2022 marked 20 years of bringing you beautiful sounds for Copenhagen-based imprint – well, more institution – Music For Dreams.  I’ve been fortunate enough to have been in contact with the label’s colourful founder, Kenneth Bager, for about half that time, and am honoured to be one of the folks who’ve been contributing weekly to their radio station since its start. 

The Music For Dreams artist roster is pretty vast – boasting a mixture of both veterans and newcomers – and as a consequence their cool catalogue grows at a pretty prestigious rate. I might be a bit picky but this last year alone new albums by Troels Hammer, Rheinzand, Jacob Gurevitsch, DJ Pippi & Willie Graff, topped Ban Ban Ton Ton’s lists

Early in 2023, also watch out for the sublime, cinematic, East Of North, which is due in shops any minute now, and a dynamite dub project from Pete Blaker (one of DJ Harvey’s remixer / re-editors of choice). Kenneth has some big celebrations planned for 2023, but here, for a moment, he casts his mind back to a few personal favourites from the past 12 months. 

Super selections & wonderful words by Kenneth Bager, of Music For Dreams.

Here’s  a little list of tracks from 2022, that I listened to and played a lot…

Jack J / I Saw Fire

Ada / 25 or 6 to 4

Lemon And Soul / Agatha

Dawda Jobarteh / Sunset In Batumi

Alex Kassian / Strings of Eden

Pinky Perzelle / No Games ( Velvet Season & The Hearts Of Gold Remix)

Neil Young & Crazy Horse / Love Earth

Chronixx / Never Give Up

Dominic Fike  & Zendaya / Elliots Song

Discovery Of The Year

War / Koronos

16 Minutes of pure `70s Hippie chill out jazz bliss. Thank you! to Gregor Darman for the Tip!

A Few Music For Dreams Releases

Vinicio Adames, featuring Amaru  / La Forma Del Tiempo II

DJ Pippi & Willie Graff / Art Of Sax

Voice of Art / Ten Days Of Silence

Troels Hammer / House Of Memories

Rheinzand / The Gift Of Love

Tolga Buyük & Kenneth Bager / Betrayal

Jacob Gurevitsch / Yellow Spaceship  (the whole album)

For me, the Vinicio Adames album was the sleeper hit of the year, and that tune, Forma Del Tiempo II, is a killer sunset track – evoking Jose Padilla vibes to the max and the singer is Amaru is a name to watch. She’s on the next Ambala album too

Music For Dreams Balearic Dance Floor Anthem of `22

Everywhere I saw this tune being played, the atmosphere just changed up to another level…

DJ Pippi & Willie Graff / Bridge To Oran

In 2023, expect new albums from Ambala, Copenema, Rheinzand, Jacob Gurevitsch, Islandman, Belanuit, Ken Fan, Anders Ponsaing, Troels Hammer, Wolf Müller, and Dj Pippi & Willie Graff. I`m also working on a new album with singer / songwriter, Findlay Brown, and Danish producers, DJ Divo & OliO. Findlay will be main vocalist, but one track also features Anna Domino.

(Kenneth & Findlay Brown)