Juno Recommends Balearic / Downtempo October 2021

Review: Saint Etienne's landmark 10th studio album comes 30 years after the outfit put out their notable debut, Foxbase Alpha. The much loved London crew have since become cult favourites in the downtempo and chilled out electronic realm. This new record much to the delight of fans, has been made largely from samples and sounds drawn from their halcyon period between 1997 and 2001. A such the whole record was made remotely, rather than together in a studio, and in collaboration with film and TV composer Gus Bousfield. The sounds are optimistic and nostalgic at the same time and come on all formats including this limited edition clear wax.

Review: Since first joining forces in 2007, frequent collaborators DJ Pippi and Willie Graff have established themselves amongst the higher echelons of the Balearic fraternity, primarily by delivering records that offer a soft-focus blend of disco, deep house and downtempo grooves. Their latest single - a cover of Ewan McColl's loved-up 'First Time Ever I Saw Your Face', a song famously turned into a 1980s Balearic classic by Joanna Law - offers a particularly sumptuous variation on their sonic blueprint, with their original mix (B1) combining luscious orchestration, Spanish guitar solos, shuffling samba drums and a stirring lead vocal from Clarita de Quiroz. Phil Mison's Cantoma Dub provides a slightly tougher but no less Balearic variation, while Roberto Lodola's vocal and instrumental mixes give the track a warming and jazzy deep house feel.

Review: Baia Club is a new collaboration between Really Swing label head Quiroga, vocalist Whodamanny and Dario Bass. They serve up a low slung boogie-down beat with "Shine On" on the A side, in all its neon-lit early '80s glory that's sure to get 'em moving on the dancefloor. Over on the flip, the House mix does exactly what it says on the tin; classic early '90s vibes with some awe-inspiring piano solos, sparking chord progressions and cool rhythms - like the label's name suggests!

Review: If you're after atmospheric, sun-soaked contemporary Balearic beats, you should look no further than the latest Summer Selections EP from Phil Cooper's impeccable NuNorthern Soul label. Comprised of previously digital-only cuts and bits lifted from forthcoming albums, it's a genuine six-track treat. Our picks of a very strong bunch include the shimmering, slow-motion nu-disco of Marshall Watson's 'A Door in the Sky', the bleeping space melodies and bubbly electronic beats of Gusk's 'Sketch #4 Anafi Nights', the immersive Balearic dub of George Solar's suitably slow 'Infrared', and the reverb-laden woozy warmth of BJ Smith and Huw Costin's superb 'Sun When You Come'.

Review: Sorcerer is a perfect name for an artist who makes music as magical as this. The master of mellow sounds is back on Growing Bins with another of his delightfully formed albums. And Kids World is as inviting and accessible as you would expect - the rhythms are slow and bendy, the synths are colourful and playful, the mood over all is upliftingly cheery, innocent and happy. But never nauseatingly so. There is still plenty of artistry at work here with surfing guitars, spheric bass and reverb laden grooves all sinking you into a neon lit world of late night dub sounds.

Review: Summer might be a fading memory here in the UK but you can keep the balmy vibes alive as long as you like thanks to this lush new record from Blue Dream aka Bristol-based producer Andy Compton. This is super steamy chill out that takes you directly to the beaches of California at sunset with timeless grooves, calming melodies and heart-melting vocals. Cosmic, waif pads extend up to the skies, percussion breaks like little waves, soft acid lines permeate the arrangements and deeply soulful house feels often bubble up to the surface.

Review: The GW Edits label kicks off with a fascinating first release that reworks a truly cult 1972 single. Entitled 'Prisencolinensinainciusol' (then renamed for the English market) the original is the work of Italian Adriano Celentano. It never made a big mark first time round but eventually became a hard to find DJ classic that has been reissued a number of times since. Here, both sides of the original get stitched together into an 11 minute epic that is a real raw disco outlier packed with tension and big horns. A shorter version is included on the flip for a more direct impact.

Review: Cult electronic fav Ulrich Schnauss has linked up with Engineers founder and Liverpudlian guitarist Mark Peters for this new album, which comes 20 years after he first made his mark. Destiny Waiving is the third and final part of an ongoing trilogy that started back with 2011's Underrated Silence and counted through 2013's Tomorrow Is Another Day. It has been being written for the last four years and is an exploration of progressive melody, star-gazing ambient and lush pop hooks. From foreboding like on 'Clair-Obscur' to optimistic and rushing like on 'Circular Time,' it is a complete work that makes for a proper listening experience

Review: Last year, Session Victim joined forces with moustache-sporting keys-man (and fellow German producer) Erobique for a limited-edition "45" containing two live jams. That was decent, but this follow-up - a languid, laidback cover of Marc Almond song 'The City' - is even better. Sitting somewhere between Balearic soul and Rhodes-heavy horizontal jazz-funk, the trio's version features a hugely emotional, soft-touch lead vocal from Jamie Lloyd, some dazzling electric piano work from Erobique, and some suitably jazzy guitar touches. The impeccable vocal version comes backed with an equally as luscious instrumental take. There aren't many copies floating around, so move quickly if you want to acquire one.

Review: The Music on Vinyl label has linked up with Sony Music and Alex Callier in order to put out four different remix EPs this year. Each one tackles a different album by Belgian band Hooverphonic with A New Stereophonic Sound Spectacular, Blue Wonder Power Milk, The Magnificent Tree and Presents Jackie Cane all being reworked. Callier selected the remixes and they have all been cut to 180g 45rpms. The often thought of as a trip hop group, the outfit went on to do so much more and mixed up rock, downtempo, alternative electronica and pop. These first four remixes are all sultry late night jams for close listening and cosy atmospheres.

Review: Belgian band Hooverphonic has linked up with the Music on Vinyl label, Sony Music and Alex Callier to serve up a series of remix EPs of their best material. This time out it is the Magnificent Tree album that gets reworked into some sumptuous broken beat and downtempo pieces for those late-night sessions. Llorca's radio Shot is pure neo-soul bliss, Fink brings some jazz drumming to his version and also stone layers in the 90s dubtronica. Llorca's Half Truth remix then sinks fully into stoner dub territory and Red Snapper off a more twisted bit of electronic funk. The 60's Vox mix of 'Jackie Cane' is an interesting outlier here with its throwback soul sounds.