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.

I don’t normally truck with the digital arena much, but as I ventured out to do a few gigs this year, my USB stick needed some love. Plus there was some amazing digital-only stuff around, with the Idjut Boys discovering one of the tracks of the year, Mamacita’s Spanish cover of “Your Love”. Thanks to Mr Bongo it’s coming on vinyl in 2025. 

The Lovehandles’ rework of Pat Benatar never failed to turn heads, and I discovered the music of Dominic Dawson and Random House Projects, who’s incredibly usable and imaginative edits featured heavily in my sets this year. 

Roman & Mamacita – Tu Amor (Your Love)**

Prince – Mountains (Random House Projects Disco Re-fit)    

Pat Benatar – Love Is A Battlefield (Lovehandles Unrequited Dub)

Witch – Ain’t Nobody (Chaka Khan Cover)

A.B. Habibi – Mother Africa – Vicious Charm Recordings

Fleetwood Mac – The Chase (Unofficial In Flagranti Remix)

Magic Source – Voodoo Ray – Favorite Recordings**

Mato & Ethel Lindsey – Georgy Porgy – Favorite Records **

Sade – Slave Song (Dominic Dawson Re-Version)

The Staple Singers – Slippery People (Randon House Project Rework)

Kate Bush – A Deal With God (Noise Of Art Edit – Random House Projects)

Totem Projects – Totem Edits 14-Zombi

The Rolling Stones – Undercover Of The Night (Dominic Dawson Dub Flex)

Horace Andy – Hypocrites (Dominic Dawson Dub Flex)

Hall and Oates – Hall and Oates-And Dub! (Black Market Dub)

Roberta Flack – The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face (Random House Projects Retake)

The Impossible Dreamers – Spin (NAD Remixes) – Emotional Rescue**

**Some of these are Digi-only just now but expected on vinyl soon.