Juno Recommends Balearic / Downtempo: May 2024

Review: The cultured Apersonal Music invites you to get Lost In Paradise here as Jona Jefferies turns up with some ambient laced deep house day dreams that encourage lovely mental escapism. 'Es Camp' opens with shimmering chords and widescreen painterly smears over subtle rhythms, then a Max Essa Romantic Break remix gets a bit more Balearic. 'California Sunrise Do You Remember?' is another one for suspending yourself up amongst celestial synth twinkles and wispy clouds, while 'Lost In Paradise' brings a percussive, jungle to some loose-limbed rhythms topped with tropical charm. Eddie C remixes with his trademark sense of elongated and hypnotic groove.

Review: Since launching in 2020, Claremont 56's Claremont Editions series of compilations has delivered a trio of must-check collections featuring a mixture of unheard gems from the label vaults and brand-new, previously unreleased tracks. The now fourth-in-total addition to the series hears a string of downtempo ditties and Balearic bass-drivers, all of which register as totally fresh productions. In true Balearic fashion, the V/A spans both originals and danceable edits, with Mudd's 'Massimo's Steps' and Fureby, Moscoso & Faber's 'Halcyon' standing out as the flute-laden highlights of the former camp and the Blank & Jones version of Bel's 'Ready To Die' sticking out in the latter. Sensitive, flute-laden and impeccably crisp, Claremont Editions do a fantastic job here of welcoming both new artists to the family as well as the talents of loyal roster members.

Review: Japanese stars Akiko and Yukihiro Fukutomi came together to cover SADE's anthem several years ago but it now makes its way back to fresh wax courtesy of Record Store Day 2024. They infused it with dark, mysterious jazz and contemporary influences and Akiko's enigmatic vocals intertwine flawlessly with the minimalist arrangement. On the B-side, their original 'let GO' offers a spiritual journey through dub-techno realms where the synergy between Akiko's emotive delivery and Fukutomi's masterful production creates a captivating sound. This release epitomises the pair's creative chemistry and innovative approach to blending diverse musical elements into a seamless, immersive new realm.

Review: French producer Jerome Barresi as Robert's Diary delivers a superb EP on Is It Balearic? Something a little different. Dinky Bird is delicate pianos and an atmospheric vocal sample subtle beats and melodies reminiscent of Eple and classic Moby. Legendary Norse God Bjorn Torske keeps the atmosphere and adds creates a more percussive 4/4 shuffler. Six O Six has the trademark vocal sample and piano but a more dance floor feel. KXP which sounds like it could a long lost Gene Love Jezebel B -side rounds things off.

Review: Blissful Balearic brimmers from the artist known only as Basso, whose longstanding efforts as a record collector, label head, storyteller and all-round obsessive all pay off with this latest record via International Feel. Keeping the curation short and sweet, Sitting In Trees is an eight-track rendezvous to the Island; it follows, in a well-timed fashion, on the hot heels of his very own label Growing Bin, whose releasing of music in this vein knows few bounds and is by now probably more than overflowing. Sifting through the reams of dusty but still golden trance tapes, private presses and smooth jazz obscurios to find the cuts - by Peak Of Normal, Patrick Jahn, Erobique et al - to make up this short but sweet LP's worth.

Review: Beth Gibbons releases her debut solo album Lives Outgrown. Notably containing ten songs that were in total written over the course of ten years, the overarching mood is one of saying farewell and musing on the bittersweetness of loss. The English singer and notable Portishead member's solo efforts often operate with this affect, but Gibbons' latest is of special import, given the length of time over which these songs were crafted and occasionally performed over the years. As demonstrated by lead track 'Floating On A Moment', the palette is soft and reflective, hitting only the softest dynamic notes, as Gibbons sings of unique lifetime journeys and a dealt-with sense of friends suffering being left behind.

Review: Originally part of a 1975 charity compilation LP raising money for environmental charities in California - which later became a collectors artifact changing hands for silly money (which didn't fit well with the Deja Vu Kid team) - so this Balearic nugget, the crown jewel of the album, was released on 7". More in keeping with its original spirit, not to mention its exquisite sound, there's no better way to share it again than on it's own 45 release at a fair price. 'Metropolis' and its B-side, 'Before I'm Gone', are pristine, hi-fi wilderness folk ditties, both of which evince an incredible mood of streamside Americana.

Review: Manchester character Ruf Dug has never shied away from poking fun at the sone and its all too often safe sounds. He really backs that up with his own music here as this Asking For Trouble EP is a brilliantly weird and wonderful concoction. 'Buttoned Down' has gun shots, curious melodies, ambient pads and hulking great kicks that are hella fun. 'Pomegranate Dub' is red hot island music for blissed out afternoons blazing in the sun and 'Open Air' brings sleazy rock riffs and chubby disco dub to the party. The flipside explores digi-dancehall-dub vibes on 'Watching', carnival house on 'Pipes' gorgeously melodic deep house shuffles on 'Night Blossom'. What an EP.

Review: Pablo COLOR and BERLIN LAMA's 'Solaris' is a limited 7" release that captures the essence of Balearic and downtempo vibes with a sunset backdrop. This gem, released from Ish Germany, is a breezy ride through twilight landscapes and nostalgic memories. In essence, 'Solaris' is pure magic - a captivating fusion of Balearic warmth and downtempo allure that leaves a lasting imprint on the soul. 'Madera' unfolds like cinematic scenes, radiating gleaming beauty as the music takes flight into celestial realms. Djembe drums invoke tribal rhythms, while heavy distortion guitars add depth to the rich depth. It's a splendid blend of primal instincts and introspective contemplation, perfect for the closing moments of the day. Check this out for one classy mix of Balearic, ambience and Latin vibes.

Review: We are once more graced by the inimitable ambient experimental stylings of Pub, a longstanding titan of the weirder and serener ends of the braindance circuit. Emerging from the mists with his very own smog bottling, Process The Wise is Pub's first record in over a decade, charting dewdrop synths arranged in melodious but unpredictable fashion, amid progressive cutoff-filterings and crystalline washouts in the wider mix. Its pared-back moments are just as gemlike, with the curious interregnum that is 'Waves Across' nailing a certain mood of egress and the closer that is 'Joyus' getting at a muted form of joy that perhaps only the more reflective among us can appreciate.

Review: Eric Hilton (one half of Thievery Corporation) has just released a three-part 7" series, each featuring a track from his most current full length album Sound Vagabond. The album's title track of this record, Closer, is a dreamy mix of ambient and downtempo track perfect for relaxing by the pool on a sunny day to, blending Balearic and chill out music with an urban touch. Whether you're a hip-hop, scratch DJ, downtempo or house music lover, check these gems out.

Review: In the age of digital communication, Transmission Towers certainly make the world go round, oh, and the other kind that handle our telecoms aren't half bad either! Jokes aside, this electro-funk duo fronted by vocalist and percussionist Eleanor Anorbea Mante and backed by a star cast of synthesists and vibe-engineers including co-founder Mark Kyriacos Kyriaco, Ian 'Budgie' Jones and Cait Walker, make for a Liverpudlian talent-medley. They find nominal inspiration in the invisible comms transmitted between receivers near the river Mersey, and channel this potent analogy into the subtler and more unconsciously affecting communication that is body language in the dance. A whopping Northern electro record with an Afrofuturist charm, Transmission Towers' debut message, Transmission One, has been well and truly received, not to mention introjected.

Review: While hearing the words double geography might send you into an immediate cold heat as you're transported back to school and the thought of a long afternoon in a sweaty classroom, this Double Geography stands for quite the opposite. Open Water is the solo vehicle for audio engineer and Weird Weather member Duncan Thornley who hooks up with jazz greats like Greg Foat and Kaidi Akinnibi. It is an utterly blissed-out sound for happy daydreams and summery reveries with drifting sax notes, languid grooves and gentle Beatrice breezes washing over you to soothing effect.

Review: Portishead's incredibly gifted lead singer Beth Gibbons is back with a solo album which appears like a bolt from the blue on Domino. As it transpires, Lives Outgrown has been ruminating for some time as Gibbons reflects on the passage of time, working closely with James Ford (of Simian Mobile Disco fame) and Talk Talk's Lee Harris to develop a distinct, gently psychedelic art rock-meets indie pop sound. Throughout, the album is guided by Gibbons' distinctive approach to songwriting, sounding like a natural cousin to her work in Portishead or her earlier solo album Out Of Season, while also offering something beguiling fresh and unsurprisingly brilliant. This is the CD edition, which comes in a hardback book case for the collectors out there.

Review: Beth Gibbons has never saturated the market with her distinctive approach to singing and songwriting, choosing to leave the power of her contributions to Portishead and solo hanging in the air. That makes Lives Outgrown a truly exciting proposition, some 20 years after her last solo outing and simultaneously unique but naturally leading on from the magical Out of Season. The sonic content is layered differently, less folky and more like art rock embellished with electronics, but the melancholic, wistful melodic makeup feels absolutely rooted in Gibbon's approach throughout the years. This is the CD edition of a very welcome return from a truly unique treasure in British alternative music.

Review: Lips & Rhythm cruises into Summer 2024 with a new EP by Residentes Balearicos. Based in Ibiza, Alessandro Doretto and Luca Averna craft sun-drenched dance music from their island studio. The title track, 'Paraiso,' merges slowed-down Acid and Flamenco guitar with claps, creating a timeless vibe. 'Polvo Mineral' offers mystery with ethereal pads, robust drum fills, and chanting. 'I Wanna Dance' pays homage to the Italian Dream House era with lush chimes, driving synth lines, and pitched-down vocals. Gaspar Muniz, with roots in Brazil and New York, remixes 'Paraiso' into a breaky electro track perfect for late nights in Rio De Janeiro...or whoever you are so long as you shut your eyes and dream.

Review: Musician and actress Samantha Morton shares her latest collaborative productive output with XL honcho Richard Russell, 'Cry Without End', under the moniker Sam Morton. Featuring musician and composer Alabaster DePlume, 'Cry Without End' is a heartfelt cold surge of stark drum machine, icy melody progression and blurred memories of kinship retold through lyrics. An elegy that captures the lifelong aspect of loss - the grief that sticks with you forever, after which nothing will ever be the same, and there is no going back - this surprise release follows Russell's scouting Morton after her appearance on Desert Island Discs and their ensuing bond over Morton's selection of 'I Remember' by Molly Drake. Elegant but raw, 'Cry Without End' is the closest a ballad can get to evoking a vicarious experience of grief.

Review: Love Spirals Downwards' seminal 1998 album, Flux, receives a well-deserved vinyl reissue, enriching its ethereal soundscape with newfound clarity and depth. Remastered by Ryan Lum, the album's lush blend of ethereal guitars, celestial vocals, and pioneering breakbeats resonates as powerfully today as it did upon its debut. From the skittering rhythms of 'City Moon' to the haunting beauty of 'Psyche,' the album's innovative fusion of genres captivates listeners, offering a timeless sonic journey. Insightful liner notes by Jason Morehead of Opus Zine accompany the release, providing a deeper understanding of the album's creative process and enduring impact. Flux stands as a landmark in the dream pop genre, hailed by Pitchfork and post-punk.com among others and this vinyl reissue allows fans to rediscover its transcendent beauty once again.

Review: Balam's new single 'Caravana Planetaria' has already been widely tested on dance floors across the world and has reportedly never failed to make a mark. First up on the 12" is 'Caravana Planetaria' (club mix) which rides on raw drums with slapping hits and has darkened vocal loops adding the character next to spangled pads. 'Caravana Planetaria' (Guitar mix) brings more freaky energy and tense textures for the dark, later nights in the club and 'Caravana Planetaria' (Guitar instrumental) then closes out with an extra edgy sense of uneasy melody.

Review: After a flurry of announcements and teasers comes Vegyn's latest record The Road To Hell Is Paved With Good Intentions. Arguably more of an aesthetic regrounding compared an long spell of style-establishing wonders, this record hears Joe Thornalley revive his original alias, and is unabashed in its involving of several London-centric all-star vocalists including John Glacier, Matt Maltese, Ethan P. Flynn, Lea Sen and Lauren Auder. All are heard banding together to ruminate on themes of faith, self-acutalization and eternity, together spanning multiple registers and gliding serenely over Vegyn's various dream-jungle, trap, pop and post-everything beats. Even the non-featured tracks contain vocal delights, with highlight 'Everything Is The Same' pitching up what we can only assume to be Vegyn's own, in a glitzed-out take on a Jai Paul-esque beatscape.

Review: French-Canadians Margaux Sauve and Louis-Etienne Santais are Ghostly Kisses the internationally acclaimed pop pairing that has got a hardcore following of fans all over the globe. They impressed with their debut album Heaven not that long ago and now return with Darkroom, which focuses on the feelings we all had during the pandemic of loneliness. Both artists set up in separate rooms during the writing process and sent snippets to each other to only finalise when they eventually met up which they think ensured they brought "more depth" to their process.

Review: Ample Habitat is the new album by the Toronto duo Shabason/Gunning and follow up to 2019's highly acclaimed debut Muldrew. Their brand of blending electronic and jazz music has set them aside from many similar. Imploring many strategies from both members, there are many unique sounding compositions that evolve differently than normal we think. Time signatures that are honored in electronic music are thrusted into the freer form jazz genre with great excitement like in 'Sea Ices'. The jazz expression becomes confined by mathematics giving the pieces like 'Parkette' almost an oddly beautiful juxtaposition. In 'Barbeau Peak' and 'Crystal Fake' the clicks and cut style is used to great success. Toronto has a long history of creative genres in electronic music. This duo is taking those roots and expanding on them further. If you are looking for something different that blends jazz and electronic music then stop right here!

Review: The Road To Hell Is Paved With Good Intentions a rare kind of affirmation, one that has the power to course-correct many a sensitive soul whose 'meaning well' might have more unintended negative consequences than good. It's also exactly the kind of title that London experimental electronic producer Vegyn would choose for a mixtape-album; it inspires a kind of wisdom-starved curiosity in those who might seek to plug that gap via the music of an artist more experienced than they. But in this case, beyond this title, Vegyn has no further wisdom to impart than reams of his signature trip-hop and IDM glossouts, featuring fellow London regulars such as Ethan P. Flynn, Lauren Auder, Lea Sen and John Glacier; the album is transcendent in timbre, seeming to constantly push at the limits of Vegyn's stereotypically snappier and sparser sound.