Balanced Records

25/10/2024

Out today! Link in bio~

Canadian-Bermudan poet, musician and writer Dane Anthony Swan and Ottawa musician and DJ Rise Ashen started collaborating together over 20 years ago. At the time, Dane was living in Ottawa and DJing with Bellyful Soundsystem. Rise became an instant fan of Dane’s cool personality, music, DJing and drum n bass dancing :-) and the two collaborated on several songs on Rise Ashen’s classic Earth Dragon album… 

Dane moved to Toronto and the two rarely saw each other, but there was a demo-version of a song Dane had penned which stayed on Rise’s mind over all of those years. It was sung over a dub instrumental, and it was a haunting and mystical song describing a utopian relationship and dance between a mixed-race couple. The song was always in Rise’s crate and periodically he would drop it in lounge gigs, or sometimes as a last song of the night after a long house set. For Rise, the lyrics of the song always embodied the spirit of house, despite it being in a slower tempo.

The stems were lost on a harddrive somewhere, so a remix was not possible. Enter AI and stem extraction technology over the last 5 years. With an acapella in hand that came from that old MP3 Rise had, he started working on a house version of the song.

The result is a truly unique sounding track, ready for the dancefloor, a spiritual house banger where a steelpan performance by Rise exists in tandem with real handclaps and a honking feel… Dane’s voice and lyrics are the heart of the song… an uplifting underground house anthem FOR THOSE WHO KNOW.

25/10/2024

Out today! Link in bio ~
Canadian-Bermudan poet, musician and writer Dane Anthony Swan and Ottawa musician and DJ Rise Ashen started collaborating together over 20 years ago. At the time, Dane was living in Ottawa and DJing with Bellyful Soundsystem. Rise became an instant fan of Dane’s cool personality, music, DJing and drum n bass dancing :-) and the two collaborated on several songs on Rise Ashen’s classic Earth Dragon album…

Dane moved to Toronto and the two rarely saw each other, but there was a demo-version of a song Dane had penned which stayed on Rise’s mind over all of those years. It was sung over a dub instrumental, and it was a haunting and mystical song describing a utopian relationship and dance between a mixed-race couple. The song was always in Rise’s crate and periodically he would drop it in lounge gigs, or sometimes as a last song of the night after a long house set. For Rise, the lyrics of the song always embodied the spirit of house, despite it being in a slower tempo.

The stems were lost on a harddrive somewhere, so a remix was not possible. Enter AI and stem extraction technology over the last 5 years. With an acapella in hand that came from that old MP3 Rise had, he started working on a house version of the song.

The result is a truly unique sounding track, ready for the dancefloor, a spiritual house banger where a steelpan performance by Rise exists in tandem with real handclaps and a honking feel… Dane’s voice and lyrics are the heart of the song… an uplifting underground house anthem FOR THOSE WHO KNOW.

02/08/2024

Coming soon from RCola !!

RCola's latest release on Balanced Records introduces a fresh, jazzy twist to his Drum and Bass style, showcasing his evolving musical journey.

27/10/2023

Out today - a brilliant collabo between Melo-T and Rise Ashen... Brothers from the day they met at the famed Mercury Lounge in Ottawa, in 2015, Melo and Rise have been collaborating on music together since 2019. Both accomplished DJs, they bring their love of Afro-House, NYC house, Amapiano, Afro Beats, Latin house and global dancefloor mixology into their productions and create a unique blend that is truly their own. Check out their debut album Music is a Journey which is out on all platforms today.
Follow this link for more!
https://orcd.co/miaj

Rise Ashen Music

16/01/2023

16/01/2023

Check out this unique pairing with RAW Almond and MEMETIC . Kasm will be playing opening sets for both shows!

FROSTBYTE @ RAW:almond by Memetic - Sunday, February 5, 2023 05:00 PM at RAW:almond Pavilion under The Forks Bridge in . Buy tickets and find information on Universe.

13/01/2023

Intergenerational sensational Theland and Rise Ashen Music (Theland Kicknosway, 19-year old Cree and Potowatomi singer and dancer and 48 year-old 3-time Juno-Award nominated global grooves producer Rise Ashen) come together for this haunting slow-house groover. Same Home combines Theland's soaring contemporary vocals with lush bamboo percussion and tabla in a phonky, grinding organic groove, and a head-nodding west-coast lead synth solo. The lyrics call out to the spirits around us, living beside us, in the same home. The video was shot by Toronto multi-media artist Shaemara who brought her beautiful eye to the project.

More info- https://mailchi.mp/88d5fa0bae4d/8o33xm4ojh

15/12/2022

In 2007 we released Link Pins, a compilation that featured a number of unique artistic pairings. One track that will always be a highlight for us was a remix by Fascade@137db of Angelo Badalamenti's "L'adversaire". Angelo is the famed composer who scored David Lynch's Twin Peaks, Blue Velvet and Lost Highway. He also collaborated with a diverse array of artists including Nina Simone, David Bowie, Pet Shop Boys and many others.

We're saddened to learn that Angelo passed this week. He was very down to earth and a pleasure to work with all those years ago. We'll always be grateful Angelo was willing to collaborate with his art and explore new musical paths together.

10/12/2022

We're thrilled to launch our brand new website, masterfully designed by
Click the link in our profile to check it!

23/11/2022

21 years since our first party/ CD release!

22/07/2022

The final installment of our 20 year series lands with two uptempo tracks from some of the original Balanced creators. Longtime collaborators Kasm & Rise Ashen Music team up for a warm, meditative track guided by Rise’s powerful, expansive vocals. As a bonus, the instrumental version is also included as the third track. The second offering comes from one of the label's co-founders, Solidaze, who delivers a bumpin' house beat layered with light ethereal melodies and a punchy jazz bass.

Mastered by Green House
Photo by Ian Walsh
Graphic Design by Generic

More info and music: https://mailchi.mp/38c851a8d2c1/bal56

13/07/2022

Check out this spotlight on Rise Ashen Music and the vast catalogue of tracks that we've been honoured to release. On our next release, he collaborates with Kasm to close out our 20 year series. Stay tuned!

https://cod.ckcufm.com/programs/ondemand-player.html?id=56877&token=Tzr7J%28%3E%25kd6v%5DE%40%29P%25c%5BR%7B9i6FE%5E%2Cwt9%268shiYw%7E%5Bw0xpW%2B%26VG

Canada's Cool Culture Wednesday July 6th, 2022. Rise Ashen. With Muddy Watters During this broadcast: A tribute to Rise Ashen! The Musician, Producer, DJ, and B-Boy talks to us about his incredible career. Featuring music from his solo recordings and collaborative projects with Flying Down Thunder,....

20/05/2022

Richie Phoe - Petrichor Dub
Spencer SeedOrganization - Amps

Out today for streaming and download.
https://mailchi.mp/c3a4760f851f/jg2bruzc5f

06/05/2022

Richie Phoe and Spencer SeedOrganization are featured on our newest release.



https://balancedrecords.bandcamp.com/album/203-petrichor-dub-amps

2 track album

10/03/2022

Tbt Seed Organization playing our 15 year anniversary party Oct 2016. Watch this space for a new track from Seed as part of our 20 year series!

24/11/2021

This Friday join Silla and Rise as they takeover The Indigiverse! With tons of great music from Terry Uyarak, Joey Nowyuk, Drezus, and more amazing artists! With amazing stories to go along with the tunes! Join us this Friday at 6ET on SiriusXM Canada Ch. 165!

https://bit.ly/Silla_and_Rise_Takeover

17/11/2021

29/10/2021

Out today! The new album from Silla and Rise - Silarjuaq!

Silarjuaq expands Silla and Rise’s incredible career trajectory to date, blending the Inuit throat singing of Silla (Cynthia Pitsiulaka, Charlotte Qamaniq and Charlotte Qattu Meeka) with the global dancefloor mixology of Rise Ashen Music.

Ambient production, frenetic beats and club-ready grooves provide the layered foundation for Silla’s prose and storytelling that weaves its way through the album, with features from Tanya Tagaq, Deirdre Dooley, Theland Kicknosway, Risten Anine, and Annie Aningmiuq.

For more info and to listen-
https://mailchi.mp/74c282f59881/bal54

26/08/2021

Throwback to our 10 year anniversary party, a little over 10 years ago now! A memorable event to say the least!

Stay tuned for some new releases coming soon as part of our 20 year anniversary series!!

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?vanity=balancedrecords&set=a.10150392101854392

07/05/2021

We are happy to announce the start of our 20th year with a brand new series of EPs. The first features RCola remixing Richie Phoe’s “First Class Mi Run” and Dubmatix remixing Seed Organization’s “Wha Gwan?” Both tracks feature the legendary Dangerman. Grab it now exclusively on bandcamp!

2 track album