Artist: Pole Folder
Title: Babylon Days
Label: Arctic Wave Records
By: Ryan Simoneau | 5 December 2007
Tracklist:

• A: Original Mix
• B: Dousk Mix

Pole Folder "Babylon Days"

Benoit Franquet AKA Pole Folder has been renowned for his deep, dark and very layered tunes over the years. This was especially true on his debut album, “Zero Gold.” I remember the first time I heard it and thinking to myself, this guy is going to be a superstar. Over two years have passed and as we eagerly await his second offering, he’s managed to drop a few tasty morsels over the interim to whet our appetites. His massive “Buenos Aires/Bokoto 10PM” was easily the standout tune on the second disc of Nick Warren’s recent Global Underground release and received massive play among the world’s elite DJ’s.

Now Benoit is back with a new tune, “Babylon Days.” I must admit; my expectations were high after hearing “Buenos Aires/Bokoto 10PM”. However, as I quickly discovered, the only thing to expect with Pole Folder is the unexpected.

The original mix starts out with a bang and has a retro vibe running throughout. Listening to this track reminded me of old school rave classics like Moby’s seminal “Go” and even hints of acid house. This is very far removed from his classic “Apollo Vibes” and is certainly a peak time monster. The second half of the track provides listeners with Pole Folder’s more familiar layered and textures vibe and the melody remains strong throughout. Synths wash over you as the acid bassline rumbles in the background. It’s perhaps the last two minutes of the track, where the beats are gone and the ambiance takes over that really show what a master craftsman Benoit truly is.

Dousk’s Terrase Mix of the track keeps in vein of the original but smoothes the track out a bit more. If I didn’t know the tracklisting, I would have thought this was the Pole Folder original. Dousk’s mix is much deeper and makes better use of the vocals while keeping the melody of the original firmly in place. There’s no doubt in my mind that this did some deadly damage on the terrace of Space this past summer in Ibiza. And it’s not often I say this but this remix is superior to the original.

Unlike a lot of rising producers today, Pole Folder knows a strong melody is central to his tunes and he takes it a step further by surrounding said central melody with multiple layers to keep your ears firmly tuned. While his long player may have been more for home listening, this track is aimed squarely at the dancefloor and should be a welcome addition in any progressive house dj’s collection.