Crate Diggin’: Uncovering Henry Saiz’s hidden club gems

Electronic music often ends up following trends, so it takes serious inventiveness to stand out from the pack. Spanish producer Henry Saiz has covered a significant amount of ground over the last decade, but his creative ambition might be the main thing that’s defined his career. Saiz has always presented his warm and progressive electronics via projects requiring extreme dedication, whether that’s recording his first Balance compilation entirely on cassette, or travelling to sites across the world like Joshua Tree and the Andes mountains to record his latest crowdfunded album. The considered nature to Saiz’s work partly explains his fit on imprints pushing a lighter style of electronica, from Last Night On Earth, to Bedrock and his own, Natura Sonoris. Ahead of his appearance at Last Night On Earth’s full club takeover on 17th November we asked Saiz to fill us in on some of his favourite secret dancefloor weapons, and it came as no surprise when he got back to us with a list of emotive slow burners.

P – Various Artists (A1) [Equation]

A hidden gem I’ve had so much fun playing out recently. The number of people that have asked me about it is close to infinity! I have to admit that a part of its charm is that almost no one can figure out which version of Vangelis’ Pulstar this is. But, credit where credit’s due. Madrileño and a good friend of mine did an amazing job with this edit for the third instalment of Marvin & Guy’s Equation series. The dancefloor goes nuts every time I play it.

The Prophetess – Henry Saiz & Tentacle [Balance Music]

Anyone who knows me knows my love for 80s synth music. Perhaps because this was the music that influenced me during my teens. Bringing back that flavour with a modern touch… it was a pleasure to work on this together with Tentacle. Who would’ve thought it would be a highlight of my recent Balance compilation? A killer tune that always works for me!

One Last Thing – Pale Blue [Captured Tracks, 2MR]

This is such a beautifully weird track. Six minutes of melancholy that somehow still manages to set a very special mood. There are no super fancy sound elements or impressive climaxes, yet it’s so emotional and catchy. It’s impossible to resist. It creates a very elegant, memorable and even somewhat entrancing groove; the more you listen to it the more it grows on you.

Prototype – Rex The Dog [Kompakt]

A track that influenced me massively as a musician. I like to pull it out every now and then, and it still hits like a bullet on the dancefloor. A superb piece of electro-tech with charm from Kompakt.

Apart (feat. Sísý Ey) (Michael Mayer Remix) – Kasper Bjørke [Hafendisko]

A beautiful remix to a beautiful synth pop original. These days, when everyone is looking for the next best banger, “sensitive” dance music becomes highly underrated. And as someone who´s always more attracted to an emotional side of music I just couldn´t pass by this track. Its beautiful layers and nostalgic bittersweet vocals make it exquisite. As soon as you hear it, it stops anything from troubling your heart.