Emerge – Ataurean

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This is the first release on Chris Coco’s label DSPPR from Ataurean. The EP features four tracks of downtempo chilled vibes with rolling synth arpeggios, guitars, mandolin, piano and lush pads.

Atuarean says:

‘I’ve tried to combine different genres/styles into something that you can hopefully shut your eyes and get lost in!

Here are some clips of recent interviews to give you a little view into Ataurean’s world:

Can you tell us where are you from / how you got into music?
I’m from the Black Isle in the north of Scotland but now live in Edinburgh. I started playing the violin in primary 4 and then the guitar and mandolin and have always been writing tunes whether in bands or lately on my own in the studio.

Who have been your main inspirations? And how have they affected your sound?
My sound has been inspired by the likes of Boards of Canada and Orbital. plus the chill out scene in Ibiza – Pikes, Café del Mar, Hostal la Torre etc.

What was the first thing that attracted you to the world of electronic music?
The band I was playing in split up and I really enjoyed the studio aspect of recording so I decided to start my own set up so I could continue to write and record music using digital replacements for the other band members!

Do you remember an album that has changed everything?
Boards of Canada’s ‘Music Has the Right to Children’ & Chemical Brothers, Dig You Own Hole started me off on my electronic music journey.

What’s the one bit of kit or software you’ll never get rid of?
The obvious piece of software to keep would have to be Ableton. Other than that, it would be my 72 telecaster custom where all my tunes start off. 

EP released March 11, 2022 via Bandcamp

Chris Coco – CaliforniAmbient

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Beautiful new release from Chris Coco today – ‘CaliforniAmbient‘ is a dreamy beatless remix of ‘California White Sage‘ from his superb recent album ‘Jamu‘ out with a suitably transcendent video. Chris says it’s ‘a breathy ambient piece perfect for contemplation, meditation or yoga’ – we say; leave it on repeat and prepare for an out of body experience, sublime…

Released November 17, 2021 – via Bandcamp – here or via player above.

September On The Island (Dub Version) – Chris Coco & George Solar

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Everybody’s favourite month of every Ibiza season has long deserved an adequate ode, and here it is in full dub version! Most of the tourists are gone, the beaches are empty, the water as clear as the skies and the sun sets in an even more magnificent way. Maybe that’s why there’s a certain amount of sweet, almost tropical melancholy in the air while she does. And chances are it sounds a little something like this… down on that beach. Do you remember? Never a cloudy day!

Afterlife – Moksha

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This is Afterlife’s late Summer Balearic update for 2021, and it’s quite a package. Atmospheric title track, Moksha open the set with its breath of mysterious voices, wigged out jazz and twisted techno vibes, an after dark soundtrack for sure. Ad Astra follows up with a delicate blissed out pulse of poolside melody. Abraxas is next up with it’s dreamy dubwise slo-mo beats. Completing the four tracker is another dub & delay heavy collaboration with Ken Fan, the Cafe del Mar resident under the name of Dreadbox. Essential listening for anyone hoping to make the Summer last that little bit longer…

Out now – listen and buy at Juno Download

Café Mambo & Absolut DJ x Matt Nearest Faraway Place – Sunset – Aug ’21

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Here’s a new super chilled 30 min sunset mix, posted as part of Cafe Mambo and Absolut‘s Sunset DJ competition. If they’re going to fly out some lucky sunseeker to play in Ibiza next month it might as well be me right? If you’ve enjoyed the mix give it a repost & favourite and maybe I’ll buy you a shot of Hierbas down at Cafe Mambo one day soon 🙂
M.

It’s tricky to capture a mood in such a short mix, but I tried to get a flavour of what I’d want to hear in a longer sunset session. So there’s vintage Balearic classics from Joan Bibiloni and the San Sebastian Strings, fab new school Balearic from Nick & Samantha (out now on Chris Coco‘s label), Cantoma and Bongo Entp. Then closing out the set with the timeless, emotive beauty of David Sylvian‘s ‘Let the Happiness in’ as the sun dips below the horizon.

Cicada Interlude – Nick and Samantha
The Gypsy Camp – The San Sebastian Strings
Accadde a Bali – Arawak
Back Into Daylight Ft. Quinn Lamont Luke – Cantoma
Baby Song- Bongo Entp
Summer Is Here – Nick and Samantha
Sa Fosca – Joan Bibiloni
Let The Happiness In – David Sylvian

Walking in the sun EP – Andres Y Xavi

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Brighton’s Balearic brethren Andres Y Xavi join forces with legendary Woodentops front man Rolo McGinty with a taster track from the soon to be released 2nd album ‘Sounds From The Secret Bar’ (due on 11 June 2021) . ‘Walking in the sun‘ comes with an atmospheric album mix, dubbed out ‘Higher Vibration Mix’ from IIB? dons Coyote, squelchy, percussive James Bright mix and Xavi himself closes out the package with a storming couple of tripped out dub & pianopella mixes.

Released April 30, 2021 via Bandcamp link below – essential listening!

Chris Coco & George Solar – Lagrimas De San Lorenzo

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The Balearic brethren are back again, bringing the sound of Summer with this beautiful guitar lead two tracker, another essential soundtrack for your escapist journeys, be they real or virtual.

‘With “Lagrimas De San Lorenzo” Chris Coco & George Solar channel their inner star child in order to complete their summer Island phenomena tribute trilogy in style.

Following up on the dub infused “Noche De San Juan” and the rather tropical jazz  smoothie “September On The Island”, this time it’s all about getting lost in cosmic stargazing: the quite impressive “Tears of San Lorenzo” occur as an intense Perseid meteor shower night time spectacle all across the Mediterranean each year around mid august – and this is their rather adequate soundtrack. A star struck one.

This time around, the crisp beat section touches the more hip active mid tempo regions, with spacey synths & funky organic percussion layers carrying a light yet pretty profound jazz guitar skywards… the latter contributed by Argentinian born & Ibiza based Virtuoso Mathias Kamelman aka Kamelmat exclusively for the occasion. 

And so it’s time again soon to gather on that island and get together under the moon & the stars in order to celebrate life. All the tears shed on warm summer nights like that are destined to be tears of pure joy. Look up there… or just ask Lorenzo!’

Released March 19, 2021 via Bandcamp – link below

Jamu – Chris Coco

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Lovely new album release from Chris Coco, file under ambient / deep listening / jazz / cosmic / balearic. Perfectly timed for the return of the sun, slow burning deepness that’ll reward some time and repeated listens, get it at Bandcamp link above and get your best headphones ready for a treat…

‘This is a new album project called Jamu. It is the second collection from Chris Coco inspired by the magical island of Bali, following on from the 2017 album Return To Good Karma. The title is the name of a drink made of local herbs sold by street vendors that is good for health and vitality. I hope we have created a musical version of that healthy juice with our particular variety of ingredients.

This project was made in collaboration with a close group of musician friends. Each person played their part separately on the simple original grooves and soundscapes, inspired by the rhythm or what the last player or singer had laid down. We built a ‘live’ sound without ever playing together. After that I used the live parts to edit and process to eventually create the finished work.’

Released March 5, 2021

September On The Island – George Solar Chris Coco

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Balearic legends Chris Coco and George Solar have just released a cracking follow up to their smash October collaboration ‘Noche de San Juan‘. This time they’re celebrating my favourite month to visit Ibiza with ‘September on the Island’, a shimmering, jazzy dubwise slice of late summer soul. Best listened to from a sleepy bar with a glass of Hierbas and a view of Es Vedra I’d say, get involved via Bandcamp link below.

Release date 15/1/21