Downtempo / Balearic Recommendations March 2016

Review: The summer may seem out of reach right now, but the moment the needle drops on "Solina" you're instantly in the balmy thick of July. Sand in all the right places, a cool drink in your hand and the wave lapping gently in the background, think Mudd, think Pacqua, think Terje; look up Balearic and all new dictionaries printed from this moment will say "Solina". On the flip the Glaswegian trio get a slightly beatier twist from Les Crocodiles while retaining all the gentle ebbs and flows of the original. Properly beautiful.

Review: In our eyes, it is no exaggeration to claim that Finis Africae's recent reissues on Japan's EM have been partly response for the recent resurrection of Balearic, exotica, and deeply textured ambient music. The last three reissues on EM have all seen great success in terms of copies sold and feedback from game-changers such as the Mood Hut mandem, and the label's close relationship with Honest Jon's gives this music an even higher send of cultural relevance to the scene of today. Amazonia was first released in 1990 on Musica Sin Fin, and it very much sounds like it was made yesterday; this is timeless music that has the ability to please just about any ear, or any sort of digger. Containing gentle beats and harmonic patterns, Juan Alberto Arteche managed to create a world of his own, where time and space is lost, and the melodies and rhythms take us back to a primeval state. Yes, we like this a hell of a lot. Contender for leftfield reissue of the year? Perhaps, and it's only February!

Review: The Magic Forest dwelling record collectors better known as Psychemagik return to Claremont56 offshoot Leng with a new compilation Magik Sunrise which is essentially a vinyl shaped sequel to last year's well received Magik Cyrkles. Though equally well presented as that compilation, Psychemagik refreshingly adopt a different sonic direction here, trading in the obscure Balearica and funk in favour of a wonderfully enlightening blend of African reggae, jazz-funk, prog rock, folk and New Age curios. Think David Holmes classic Essential Mix then crank up the weird factor to eleven and you'll have a good idea of what to expect from this fifteen track selection. The sensual twilight boogie of "The Juggler" by Fox is a particular highlight.

Review: Nathan Jenkins has been making decidedly odd strains of music for almost a decade now, gracing the likes of R&S, Honest Jon's and Young Turks in this period. Loop The Loop represents the debut Bullion album proper, with 2011's You Drive Me To Plastic for Young Turks more of a collagist mixtape of musical goodness, and its his most confident statement to date. Stated influences like Can's Holger Czukay, Bebop Deluxe's Bill Nelson, Fred Frith, Devo, and Thomas Dolby are indeed apparent, but with Bullion they manifest themselves in the most subtle of fashions. It can be argued that contemporary music suffers from a blandness and lack of identity, but Loop to Loop shows Bullion has his own voice and style by the bucketloads.

Review: More quality Balearic goodness on offer from International Feel and its label owner Mark Barrott on the third edition of his Sketches From An Island series. Tropical vibes abound on this release. The feelgood, seventies summertime groove of "Right 4 Me" kicks things off nicely. "The Mysterious Island of Doctor Nimm" sets the scene for an Indiana Jones style scene with its epic soundtrack style. On the other side is "Cirrus & Cumulus" with its steel drums and birdcalls hypnotising you into bliss until that sweet synth solo comes creeping in. Lastly "Der Stern, Die Nie Vergeht" channels the the spirit of Ennio Morricone.