Balance 007

Balance 007

ASIN: B00078802U

Editorial Reviews
Product Description
In a time when the words progressive house are no longer as chic as they once were, it is artists such as Chris Fortier who are genuinely pushing the sound forward. No greater example would be Chris' 2002 Bedrock compilation mix CD. Rather than including big names, he chose to create a platform for artists such as Meat Katie, Jay Tripwire, and Randall Jones before they went on to greater success.

While some U.S. DJs boast about playing the world, few can genuinely claim to cover as many international air miles as Fortier. Since a Bedrock/Babelicious UK tour with John Digweed back in 1997, Chris has gone on to consistently tour the globe over the past 8 years. Chris' DJ roots can be traced back to Central Florida in the early 1990s. As one of the pioneers of a scene which mirrored the UK at the time, Chris held residencies at the legendary Aahz nights. These visionary nights served as a platform to bring Sasha and John Digweed to America for the first time, and establish an "Orlando" scene that would become the benchmark for the rest of the U.S in the subsequent years.

As Chris' careers moves well into it's second decade, he continues to juggle his worldwide schedule with his solo production career, while heading back into the studio for his first international compilation in two years, compiling the seventh release in the acclaimed Balance CD Series.

Balance 007,Chris Fortier,E.Q. (Studio),Club/Dance,Dance,Dance Music,Pop,Progressive Trance

Average customer rating:

If this is where prog is going then God help us

Departed for Progress

A NON COMMERCIAL ALBUM

Pretty dull actually

ABSOLUTLY AWFULL

Balance 007
Chris Fortier
Manufacturer: E.Q.
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music
Trance | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music
General | Dance Pop | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music
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Balance 008

Balance 005

Bedrock

Balance 006

Global Underground: Shanghai

ASIN: B00078802U
Release Date: 2005-05-10

Tracks:

Global Communications The Deep (40oz Re-edit)
Floppy Sounds Entertainment (Carl Craigs Blue Miniature Morph Mix)
Error Error It Hits My Hair (Falling Deep)
2Dollar Egg 4 Rooms (Fahrenheit)
Alex Smoke Pingu
PJ Davy Sella Door
Agoria Klub
Lindos & Moth Break Free (Linus Remix)
Kobbe & Nitro America (Kelly D / 40oz Dub-edit)
Rabbit in the Moon Timebomb (Original Mix)
Slam This World (Wighnomy Dub)
D Diggler Raetselrausch
1 Up Yeah Dance To My Record Bitch (Kiki & Silver Surfer Remix)
!!! (Chk Chk Chk) Hello? Is This Thing On? (40oz Re-edit)

Tracks:

HD Substance Minimo
Vector Lovers Futures in Plastic (Claro Intelecto remix)
Mathew Jonson Love Letter to the Enemy
Jussi Pekka Propaganda
Rene Breitbarth Cooling the Plasma
Connors & Klingler feat. Fay Sephirah Usage
2Dollar Egg Naxos
Nicholas Wood Get Lost
Floppy Sounds Open the Door (Fan-Dancing Vampires Mix)
Patrick Zigon vs David Phillips Con fusion (Dark Forrest)
Borut Margon Sound of Ignition
Lucas Rodenbush Atmos
Lucas Rodenbush Submerged
Bent As You Fall (Micah Remix)

Tracks:

Sinewave Sinewave
Leigh Dickson Praise
Anthony Rother Synthetic
2 Rare People Ocean (Transparent Sound Mix)
Mathew Jonson Behind The Mirror
Direct Let It Ride
Hardfloor Skillshot (Mr. Velcro Fastener Mix)
Pascal FEOS Computer Controlled
Fraud Star Work That
Eddie Richards Dark 1.3
Effective Force Illuminate The Planet (Diamond Bullet (Act 6: Virtual Power)
Funk Harmony Park My Truth (Royal Sapien Main Room Mix)
Ramiro Mussoto Raio
David Gilmour Girls Crackhousewarmingparty (Rub n Tugs Did Someone Say Crack? Mix)

Album Description

In a time when the words progressive house are no longer as chic as they once were, it is artists such as Chris Fortier who are genuinely pushing the sound forward. No greater example would be Chris' 2002 Bedrock compilation mix CD. Rather than including big names, he chose to create a platform for artists such as Meat Katie, Jay Tripwire, and Randall Jones before they went on to greater success.

Customer Reviews:

If this is where prog is going then God help us.......2007-01-31

This is going to be a very long review so you can simply take the summary and click away. I have given this review some thought and this is pretty much what it boils down to: If this is where prog and dance music for the head, heart and soul is going then God help us.

Now wait a minute. Who am I to be judging Fortier anyway? He is a uber dj of almost legendary status with an impossible to imitate mixing style that sets him high among his peers. I dare say he is one of the best DJs the U.S. His bedrock installment was insane his trance America (don't joke about the title, that stuff gets old quick) was truly monumental so what gives me the right to call what he believes to be his best works to date his dullest to date.
It is simple really. The same circumstance is merely repeating itself. The cogs of the wheels may be moving in a different direction (I won't say if it is for better or worse) but they spin in the same fashion as the end of the 90's.
Unless you have been living under a rock you cannot deny that the scene is changing. What was once a rebellious, inspired, controversial genre is now the most commercialized? This is not a bad thing. Yes, you heard me it is not. Hey, a guy's gotta eat right? Spinning at least two hundred hours every night screws up your ears whether it is great music or not. I don't like the way a scene which was once almost hippyish (forgive the malapropos; it works here) is now primarily populated by the upper class privileged who see it as a new medium to promote a sort of fraternal exclusivity. These days the only way you can see the world is now longer by using the hippie trail. The wars and circumstances in our world today won't allow for that. You have to either produce a club hit, dj your ears off, or be filthy rich. Chris Fortier is a DJ and in my books a seriously one of a kind talented one at that. I could gush about the guy for hours but I won't.
The reason why you won't like this mix is because it is dull. The reason why it is dull is not because of the track selection which is obscure but excellent. It is not the mixing which is superb. It is not even the length which is too much for even the most patient of ears. It is the execution, the destination it is headed for and its dismal point of departure.

The departure point you ask? It is precisely what I mentioned above. The scene is and has changed. When dance music (I use this term loosely to encompass all that is electronica and hope I am not offending) turned poppy, DJs moved to a darker melodless sound that had literally no tell tale signs of transitions and really put the whole wait for it..... Mentality. The grayish dead land that was S&D's Communicate attests to this. Eventually the sound became more melodic again, but the approach was more diverse, more sophisticated. This sound is what I like to call experimental prog. It is gorgeous stuff that you can't really label but know has not been used like that before because it gives truly limitless rein to the imagination in a genre nefariously popular for being formulaic. A friend just lent me Cattaneo and the South American Waxmaster personifies this. Holden and Apparat, Fake and Kosmas as well. Even Infusion. So do 2 dollar egg, kiki, vector lovers and so on. Sasha tried on Fundacion but in my opinion did not quite pull this off. The success of this sound must have led Fortier to believe that the less accessible a mix is the better it is and this is why it fails. I like the tracks in this mix. I even love some of the mixes but conceptually it drips off narcissism, and egomania. I mean you must really hate what is out there to want to make something like this and to be honest with you that is the only conclusion I can draw. Indeed I thought it was just me but I have given it about 12-15hrs of trial and when I was in my 15th hour going into the second disc for yet another round I decided fu-k it! and switched to Nick Warren's Shanghai and the difference was so fantastically apparent I knew I had no choice but to give this review what it deserves rather than risking a high recommendation since someone may pick this up as their first balance trial or, even worse, their first peek into the endless myriads of worlds, dreams and experiences that make up electronica and become irreversibly disillusioned.

For hardcore electronica enthusiasts I can't sing its praises. The tracks are great individually but strung together they (for lack of a more apt word) suck.
If you are new to Fortier stay away from this, at least for now.
This was not easy. The truth really is bitter sometimes.

Departed for Progress.......2006-12-13

Not so long ago, the elaborate progressive house empire began to sputter, as evidenced by the extent, to which the vinyl crates labeled "prog" were filled with the same "intro-first verse-breakdown-second verse-outro" material. It was the sign of crisis, and the time to move forward - by deconstructing the sound, rediscovering the roots, and planting new seeds.

So it is great to hear what Chris Fortier has to offer on this mix - strange, techy, not "user-friendly". The perfect examples are the weirdly atmospheric tech house GU "The Deep", or the sample-heavy click-and-noise techno Alex Smoke "Pingu". Even the tunes on a more traditional progressive end have something different about them, like the Connors & Klingler feat. Fay Sephirah "Usage".

The first disc is more tech house oriented - minimal, loopy (check out the jazz-like hook of Agoria "Klub" going on for what seems like eternity). The second disc combines the tech trance bliss with clever, groovy ambient (Vector Lovers "Futures in Plastic", Floppy Sounds "Open the Door"). The third bonus disc is cool collection of electroid and house breaks.

It's good to see such an famous prog DJ be willing to free himself from the formula and depart for progress.

A NON COMMERCIAL ALBUM.......2006-08-16

I've seen Chris more than Once and heard most of his albums.
U can tell that this Balance Album its the result of a great research and his ability to mix NON COMMERCIAL TRACKS from UNDERGROUND PRODUCERS.
Chris not only recorded 3 amazing discs with an IMPECABLE mix, he also re arranged and re edited all the tracks.
This guy worked really REALLY HARD.
When I listened to the 3 discs I was really taken away.
This is PURE Underground Music fellas.
Pure Electro, Techno & some Proggresive house not for everybody.
Chris was interviewed by digweed in the transitions podcast and told him that this was his best album ever.
I totally agree.
what a TRIP!!

Pretty dull actually.......2006-08-06

Dull tracks. Monotonous tech completely void of melody or direction. The tracks fail to impress in the percussion dept. also and thats all they are... substandard beats.

Fortier's "Balance" is a disappointment. long live balance 005!

ABSOLUTLY AWFULL.......2006-04-23

Ok I've come to realize, with time, that music is before everything else a matter of taste. Some people here seems to find this mix wonderful...perfect for them! It did not impress me however. I have been listening to all sort of mixed album since I've started working in a gym...why I told you that? Because this job has forced me to buy all kind of music for my very and I mean VERY difficult clients.Furtermore working for up to 10 hours at a time I have listened to each of my cds more time than it is necessary to get sick of them. I think that, by now, I can say I'm an expert at what can be considered good music (althoug it's still a matter of taste remember!) Ok ok now back to Mr. Chris Fortier. I think that his previous releases where simply marvelous. Atmospheric breaks and Bedrok where very different but both very good. I also own Balance 005 and 006 and I think they are both masterpieces. So naturally, when I heard that Chris would do a mix for Eq, I did'nt even ask questions and I bought it. HOOOO what a mistake!!! It did'nt took me two or four listenings to understand that this album was simply BAD (my clients who are very used to hear all sort of progressive mix where supplying me to stop this music!). It's bland and repetitive even for progressive house. This is just perfectly mixed monotonic robotic beats without creativity. Don't buy this crap!

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