was from 1994!) Mr. Mulligan's track selection for disc two is so good that each track blends into another as a seamstress connects one piece of cloth to another to form a style all her own.



Disc three, for me the culmination of years of research and studio editing, is Jimmy Van M's tour de force. From the opening track, its guitar riffs catch you, and his signature "two of the same track" intro begins to produce a spellbinding experience. In this disc, your journey takes you to the discs' seventh track, where the peak is worthy of throwing your hands in the air and jumping up and down, then realizing that you're still in your car on the way to work. It slowly builds again, from 8 to the second to last track, which is by 16 Bit Lolitas. A heavily catchy tune sets the stage for the close of the disc, which is by no means climatic and crazy, but instead leaves a grin on your face that says "Wow, that last track was really good (perfect beat, perfect vocals), and so was that first track, and so was everything in between."



After listening to all three discs, they have an element about them that requires deeper understanding, and also requires repeated listening. I feel that even after 5-6 listens, I can never fully comprehend the composition of the set, and I will need to listen to it over and over to fully understand what was going through the DJ's mind when creating this masterwork. I'd recommend that you purchase this disc and expect not just a 3 cd set that that will last until Balance 011, but will last to define the genre for the decade to come."

Runs the gamut...

Marc Gustafson | San Diego, CA United States | 12/15/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"from good to awesome! I get the feeling that this is an incredibly personal mix, because it encompasses so many different records, emotions, and feels. That said, the pacing and mixing shows that this mix is composed by a master-class DJ. This mix is a real journey, as cliche as that term may sound. Just take a look at the track list, and you'll see the depth of music that is informing Jimmy Van M. When you can match Brian Eno to Depeche Mode, and Cocteau Twins to Speedy J, you've got something special. The only complaint I have is that the mix is so personal that certain tracks just don't ring right for me because of differing tastes. Though for me, this only happens at the end of the Disc 2 in a giant 3 disc set! So, if you're reading this, I encourage you just to go ahead and buy it."