Balance 029 CD

For his first mix CD in some seven years, James Zabiela has pulled out all the stops. The brilliantly programmed and executed, studio style mix-up contains elements of an impressive 58 tracks across the two discs, which are designed as distinctive "Acts". Act 1 (that's CD1 in old money) is a largely downtempo affair geared towards home listening - a melodious and other-worldly sound soup containing everything from neo-classical reworks and off-kilter ambience to slo-mo progressive house, to mangled R&B breakbeat and lucid, head-in-the-clouds tech-house. Act 2 is an all-out dancefloor assault on the senses, with Zabiela speeding through bombastic, acid-powered jack-tracks, trancey tech-house, raw electro, sparkling techno futurism and grandiose sunrise anthems. It must have been a lot of work, but it makes for magical listening.