If Balearic Beat is a mix of “old and new – electronic and “organic” – Pop and Underground”, then something similar applies to the chill-out blueprint mapped out by Jose Padilla at Ibiza`s Cafe Del Mar. A blueprint I`ve been doing my best to adhere to in the monthly Chocolate Milk And Brandy round ups. Jose didn’t seem to care about genres at all. Fusion, New Wave. Pioneering Electronics from Innovative Communications, Jazz from ECM, New Age from Windham Hill. Art House soundtracks. Brazilian obscurities. The odd top ten hit. The last time I was there he played some Ice-T. I used to think that Jose spun at the Pop end of things, but that`s not true. He`d play brand new, cutting edge stuff. He was just cherry-picking out the more melodic moments. The music might have been introspective, but it never got too dark, or too challenging. Crystals were aligned, horizons expanded, but heads were not blown. The aim of the sunset ritual, the rite, was to prime party-goers for the night / the good times to come. To me, Jose`s sets were not Ambient – there was Ambient in there, sure – but they were something separate, and unique. I`d be really interested to know what Jose makes of Visible Cloaks, or the catalogues of 130701, Erased Tapes, and RVNG Intl. Whether such beautiful, but more “esoteric” tunes would have made it onto his treasured C90 cassettes. Jose says he doesn’t do interviews any more, but I haven’t given up hope. 

Paying tribute to Jose, and trying cherry-pick at sun down in the same way, here`s a little over four hours of music, selected from forty or so of my favourite more chilled releases of 2018. Artists and tunes that blur the boundaries between Dub (Smith & Mighty), Electronics (Gigi Masin, Pablos Eye, Peaking Lights, Pilgrims Of The Rinde, Iggy Pop & Underworld), Folk (Ezra Feinberg, Jacob Gurevitsch, Judith Kravitz, Litto Nebbia, Nordso & Theill, Pablo Color, Prins Emanuel, Stubb & Jane Weaver, Robi Svard, Waak Waak Djungi), Gospel (Nana Tuffour), Jazz (Charlie Haden & Pat Metheny, Ronald Langestraat, Jon Lucien, Henri Texier), New Age (Jeff Majors), Pop and Rock (Batteaux, Ned Doheny, Dr. Robert, Morrison Kincannon, Antoine Kogut, David Sylvian, Music From Memory’s Uneven Paths). Those who composed specifically with a beach at dusk in mind (Blank & Jones, Copenema, Max Essa, Pan Electric, The Swan And The Lake, Troels Hammer). Some it`s impossible to classify, like MJ Lallo. Orquestra De Las Nubes. Plus I finally! got hold of Vangelis` Blade Runner score. 

I hope listening helps you welcome 2019. 

Wishing you all the very best for the year to come.

あけまして　おめでとう　ございます!!!

Track-list

Peaking Lights – Sea Of Sand – Dekmantel

Jeff Majors – Baby Daughter – Invisible City Editions

David Sylvian – Praise – Virgin / UMC

Pablos Eye – That Night Together With Her – Stroom

Orquestra De Las Nubes – Cama Diarmonica – Music From Memory

Troels Hammer – Diario De Silencio – Music For Dreams

Vangelis – Rachels Song – Warners

Gigi Masin – Kite – Astrollage

Pablo Color – Waves – Ish

Pat Metheny & Charlie Haden – Spiritual – Decca

Prins Emanuel – I Skyn – Music For Dreams

Jacob Gurevitsch – In Search Of Lost Time – Music For Dreams

Vangelis – Blade Runner Blues  -Warners

David Sylvian – Krishna Blue – Virgin / UMC

Ezra Feinberg – Kernel And Shell – Related States

Blank & Jones – My Island (Coyote Mix) – Soundcolors

Pilgrims Of The Rinde – Lac Of Therein – NAFF

Stubb & Jane Weaver – We Are Launching – Paper

Nordso & Theill – Hope – Music For Dreams

Pablo Color – La Calle Roja – Ish

MJ Lallo – Singing In The Lightyears – Seance Centre

Underworld – I`ll See Big – Caroline

Smith & Mighty – Leaving Part 1 & 2 – Punch Drunk / Tectonic

Jeff Majors – Summertime – Invisible City Editions

David Sylvian – I Surrender – Virgin / UMC

Pablos Eye – La Pedra – Stroom

Antoine Kogut – Sphere Of Existence – Versatile

Waak Waak Djungi – White Cockatoo – Efficient Space

Nana Tuffour – Jesus – Kalita

The Swan And The Lake – Sao Paolo – Music For Dreams

Judith Ravitz – Dia De Indio – Be With Records

Max Essa – Breakfast In Yutenji – Music For Dreams

Elements Of Life – Are You With Me Love – Mysticisms

Pat Metheny & Charlie Haden – Our Spanish Love Song – Decca

Litto Nebbia – Pelas Madrugadas – Worlds Trees

Helio Matheus – Mais Kriola – Athens Of The North

Pablo Color – Cavallo – Ish

Robi Svard – Bajo La Luna – Asphalt Tango

Pan Electric – Sweet As Rain – Claremont 56

Copenema – So Vejo Voce – Music For Dreams

Jon Lucien – Kuenda – RCA

Henri Texier – Amir – JMS

Pete Brandts Method – What You Are – Music From Memory

Vangelis – One More Kiss Dear – Warners

Jeff Majors – Yasmeen – Invisible City Editions

Dr Robert – Lost In Rasa – Wonderful Sound Libraries 

Ned Doheny – Think Like A Lover – Claremont 5

Batteaux – Livings Worth Loving – Be With Records

Morrison Kincannon – To See One Eagle Fly – Spacetalk

Paul Simon – She Moves On – Legacy

Tim Maia – These Are The Songs – Mr Bongo

Ronald Langestraat – Girl Where Are You? – South Of North

Litto Nebbia – Monte Hermoso – Worlds Trees