Ibiza is the proud home of Alfredo's eclectic Balearic beat and, whilst most of these mixes aren't for the dance floor at all, we thought it was time for a celebration of what wonderful things the Balearic 'anything goes' approach to music can produce in any situation. In this playlist we step away from beats electronica and enter into the more diverse realms of the following ten amalgamations of musical excellence, exploring a lot more than dirty basslines and a slick hi-hat (not that there's anything wrong with that). There's a crazy amount of good music in here, so bookmark the page and chew these up over the next few weeks. Public transport is going to be a piece of cake.
Shock World Service: #60 Past, Present & Future
The Shock World Service podcasts are unique - each resulting mix a clever blend of music, spoken word & street sounds recorded around London. Podcast #060 is a look back over some of the tracks from the previous 59 episodes, covering perhaps more diverse musical ground and eras than any other mix on this list. The Coin Operated Winter Podcast is another favourite of mine, listen here.
More music from Shock World Service.
Psychemagik: Cosmic Code - Something In The Attic - Ace Hotel Mix
A Psychemagik mix was always going to make this list. Though producers in their own right, the British lads have made their name on remixing or simply unearthing dusty sonic relics from a diverse spectrum of genres through the last half a century. This mix was put together after sleuthing through thousands of VHS tapes, laserdiscs, vinyl records and cassettes in search of the perfect sample for an up-coming audio-visual performance.
Fybe:One: Cold Souls mix
Definitely one for relaxing, the Cold Souls mix rolls through a collection of soothing songs from folky acoustic to hip hop to ambient. It's creator, Fybe:One, is a London based graphic designer/music producer who also co-founded a record label, Shades Recordings. Both Fybe:One and Shades Recordings are responsible for releasing intelligent, melodic and grooving house music that has the music bloggersphere frothing hard. Check out his latest album here.
Nicolas Jaar: BBC Essential Mix
Beginning with Angelo Badalamenti describing the creative salient point that produced the macabre Twin Peaks theme, this boldly alternative mix from Nicolas Jaar set the bar for mix series' worldwide, and for Jaar's own music that was to follow. Morose and experimental, the mix explores the concept of how gaps in time change our ways of perceiving.
Jon Sa Trinxa: SPTL100
Alfredo may have given birth to the eclectic, fun-loving genre of balearic music, but Jon Sa Trinxa is keeping it alive. By no means the only one, Sa Trinxa is perhaps the most established and best-loved of island DJs flying the balearic flag in Ibiza, making sure the island succumbs neither to the abrasive screeches of EDM nor the monotonous grey-area of tech-house.
Dirty Three: Quietus mix #64, The Dirty Three Take You Outback
Dirty Three is an Australian instrumental rock band comprising Mick Turner, Jim White and Warren Ellis, the latter of whom you'd recognise as the composer of many cold and beautiful film soundtracks like The Assassination of Jesse James, and his frequent collaborations with Nick Cave. This brilliant Quietus mix opens in the orient and travels through a collection of genres to the lonely outback.
More music from Dirty Three and Quietus mixes
Prosumer: FACT mix #385
In this FACT mix Prosumer emerges from behind a table in the dark walls of clubland, plonks himself under a proverbial palm and produces a sunny, smooth mix of reggae, funk, instrumental and other pleasant sounds. With a steady pace and consistent positivity, this mix will lift the dankest of moods.
More music from Prosumer and FACT mixes
Emika: Klavirni Electronic Ambient mix
Emika released this mix in conjunction with her latest album Klavirni (review and stream here), and as such it is an unusual blend of melancholy solo piano and ambient electronica. Just like the album, it has a raw, unpolished quality to it, intensified by the intermittent fiddling and warping of the existing sounds. The pace and flow is quite unpredictable; though low key, this mix will keep the listener on their toes.
Wonford St James: Time After Time
Wonford St James is a mystery to me, being one of those artists you stumble across after a few hours of what your parents might call 'surfing the net'. Often a quagmire of shite, sometimes the Internet comes up trumps and delivers culture hunters a gem like Wonford St James. I know he writes wonderfully, makes films, playlists and photographs himself 'dead' in various locations, way before planking was a thing. Time After Time is a short collection of 80s band awesomeness, and that's about all I know.
More music from Wonford St James
Pinchy and Friends: Sleepy Bedtime Mix for Young Ones
The Pinchy and Friends site is a collection of eclectic mixes which often dig up a lot of very old, obscure records and samples. It's set up by The Avalanches, who curate many of the mixes themselves, including Sleepy Bedtime Mix For Young Ones. I love it for its joyously childish themes, old samples and truisms, for example "kites are funnnn" - a key message I think we can all agree on. The aforementioned Wonford st J has made a great mix on Pinchy too - check it out here.
More music from Pinchy & friends
WORDS | Jordan Smith
