James Holden ‎– At The Controls

Devestating and deep mix from one of the forerunners of newbreed digital dj's, Mr. James Holden. Ableton Live is amazing software and especially in the right hands and here it is used to perfection to mix some very sublime tracks with techno and minimal interspersed with neo-folk and ambient.

This is a lay on your floor with the headphones on and drift away kind of mix that is stunningly original. It is frankly amazing that Mr. Holden is able to meld so many tracks together from such different genre's and retain a sound consistent with that of a completed album. It is the rare mix where an artist or DJ can so completely disappear in the music of choice and this is the finest example of that I've heard.

As mentioned previously, this CD does capture James Holden's ever-changing sound and vision. I especially like CD2 which just has an edge to it from start to finish. I went to his last gig in Chicago half expecting this type of sound from him, only to have him take me down another altogether different avenue of sound. He never ceases to amaze! His track selection is always very clever and his ability to blend tracks I wouldn't dare put in the same 70 minute mix is unthinkable at times. James is never one to disappoint, but rather open up a new perspective.

I found this compilation by sheer luck and bought it thinking it would be along the lines of his Balance effort.
Instead I found that at times, the mixing is almost heavy handed and strained, and I found myself skipping through tracks halfway through on disc 1. Disc 2 seems more polished, however it took a while before both discs sunk in. Not what I expected, but that's no bad thing, but there are certainly better examples out there.

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 licensed 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 label with a broad and futuristic view on the electronic music.
This double album presents Holden's eclectic (to say the least) tastes and fuses seamlessly 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.

This double disc is one of the 2 most mind-bending, reflective journeys an electronica enthusiast can go on. It's not necessarily a heavy dance set, but it does have its moments to entice you to get your groove on. Holden At The Controls has definitely redefined what a DJ set is & has set the bar very high. Since the release in March '06, this has been my most frequently listened to CDs in my collection of DJ sets ever. Watussi into 10101 is probably my favorite mixes on the 1st CD. I've never heard a duet in dance music like the one in 1939; it's so beautifully done! Definitely worth your time to hear, if you have an open mind going into it.

Very good selection, worth buying for the very rare Trans-Am remix alone. Previously available only on CD, this track is like a dream meeting between New Order and EBM, in other words electro brutality meets beautiful synth pad sequences, with infectious new-wave vocals on top. The whole thing sounding quite modern, courtesy of the contemporary production and twisted sound FX. Unmissable.

Personally I think this mix is Holden's best work to date, excellent as his Balance was, 'At The Controls' shows both how much he's grown as a DJ and a desire and thirst for pushing forward and refusing to restrict himself to genres or boundaries. If that sounds pretentious, well, maybe it is, but unless you want to take joking around into the realms of high art, sometimes you have to put at least a little bit of a serious face on to create something fresh and original within a format that is a) inherently limited and b) already full to bursting with apparent pinnacles. As far as I'm concernced, on 'At The Controls', Holden's set a new standard for supposedly 'Progressive' music by actually moving forward, unlike the majority of its practicioners. He's even put Trans Am on it, and Trans Am are fucking brilliant!

Cutting edge of cool it may well be but a little dissapointing measured against his excellent Balance CD. There's no doubt there's quality material on here but its sat with several 'Fashion' Electronica tracks, and this causes the mix to jar. Aphex is always good, however others seem more "art for arts sake" If you will....

This is a long way from Holden's phenominal Balance mix, so fans of that compilation should be somewhat wary here. With a heavy bias towards electronica (as evidenced by two Aphex appearences) this is more for the chin-stroking Warp boys than the progressive set. That said, it sounds fresh, new, and it's certainly stimulating. ...But the wife won't like it.