James Holden

[skahound]

Re: James Holden

IMO his mixing has gotten worlds better from what it was just a couple of years ago. It sometimes almost sounds like he's using Ableton but I've never read anything or seen him live to be able to determine whether he toys with it or not. There are a few mixes of his that have grabbed me, but they're usually pumping. I could see catching him live being a bore since it would really be more of a concert rather than a DJ.

[peloquin]

Re: James Holden

you guys are just all pissed coz he doesnt make trance any more

[rubyraks]

Re: James Holden

^I actually think his track selection and mixing is way better now with his change to techy beats. It really does tend to be his lack of programming and hence direction that bores me.

[hulkhuss]

Re: James Holden

yup twins

[Lrn]

Re: James Holden

i dont know i fell in love with nathan fakes essentail mix from a few weeks back and if james holdens label is responible for producing nathan fakes new cd, then i cant hate on his experimental stuff

[Huggie Smiles]

Re: James Holden

his balance cd's are fantastic on a massive stero system system (good quality stero system);

probably all computer mixed but great stuff - havent heard anything as good from him since tho

[hulkhuss]

Re: James Holden

i have never hear a good holden set

[neoee]

Re: James Holden

I really enjoyed his Transitions set. I don't think its really danceable, but for listening its ace.

[solidify]

Re: James Holden

It took me a while to warm up to holden and his style of music. Off course balance was the first to grab my attention and he has pushed the boundaries of new and everchanging music we all enjoy. He has unique style that some don't enjoy, but at the contols is incredible. Granted its not 2am club pounding beats buts it pushing the envelope and making us consider a new sound. you can't put that down. holden is on top of his game. keep him at the controls!!

[hulkhuss]

Re: James Holden

keep him at the controls!!

and set the controlls for the heart of the sun

[Kinetic]

Re: James Holden

You guys wanna have a laugh? Well let me tell you, to me Holden is so far ahead of the game, right now, that if you ask me my top 3 DJ?s, I?ll say nr. 1 is Holden on a good night and nr. 2 is Holden on a bad night. Then I?ll say someone totally different like Desyn masiello at nr. 3.

I understand why some people don?t like his stuff...I think at this point in time there?s no middle ground with James Holden, you love it or hate it. I can totally see why people say you can?t dance to it, or that it?s boring. His stuff ain?t pre-digested, it ain?t sweetened for you, it?s not straight ahead four by four stuff, it?s music to move your body, fuck your brain and twist your soul.It demands more than booty-shaking from people. Hell, I love his stuff, but I can?t listen to it all the time! It?s hard and yeah, it can get into it?s own space too much.

Maybe because, these days, I don?t go out as much, I don?t club as much, his sound right now caught me in a frame of mind where it is exactly want I want to hear. It challenges me, it opens my mind to new sounds, it has shown me new types of music, and for someone interested in music production, it shows me you can create progressive dance music without sticking to any rules, either of structure or sound.

But if someone caught his set that I posted a few weeks back in the P & R forum, live at Barcelona?s Sonar festival...how can you call that boring? I was there and it was insane, people were losing their minds, they were dancing, pumping fists, headbanging, screaming...

Oh and one more thing that I totally respect...even when playing the Essential Mix or Digweed?s show, he stuck to his stuff...he didn?t tone it down...you had the tech-funk bits, the glitchy bits, the mindfuck bits and the scary evil shit...and sometimes, just a little melody to take you out of hell and remind you there?s a heaven.

Fanboy? Totally.

[Steve Graham]

Re: James Holden

great producer, mediocre dj.. IMO

[hulkhuss]

Re: James Holden

great producer, mediocre dj.. IMO

+1

[3d_1200]

Re: James Holden

lots of good responses...

I guess the thing with holden is you really just dont know what to expect at times. most dj's i see , i already have a good inclination of what type of sounds i'm going to be hearing. holden is pretty much one of the last dj's who really can be all over the board...sometimes in the same night.

I had heard a wmc set from bed i think of 05 or 04 and it was some more driving techy acidy house stuff (none of which i recognized) so i guess i assumed he would turn it up a bit for the conference. i think a lot of it had to do with the timing as well, like i said he was opening but it's 1am in miami at nocturnal, so the music just didn't fit the atmosphere imo. perhaps at 6am after the tiefshwarz set and a spliff or two and a nice couch i could of taken his set into another light.

[ubiqe]

Re: James Holden

I love his balance cds, I really like some of his sets... Have only seen him once and he was amazing at the controls... And it wasn't only my opinion, he had the dancefloor going crazy, great contact with the audience too. Mixing was spot on, as somebody said he's got an ability to mingle 2 totally different beats together... In a review of that night some dude said that he's a mathematician's approach to mixing and I guess there's some truth in this So I can't really relate to all those negative opinions... I will surely check him out next time he comes here and see if that night was an exception or the rule