Jason Bye - Kahlua Kollective Beats: Balearic Beats 2001

All Music Guide

Prominent Ibiza-by-way-of-England DJs Jason Bye (summer resident at ~Space) and Pete Gooding (resident at ~Cafe Mambo) collaborate on the Australian label Bang On's double disc Kahlua Kollective Beats: Balearic Beats 2001 mix. The two throw down nothing but huge records by such big-name producers/remixers as Saeed Palash, Hipp-e Halo, Cevin Fisher, Steve Lawler, Peace Division, Danny Tenaglia, Paul van Dyk, Pete Heller (as Stylus Trouble), and Matt Darey, among others. There's little filler on this mix, which finds the two DJs dropping the more house-inflected side of progressive dance on the first set and the more trance-inflected side on the second. Since these sort of epic, lumbering tracks don't require much mixing, track selection and sequencing is more of an issue than actual beat-mixing, and the two DJs piece together sets that are more front- than back-heavy -- the sets begin wonderfully then simmer out a bit toward the end as they get darker and more superfluous. Nonetheless, this album is very much in touch with the times, capturing the dark and hypnotic sounds of progressive dance as well as many of the style's most popular anthems circa 2001.

- Jason Birchmeier, All Music Guide