2024 Music Enjoyer Pt. 12
Ocean Planet Paradise // Balearic Beach BBQ
With the Dolphin Rally Race Finals in the books for this year, we return to Ocean Planet Paradise for the traditional Balearic Beach BBQ — a glorious celebration of sunset synth vibes, sensuous sea-breezes, and dreamy house music beamed in from the star-tropics.
Greg Foat - Live at Can Rudayla, Ibiza
Greg Foat continues to be a force for good on this planet by answering my secret heart’s desire that he make something Exactly Like This. Just like…thank you, Mr. Foat. A chill instrumental ensemble of top-tier musicians just vibin’ out live for a pool party in Ibiza, and somebody remembered to record it.
Max Graef - Natural Element
Sparkling OG Playstation mid/late 90s vibes, ranging from chill water-level dynamics to mystic forest themes to airborne cityscapes, and many bonus areas in between. Somewhat of a diversion from what I’d previously heard from Max Graef, but it’s definitely working for me. Tartelet Records continues to be one of the most interesting labels out there.
East Coast Love Affair - Musica Para Todos
True balearic mind-candy for the sunset crew. Load up “Punta Moscarter” and let those antigravity aqua-synths take you away. Athens of the North once again shows they’re one of the most endlessly rewarding labels on the planet to put your trust in, and just hit play.
Soshi Takeda - Secret Communication
One of my absolute favorite discoveries of the last few years, Soshi Takeda in general is one of those artists that just nails a certain kind of wistfully melancholy yet invincibly hopeful vibe which I am categorically incapable of resisting. There’s something in his melodies that always reminds me of Yasunori Mitsuda’s legendary Chrono Trigger OST, which is intended as the highest praise because it’s one of my all-time most beloved albums. If you enjoy this, I highly recommend checking out all his other work, especially Floating Mountains on 100% Silk and Memory of Humidity on Dotei Records.
Space Ghost - Dream Tool EP
Space Ghost continues to be one of the few producers I buy on sight, because everything he puts out is just exactly my vibe. Breezy keys, oceanic synth pads, big bubblin’ basslines…*champagne clink*, my friends.
Zopelar - Astral Dynamics & Ritmo Freak
Zopelar has been having a killer run of releases the last few years, and this year he’s put out two wildly good records — Ritmo Freak on the reliably excellent Tartelet Records, and the super juicy, balearically-aligned Astral Dynamics EP on Clone Records (no digital available on Bandcamp yet for that one, so it’s a YouTube link). Ritmo Freak has more of a wild 80s freestyle drum-machine funk vibe goin’ on, with a few true standout gems like the collaboration with Manuel Darquart, “Moonlight”. Speaking of which, if you like it but don’t know Manuel Darquart, definitely check him out too.
D.D. Mirage - Feel It / So Hot
Both original tracks are quite nice, but let’s be clear: it’s the super-extended instrumental dub mixes that are absolutely unmissable. Two near perfect additions to any DJ’s record box, they do that magic trick of hitting immediately from the first note, while also taking their sweet time to breathe & build the vibe. Bless those noble Aussie sound-purveyors at Isle of Jura for continuing to bring us unalloyed joys like these.
Alex Kassian & Mad Professor - E2-E4 (A Reference to E2-E4 by Manuel Gottshing)
I didn’t think it was possible to do remix-justice to Manuel Gottshing’s utterly classic balearic anthem E2-E4 after four (4) decades and countless other famously epic interpretations, but Alex Kassian & Mad Professor have done exactly that. Two flawlessly fresh takes on a timeless track that’s inspired people around the world for literal generations now.
Mudd - In The Garden of Mindfulness
We end another epic Ocean Planet Paradise Balearic Beach BBQ on a joyously playful note with this absolutely delightful album from Mudd on the seriously underrated Claremont 56 label. Makes me think about if Moon Safari-era Air never quit making music in that style, and just kept the good times rollin’. It is a vibe, my friends.