Super selections and wonderful words by Balearic Mike.

Apologies for the tardiness of this look back at 2023’s releases. It would have arrived earlier, but Balearic Wife and I celebrated the holiday season by catching COVID again!

While 2023 proved to be yet another absolute stinker of a year by just about every metric you could possibly measure, music once again managed to be something worth getting out of bed for. So, let’s not dwell on the smouldering bin-fire of a world for now, but let’s instead think about all the fantastic new tunes there were to listen to. Christ knows how we’d have coped if wasn’t for this lot …

TOP ALBUMS

It was a very strong year for artists albums, and picking a favourite was really hard, so I haven’t really. OK, I sort of have, a bit, ish. I think the list is kind of in order. The first record, Everything But The Girl’s long-awaited return to the world of pop, was almost certainly the album that Balearic Wife and I wanted to listen to the most, so it’s sort of a deserved winner, but superb solo efforts from David Kitt, Jim, Steve Cobby, Earth Angel (a.k.a. Crooked Man / Parrot / Richard Barrott), a.s.o., A Mountain Of One, and Prins Emanuel all could have taken the top spot depending which way the wind was blowing. 

Honourable mentions go to newcomers (to me anyway) Bay Bryan, Abracadabra, Say She She, and Peter Culshaw.

Everything But The Girl – Fuse (Verve)

David Kitt – Idiot Check (Re:warm)

Jim – Love Makes Magic (Vicious Charm)

Steve Cobby – The New Law Of Righteousness – Declasse

Prins Emanuel – Diagonal Musik II (Music For Dreams)

Earth Angel – Earth Angel mini-LP – Foundation Music

a.s.o. – a.s.o. (Low Lying Records)

A Mountain Of One – Ricard Villalobos Reimagines Stars Planets Dust Me (Vicious Charm Recordings)

Abracadabra – Shapes and Colours (Melodic)

Peter Culshaw – Music From The Temple Of Light (SKRA Music)

Greg Foat & Ayo Salawu – Interstellar Fantasy (Sonoton / Blue Crystal Records)

Jpye & e11e – Blue Your Mind (Claremont 56)

Ferdi Schuster – Playing Life (Claremont 56)

The Gaslamp Killer Meets The Heliocentrics – Legna (Cuss Records)

Matthew Halsall – Never Changing View (Gondwana Recordings)

Sault – God (Forever Living Originals)

Sault – 11 (Forever Living Originals)

Sault – Earth (Forever Living Originals)

Little Simz – No Thank You (Forever Living Originals)

Bay Bryan – The Meadow (Green Vinyl Records / Bay Bryan Music)

Penguin Café – Rain Before Seven (Erased Tapes)

Say She She – Silver (Karma Chief)

Dina Ogon – Oas (Playground Music Denmark)

TOP SINGLES

This was looking like a walk in the park for Payfone, who released what I already consider a Balearic classic early in the year, with the slo-mo, sex-chug that was “I Feel You”, resplendent with a marvellous Mudd remix. That was until one of my dearest friends, and fellow Vinyl Exchange survivor, Abigail Ward pitched in with a late contender as Ghoßt Assembly. There’s nowt to choose between them really, so sorry, you’ll just have to share … joint #1!

More dancefloor gold came from the Idjut Boys with their stellar remix of De Lux (another artist new to me), a killer Prince remix from East Coast Love Affair, an outstanding house treatment of David Kitt from X-Press 2, great reworks of JIM from Midfield General (I want these on a record please Damian – we can put them in next year’s chart as well then!) and Crooked Man, and an immense Balearic Blah Blah edit extravaganza from Pete Blaker.

On a mellower tip the Wonderfulsound Singles Club was once more on fire this year, as was Jason Boardman’s Before I Die dropping a couple of belters. Mudd slipped out a tantalising taster from his forthcoming debut solo album on Claremont 56 too.

Payfone & Kyd Nereida – I Feel You (Leng Records) 12”

Ghoßt Assembly – I Miss Your Love (Club Mix) (Ruf Kutz) 12”

David Kitt – Till The End (X-Press 2 Remixes) (Re:warm) 12”

JIM – Phoenix (Crooked Goth – Remixed by Crooked Man) (Vicious Charm Recordings) 12”

JIM – Still River Flow / Across The Street (Generalisation Dubs) (Vicious Charm)

De Lux – What’s Life (Idjut Boys Remix) (Innovative Leisure) 12”

Prince – 17 Days (East Coast Love Affair Min Mix) (Promo) 12”

Balearic Blah Blah 18 – Elkie 12”

Melody Beecher – Careless Whisper (Isle Of Jura) 12”

R.S.L. – Wesley Music (Danny Krivit Edits) (Giant Step / Most Excellent Unlimited) 12”

Nev Cottee – The Ring (WONDERFULSOUND’s Stringapella) / The Hollywood Sign (Inner Space Quartet remix) / The Silver Screen (Finney Instrumental) (Wonderfulsound Singles Club) 7”

The Superimposers – Golden (Shawn Lee’s West Coast Instrumental) (Wonderfulsound Singles Club) 7”

Paul Bender – Summer Fool (Wonderfulsound Singles Club) 7”

Arthur Melo – Me Lastimaste / Dama da Noite / Saídes (Wonderfulsound Singles Club) 7”

Mudd – In The Garden Of Mindfulness / Katanaboy (Claremont 56) 12”

Bernardino Femminielli  – O Signe Des Temps (Before I Die Projects) 12”

Sewell & The Gong – Tonight We Fly EP (Before I Die Projects) 12”

Todd Russell & The Dangerous Coats – Playa Larga / 1900 Ocean Ave (Be With Records) 12”

Gabriels – Love & Hate In A Different Time (Greg Wilson Remix)

Jacob Gurevitsch – Elevation In Minor (Cosmodelica Remix by Colleen ‘Cosmo’ Murphy) (Music For Dreams Promo)

Lavender Hill Express – Silly Rhymes (Wonderfulsound Singles Club) 7”

Brother Lee – Casio City Rockers EP (Wonderfulsound Singles Club) 7”

TOP COMPILATIONS

No one should be surprised that I chose Moon & Jason’s Aficionado comp as my favourite of the year. Quite an emotional record for me, that deserves a post of its own (which I will get around to writing soon). Hats off to Paul Hillery, as well, with just the 3 (yes! THREE!!!) entries in this year’s chart.

I only picked 12 this year, but every one of these comps is superb, with Hidden Waters on Mr Bongo being possibly the biggest surprise. Along with another stunning set from Luke Una and the latest in their Record Club series it was a brilliant year for the Brighton label.

A bit under the radar was the beautiful collection of Adrian Sherwood productions on OnU Sound / Real World, as well as a late belter compiled by Jon Savage, that stretched the definition of ‘ambient’ somewhat.

25 Years Of Aficionado compiled by Moonboots & Jason Boardman (Re:warm)

Folk Funk & Trippy Troubadours Volume 2 compiled by Paul Hillery (Re:warm)

Luke Una presents E Soul Cultura Volume 2 (Mr Bongo Records)

Paul Hillery presents Once Again We Are The Children Of The Sun (BBE)

Hidden Waters: Strange and Sublime Sounds of Rio de Janeiro (Mr Bongo Records)

Skyrager: Traces Of Illusion (Spacetalk Records)

Claremont Editions Volume 3 (Claremont 56)

Adrian Sherwood presents: Dub No Frontiers (OnU Sound records / Real World)

Jon Savage’s Ambient 90s (Caroline True Records)

Paul Hillery presents We Are The Children of the Setting Sun (BBE)

Mr Bongo Record Club Volume 6 (Mr Bongo Records)

Holy Church Of The Ecstatic Soul (A Higher Power: Gospel, Funk & Soul At The Crossroads 1971-83) (Soul Jazz Records)

TOP REISSUES / ALBUMS

It was a year when quite frankly, Be With records were simply taking the piss! I think they managed 50 releases this year, the majority reissues, and almost all of them which I would have bought if money and space were no object. Not surprisingly, they take the top 2 places in this list of reissues, with Wally Badarou`s Color Of Silence being a record I’ve been dreaming of owning for ages, and Thomas Almqvist a record I didn’t even know I needed in my life.

Fila Brazilila smashed it with 2 superb collections showcasing the breadth and depth of their wonderful back catalogue, with the beautiful ambient ‘Beatless” soundtracking my morning exercise routines every day at the moment.

I’ve long wanted Sheila Chandra’s trilogy of solo vocal albums on vinyl, and they were beautifully done.

There was another beautiful collection of Arthur Russell material on Audika, and gorgeous deluxe box sets of another two of my all-time favourite artists, with Prince and the Beastie Boys, while a rarity from another of my favourite artists (which I used to own and stupidly sold) got a surprising release on vinyl for the first time in the shape of Pet Shop Boys “Relentless”. These all made me very happy!

The Dambala collection on Emotional Rescue was a total revelation to me, and I splashed out on a cracking quartet of Record Store Day releases as well.

Wally Badarou – Colors Of Silence LP – Be With Records 

Thomas Almqvist – Nyanser LP – Be With Records

Arthur Russell – Picture Of Bunny Rabbit LP – Audika Records

Prince – Diamonds & Pearls (Super Deluxe Edition) (Paisley Park / Warners)

Beastie Boys – Hello Nasty (25th Anniversary Deluxe Edition) (Grand Royal)

Dambala – Revelations (Emotional Rescue)

Fila Brazillia – Retrospective Redux 90-22 (Re:warm)

Fila Brazillia – Beatless 90-23 (Fila Brazillia)

Isabelle Antena – En Cavale (Numero Group)

Pet Shop Boys – Relentless (Parlophone)

Joe Harriott / Amancio D’Silva – Hum-Dono (Trunk Records)

Bobby Hutcherson featuring Harold Land – San Francisco (Blue Note Records)

Marianne Faithful – A Secret Life (Island Records)

The Slits – Rough Cut (Island Records)

Sheila Chandra – ABoneCroneDrone (Real World Records)

Sheila Chandra – Weaving My Ancestors’ Voices (Real World Records)

Sheila Chandra – The Zen Kiss (Real World Records)

Vecchio – Afro-Rock (Music DeWolf / Be With Records)

Barbara Moore – Vocal Shades & Tones (Music DeWolf / Be With Records)

The Roger Webb Sound – Moonshade (Music DeWolf / Be With Records)

Swing Family – Music Force (Tele Music / Be With Records)

Sauveur Mallia – Spatial & Co (Tele Music /Be With Records)

Sauveur Mallia – Spatial & Co Vol.2 (Tele Music / Be With Records)

Tony Rubio – Rhythms (Tele Music / Be With Records)Hardy’s Jet Band / Orchestra Klaus Wuesthoff / Jan Troysen Band / Orchestra Gary Pacific – Blue Butterfly (Selected Sounds / Be With Records)

David Shire – The Conversation: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack (Silva Screen)

The Orb & Lee Scratch Perry – The Upsetter At The Starhouse Sessions(Cooking Vinyl)

TOP REISSUES / SINGLES

With the reissue singles, again, Be With Records led the pack, with 3 superb entries, and Malcom McLaren`s ‘Call A Wave” stealing the top spot. How the Swamp Children track passed me by when I worked in a Manchester record shop for 20+ years I have no idea though!

Some killer Italian reissues, the maddest dub reggae record I’ve ever heard, and an Austrian Balearic holy grail also make the list. It`s such a shame about the quality of the pressing on The Dome City rockers 7” though – the A-side is virtually unplayable – just as well the B-side is also a killer.

Malcolm McClaren & the Bootzilla Orchestra – Call A Wave (Be With Records) 2×12”

Tonino Balsamo – Sta Guagliona Mo Dda / Voglie E Mare (Futuribile) 12”

Swamp Children – Taste What’s Rhythm (Be With Records) 12”

Gianni Oddi – Dreamin’ / Geronimo (Four Flies Italy) 12”

Franco Esse – Pelle Di Luna / Peluche (Four Flies italy) 7”

Ruffy & Tuffy – If The 3rd World War Is A Must (Version) (Sheila Records) 12”

Danny Morgan – The Swimmer (Original & Seahawks Remix) (Be With Records) 12”

Miss D – Moving (Edition Hawara) 7”

The Dome City Rock Orchestra – Quiet Village Pts 1&2 (Col Soul) 7”

For more from Balearic Mike you can find him on both Facebook and Instagram – @balearicmike. 

Mike has a Mixcloud page packed with magnificent, magical, music, and you can catch him live on 1BTN, from 12 noon until 2 (UK time) every 1st and 3rd Friday.

You can also check out the super silk screen prints of “Balearic Wife” over at @jo_lambert_print