Patrice Bäumel recently released a rare studio mix, his first since 2019. It showcased why he is considered one of the best and prompted us to revisit his Balance Music entries…
We first worked with Patrice in 2014 when he mixed the tenth entry in our Balance Selections series. By then, Patrice had already made a name for himself in clubland with his massive track ‘Roar,’ released on Get Physical years earlier. ‘Roar’ was a masterclass in electronic music production, frequencies churning like a cosmic furnace birthing stars. It showcased an idiosyncratic producer with a keen ear for the eccentric.
When we approached Patrice to create a Balance Selections mix, we were already fans—and he truly delivered. The mix features bare-bones techno and minimal Berlin house from producers including DJ Metatron, Dorisburg, Marcell Dettmann, Barker & Baumecker, and Bicep. Under Patrice’s steady hands, he wove and teased melodies fluctuating from nervous to serene with laser-like precision, ramping up the intensity until Howling’s majestic ‘X Machine’ and Bicep ‘Celeste‘ clear the air like a spray of perfume.
As he mentioned in our interview, it’s a circular mix meant for uninterrupted repeat plays – preferably after a big night: ‘I also start and finish with the same track. This closes the circle. On auto-repeat the mix will almost feel like there is no beginning and no end. It is meant to be an MDMA inspired afterhour mix, something shifts between the hypnotic and the euphoric.’
Just over a year later, he raised the bar once again with his Balance Presents mix. With the artwork an apt visual for the music he was about to feast on, he expanded on his idiosyncrasy with an even bolder collection of electronica, techno, and prog.
A waveform of musical peaks and troughs, it’s a journey which at times feel perilous, an energy he doesn’t shy away from: ‘It’s not all easy listening; some parts really have teeth.’
The push and pull of the start features anxious electronica from Heathered Pearls, Jon Hopkins, Nils Frahm, and Throwing Snow, before finally, almost 20 minutes in, the shoegaze of M83 (their first of two mix appearances) provides a sense of relief. Via Plastikman, Minilogue and DJ Hell the buildup restarts, before finding some solace in his excellent remix of Underworld ‘Bird 1’, a nostalgic vocal cut that demands spiritual satisfaction. After the final stretch, which features Max Cooper, Charlie May and Jesse Somfay its undeniable: this is the work of a musical artisan.
And like any artisan concerned with premium work, Baumel is dedicated to his art. His commitment to high-end quality shines through in every detail of his work, reflecting his belief that his audience deserves the same level of sophistication and integrity he infuses into his art. ‘The mix is not – and was never meant to be – for people with a low tolerance for music and sound that is outspoken. I didn’t want to dumb it down.’
Patrice’s mixes are journeys—filled with intensity, fluctuation, and moments of pure relief. His work is for true connoisseurs: never diluted, always sophisticated.
