In 2020, true born Eivissenc, Willie Graff, divided his time between his homeland, Ibiza, and New York. In NYC he worked with studio partner Darren Eboli – producing the third installment of their Tribeca Tapes, released by Music For Dreams. 

Back on The White Isle, Willie teamed-up with Tuccillo to bolster the musical ranks of Hell Yeah!`s Buena Onda Balearic Beats Comp. 

Paired with fellow Pacha resident, DJ Pippi, Willie remixed Okinawa Delays` reading of Dusty Springfield`s Just A Little Lovin` – for Archipelago – and then licensed the lush Lunares E.P. to Claremont 56 off-shoot, Leng. 

Having recently returned to the Big Apple, Willie here casts his ears back over a musically packed 2020, and looks forward to a productive new year. 

Words and selections by Willie Graff. 

Could you please give me a few new tunes – releases or reissues – that helped you make it through the last 12 months?

It’s hard to pick favourites but here are some of the records I loved most this year, in no particular order…

12″ Singles

Safe Camp – <><> / [o] (Safe Trip)

Common Saints – Idol Eyes (Starsonics)

Harks & Mudd – Susta (Leng)

Gateway Shuffle – Digital Lifeline (Open Space)

Mogwaa – Turquoise (Bless You)

Andrew Weatherall – Pamela #1 (Pamela Records)

Relmer International – Gambol Theme (Testing The Waters)

Mogambo – Cobra (Siamese Twins)

Petros Skoutaris – Tropika (Into The Light)

Mario Acquaviva – Notturno Italiano Reworks (Mother Tongue)

Reissue Singles

Louiselle – La Mosca (Disco Segreta)

Electrodelia – Visions of Electrobombay (Super Utu)

Ahmed Fakroun – Ya Farhi Beek (Do You Records)

The 3 Pieces – Iwishcan William (Rogue Cat Resounds)

Bellydance – 3 Days Man! (Efficient Space)

Kip Carmen & Danny Horton – This Island Is Our Home (MTMU)

Webb – Elevate (Mixed Signals)

Reissue Albums

Special Touch – Garden Of Life (Heels & Souls)

The Primitive Painter – The Primitive Painter (Apollo)

Motohiko Hamase – Technodrome (WRWTFWW)

7 Inches

Los Bitchos – Turkish Delight (Self Released)

Pablo Color – Los Claveles 36 (Ish)

Steady Income Band – Untitled (Pond Life Records)

Peter & Patrick Jahn – Abenteuer Uberm Schrank (Growing Bin)

Albums

Eddie Chacon – Pleasure Joy & Happiness (Day End)

It’s Immaterial – House For Sale (It’s Immaterial)

Charles Webster – Decision Time (Dimensions)

Santilli – In Circles (Mad Habitat)

Cantoma – Into Daylight (Highwood Recordings)

Anthonius – Itoigawa (Tokonoma Records)

Sven Wunder – Wabi Sabi (Piano Piano)

Digi Only

River Yarra – Cafe Del Frog (If-Only)

Begin – Pachaas (Self Released)

Tuccinelli – Different Nature (Modern Manners)

Max Essa – Black Market Laundrette (Jansen Jardin) 

Bongo Entp. – Drommen (Music For Dreams)

Compilations

Oto No Wa: Selected Sounds from Japan (Music For Dreams)

Claremont Editions Vol 2 (Claremont 56)

Virtual Dreams (Music From Memory)

Buena Onda Balearic Beats (Hell Yeah)

This will be hard to answer but all being well what plans do you have for 2021?

If all goes well there should be some new music coming out in 2021 – from myself and the friends I collaborate with. There’s an E.P. with Tuccillo coming soon on Hell Yeah!, then part 4 of the Tribeca Tapes series with Darren Eboli due on Music For Dreams. Pippi and myself made a lot of music in Ibiza over the summer, and that’ll be coming out this year. I also did my first solo remix – for NuNorthern Soul.

There are no other plans so far – just taking it day by day – and looking forward to the moment when we can dance and enjoy music together again. Wishing a happy & healthy new year to you and all the Ban Ban Ton Ton community!

Willie Graff and Tuccillo`s New Dreams E.P. is released on January 29th, care of Hell Yeah!