During the pandemic and lockdowns Balearic Mike was a regular contributor and big part of Ban Ban Ton Ton. As restrictions lifted Mike, along with close friend, Kelvin Andrews, got busy working on the third volume of their Down To The Sea & Back compilation series. The result was one of our top comps of 2024 – of course it was – and its success helped to get Mike DJing and globetrotting again. Before 2025 properly kicks into gear, over the next few days we’re going to run a number of posts where Mike returns to look back at some of his musical highlights from the past year. 

Super selections and wonderful words by Balearic Mike.

Another shit-show of a year, although we did get a new government… (but then, so did America…) and some excellent records …

… and Kelvin Andrews and I finally (it was only 10 years Mike) got a new volume of “Down To the Sea & Back” out, so it wasn’t all bad, eh!

Joking aside there has once again, been a phenomenal amount of good music released this year, both new and old. This is just what I got around to buying, and looking at other folks charts, there are a lot of records that deserve my attention that I haven’t even listened to yet. Who has the time (or money) for everything?

My favourite record of the year was undoubtedly the new Pet Shop Boys album, “Nonetheless”. It’s almost certainly the record I’ve enjoyed listening to the most, and with the various formats and editions, not to mention singles and bonus tracks, it’s the gift that keeps on giving. Their best album since certainly “Elysium” in 2012, and possibly since “Behaviour” in 1990, so quite good then! 

Aside from that, Total Blue and Ronnie Lion were revelations, and heavily played on my radio show, meaning they are VERY Balearic. Also on the very Balearic tip, it was great to have new albums from Phil Mison as Cantoma, Mudd, Steve Cobby, who’s on a bit of a roll, and Mark Barrott, whose beautiful new LP would probably be higher if I’d had it a bit longer. 

There were just the 2 records from Greg Foat this year! 

It was great to see the JIM remixes get a full vinyl release. 

My old Manchester compadres, Justin Robertson and Martin Brew, brought us brilliant releases as Five Green Moons and J-Walk respectively….

… And don’t call it a comeback, but it was the most unexpected comeback imaginable from LL Cool J. His “The Force” was a superb Q-Tip produced return, and I hadn’t bought an LL LP since 1987!

Pet Shop Boys – Nonetheless – Parlophone

Total Blue – Total Blue – Music From Memory

Ronnie Lion – Spanish Town – Isle Of Jura

Cantoma – See In The Sun – Highwood Recordings

J-Walk – Broken Beauty – Before I Die Projects

Five Green Moons – Moon 1 – Pamela Records

Rio 18 – Radio Chevere – Legere Records

Greg Foat – Live at Can Rudayla, Ibiza – Blue Crystal Records

JIM – Love Makes Magic: the Remixes – Vicious Charm Recordings

Steve Cobby – FUCK NO – Declasse?

Mudd – In the Garden Of Mindfulness – Claremont 56

LL Cool J – The Force – Def Jam Recordings

Project Gemini – Colours & Light – Mr Bongo Records

Michael Kiwanuka – Small Changes – Polydor

Greg Foat – The Rituals Of Infinity – Ameritz Music Ltd

Fabiano do Nascimento & Sam Gendel – The Room – Real World Records

Bacao Rhythm and Steel Band – BRSB – Big Crown Records

Mark Barrott – Everything Changes, Nothing Ends – Anjuna Reflections

Transmission Towers – Transmission One – Mr Bongo Records

Arthur Melo & o Ministerio da Consciencia – Mirantes Emocionais – Wonderfulsound

Larry Manteca – Zombie Mandingo – Four Flies Records

Komet City – Digital Reggae Party Vol.1 – Roots International

DJ Pippi & Willie Graff – Universal Language – Music For Dreams

Nubya Garcia – Odyssey – Concord Jazz

Czarface – Czartificial Intelligence – Silver Age