Balearic Breakfast | Episode 232 | Totara Trees under a Lonely summer sun...

Colleen 'Cosmo' Murphy broadcast the 232nd episode of Balearic Breakfast on her Mixcloud on July 22nd 2025.

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About this episode. – The Great French Poet, Alphonse de Lamartine, once wrote: "The book of life is the ultimate book / That you can not close or reopen at your will ; The appealing excerpt can not be read twice / But the fatal page turns on its own / You would gladly come back to the page where you loved / And the page in which you die is already under your fingers". The first part of today's shows starts with somewhat of a forced smile, in the summertime, but there, sometwhere, in the distance, stands a Totara Tree, under a lonely summer sun and, if you look up to the sky, you should see a few lost blackbirds flying high, turning above your head in an endlessly swirling motion while a tired cry can be heard coming from somewhere... Cajun moon, where does your power lie / As you move across the southern sky / You took my babe way too soon / What have you done, Cajun moon / Someday babe, when you want your man / And you find him gone, just like the wind / Don't trouble your mind whatever you do / 'Cause Cajun moon took him from you / When daylight fades, the night comes on / You can hear the silence of this song / Don't trouble your mind whatever you do / 'Cause he got me like he got you...

This morning’s Balearic Breakfast is now up on my Mixcloud and please give me a follow while you’re over there. Today’s show is mainly your requests with a few new nuggets thrown in and we also pay tribute to the late Chris Faiumu. He was known as Mu to fans of Fat Freddy's Drop, the jam band he founded in the late nineties in his native Aotearoa. Last week Mu passed to the next realm and family, friends and fans from around the globe are mourning his loss, but we still have the music - his eternal legacy. Sending big hugs to our friends in New Zealand who worked with him, played with him and who knew him well. Kua hinga te totara I te wao nui a Tane.

Next week’s show will feature an interview with and a mix from Café Del Mar resident Ken Fan and a Special Kay mix from Balearic Breakfast family member Kay McMahon. Until then, enjoy today's show with music from Hermanos Gutiérrez DJ Spen Kerri Chandler Kuniyuki Takahashi Randy Crawford Daniel Avery Troy Kingi Holy Ghost! Brian Jackson BBE Music and thanks for listening!

Listen back to the 232nd episode of Balearic Breakfast:

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THE PLAYLIST

(1970) Ken Boothe – In the Summertime

(2001) Burning Spear – Travelling

(2005) Fat Freddy's Drop – Wandering Eye

(2013) Fat Freddy's Drop – Blackbird

(2025) Hermanos Gutiérrez ft Leon Bridges – Elegantly Wasted

(1996) Randy Crawford – Cajun Moon (Cajun Long Trip Version)

(2025) Mudd – Mahalo (Instrumental)

(2021) Daniel Avery – Hazel and Gold

(1977) Peter Gabriel – Solsbury Hill

(2024) ASHRR – What's Been Turning You On (Soundsystem Version)

(2020) Troy Kingi – Chronophobic Disco

(1981) Pino D'Angio – Ma Quale Idea

(1982) Cheryl Lynn – Say You'll Be Mine

(2020) Longhair – The Forbidden Dance (Original Version)

(2018) Holy Ghost! – Anxious (A Tom Moulton Mix)

(1988) Raze – Break 4 Love

(2025) Brian Jackson ft. Omar – The Bottle

(2022) DJ Spen & Soulfuledge – Goin' Home (To See My Savior) (Kerri Chandler Vocal Mix)

(2025) Kuniyuki & Cushty – Tremor (Kuniyuki Dub Mix)

(2025) Los Twangueros – Star Guitar

(2004) Fat Freddy's Drop – Hope (3 Generations Walking Remix)

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COLLEEN'S PRESENTATION

One of Jamaica's finest, Ken Boothe, with his cover of British band Mungo Jerry's 1970 hit, In the Summertime. Boothe had already been recording with Studio One's Sir Cox and Dodd for the latter half of the 60s, and was already known as Mr. Rocksteady. And then he made the move to Duke Reed's Trojan Records, where he had a slew of hits, including Crying Over You. And a big thank you to Victor Olteanu in Romania for that summary request.

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Ed. Note: Find out more about Ken Boothe's career and life in this 2 part interview: Part 1 / Part 2

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Good morning, Balearicans. I'm Colleen Cosmo Murphy, hosting your weekly Balearic Breakfast until high noon on my MixCloud Live. And greetings to all gathered over there from all corners of the globe right now. Thank you for joining me. Today's show is mainly a request with a few new nuggets thrown in.

But first, I would like to pay tribute to the late Chris Faiumu, known as Mu to fans of Fat Freddy's Drop, the jam band he founded in the late 90s in his native New Zealand, Aotearoa. As DJ Fitchy, Mu collaborated with musicians from the Wellington music scene, including singer Dallas Tamaira and trumpet player Toby Lung, and providing the live musicians with beats and bass from his Akai MPC. Mu and his long-term partner Nicole also founded a record label they called The Drop, and released Tamaira's first solo EP, and then a song called Hope that was inspired by an acid trip. The blotters displayed the image of Fat Freddy's cat from the fabulous Furry Freak Brothers comic strip, and because the music makers liked to drop, Fat Freddy's Drop was born. They invited other local musicians to jam sessions that fused reggae, soul, dub, and funk, all mashed with Maori and Pacifica culture. And as a seven-piece, they became known for live improvs, imprinted onto vinyl on their first LP, Live at the Matterhorn. They released several singles, like Midnight Marauders, which was championed by Germany's Sonar Collective, and other international DJs. And in 2005, they released their debut solo album, Based on a True Story, polished versions of their Far Out jams. It went to number one in New Zealand and gold on the same day, and won New Zealand's Album of the Year award. Since then, Fat Freddy's Drop have released eight studio albums, have toured internationally nearly every year to sell out crowds, getting bigger and bigger and bigger. And they've established themselves as New Zealand's most successful independent band. Aotearoa and the international dance music community are mourning the recent passing of Fat Freddy's Drop founder, Chris Faiumu, or Mu. This next set is dedicated to his family, friends, and fans. And this next song is a dedication to the spirit of Mu himself, and to Fat Freddy's Drop band members. From my husband, Daddy Adz, of Trojan Sound System. A very fitting tribute as the band traveled together, and Mu's spirit is traveling now. Burning Spear with Traveling.

The title track to Fat Freddy's Drop, third and platinum selling album, 2013's Blackbird, and sending that one out to DJ Hefe or Dan Edwards, who wanted to commemorate the late Chris Faiumu, the founding member of New Zealand's most influential and successful independent band, Fat Freddy's Drop, and lovingly known as Mu, who suddenly passed to the next realm last week.

Ahead of that, Wandering Eye from Fat Freddy's Drop's debut album based on a true story. And Adam and I are dedicating that to all our Kiwi friends who are mourning the loss of their dear friend. Kay, Rob, Jen, Glenn, Kyan, Chris Tubbs, Nikki Lucas, the Flamingo Pier crew, Nathan Haynes, Benny, and the New Zealand music community. And also, of course, to all of Mu's Fat Freddy's Drop bandmates, including our personal friends, Joe, Mark, and Scott. And we have a dedication from Scott to his late bandmate Mu later in the show. Kua Hinga Te Totara I Te Waonui Atane. I hope I said that right. And may Mu rest in paradise.

Well, I've played Hermanos Gutierrez at Balearic Breakfast before, and they've just released their first English language single, this time with Leon Bridges. The Ecuadorian-Swiss brothers met the Texan soul singer when they were in Nashville for a gig. Bridges heard a song they were trying to finish up, grabbed a mic, and sang over it. And the Hermanos thought he sounded like an angel. As requested by Ana Sancho in Barcelona, here are Hermanos Gutierrez with their first new tune of 2025, this one with Leon Bridges, the song Elegantly Wasted.

The ASHRR Sound System version of What's Been Turning You On by ASHRR, who are releasing an album of their own sound system versions of songs from their debut album, Sunshine Low, released last year on 2020 Vision. And you may remember I had the band up on the show for an interview and an exclusive mix last year. You can listen back on my Mixcloud to hear all about them. They're amazing musicians. They've been session musicians, they've played all over, and they're very, very varied in genre, and I just love their work. And this new sound system version album is coming out this week, and you can find it on Bandcamp. And thank you to Barry Bernitz in Washington, D.C. for that request.

Ahead of that, a song you probably know, but it seemed to fit in brilliantly on a balearic show, and Gareth Bratman thought so and made the request for Peter Gabriel's Solsbury Hill. And it's from the former Genesis frontman's debut solo album, his 1977 self-titled LP, and that was the first single. It became a top 20 hit in the U.K. and really marked a departure from his early prog roots.

Ahead of that, from his fourth album, Together in Static, we heard British DJ and producer Daniel Avery with Hazel and Gold, an acolyte of the late Andrew Weatherall.

Avery was first known as Stop Making Me and collaborated with Little Boots, Hercules, and Love Affair. And I should also mention that Daniel Avery did an amazing remix for The Cure's Mixes of a Lost World, and his remix of Drone, No Drone is really one of my favorites on the album. In fact, that song was my second choice if Robert Smith didn't let me remix "And nothing lasts forever". Avery's remix is on fire. And thank you to DJ Corbian for the requests for Hazel and Gold.

Paul "Mudd" Murphy just released a new limited vinyl single on his Claremont 56 imprint, instrumental versions of his forthcoming, of two tracks from his forthcoming third album, a follow-up to his record In the Garden of Mindfulness.The new single was written and produced with regular collaborator Michele Chiaverini, and we heard the instrumental of Mahalo, and the flip is an instrumental of Matane, and there's still vinyl copies around, so be quick. And thank you to Bobby Connell in Sydney, Australia for that request.

Okay, another beloved Maori musician and actor and icon in New Zealand is Troy Kingi, who has had a remit of releasing one album per year for a decade, each with a different genre from funk to reggae to soul, and the project is called Ten Ten Ten. He tours the album and then goes back up north to fish for the rest of the year, or at least that's what I heard. I was turned on to his music by Flamingo Pier's Luke Walker when I was in New Zealand last year, and I fell in love with the next song so much that I had to include it on my forthcoming Balearic Breakfast compilation. The vinyl edition of Balearic Breakfast 4 and the CD edition of Balearic Breakfast 3 and 4 is coming out on Heavenly Recordings at the end of August, and I'm featuring a cut from the new comp on every live radio show until its release.

This is Troy Kingi with Chronophobic Disco.

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Ed. Note: Colleen met the great Ardneks a few days ago, and posted the following message on her socials on July, 17th: "@ardneks popped into town in May and @heavenlyrecordings Danny & Daisy and I had the chance to meet the man behind the Balearic Breakfast comp series artwork - a fantastic talent AND a great guy. His designs are AMAZING and he puts so much effort into both the vinyl and CD version - each with their distinct design along with inner sleeves and labels. Thank you Ardneks! You can check out and pre-order the forthcoming vinyl and CD releases via my link tree.

And a big thank you to @test_pressing_official for this glorious review (you can read the rest on their website)…"

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Cheryl Lynn with Say you'll be mine, as requested by Daniel Townes, and that's from the 1982 LP Instant Love, produced by Luther Vandross. He just keeps popping up all over the place now. She got her start as a singer in church, and then she toured as a backing singer for the musical The Wiz, but it was an appearance on The Gong Show. I don't know if you remember that. If you're a Gen Xer, you probably do, and on it she performed a cover of Joe Cocker's You Are So Beautiful, and that landed her a deal with Columbia Records.

She was signed and had a huge hit with Got To Be Real, and the rest is history. She's also noted for being an inspiration to R&B singers like Mary J. Blige.

Ahead of that, we had Pino D'Angio with Ma Quale Idea from his seminal Italo disco album 1981's Balla!, which was reissued last year on Pure Music. Ma Quale Idea is still a favorite, and has more than a little bit of a nod to Ain't No Stoppin' us now, and Pino D'Angio released many albums before his passing last year, and thank you, or grazie mille, to DJ Macaroon, or Steve Wakely. We started off the set with Troy Kingy, Chronophobic Disco, which is coming out on the next Balearic Breakfast Vol. 4 compilation.

Okay, Longhair is a DJ and production duo from Berlin. It's Marco, aka Homeboy, and Bene from Peak and Swift, and in 2022, they released the album Hotel Solaris, their only album out on Permanent Vacation. But a couple of years earlier, they released this single, requested by our friend Virginia Ziotti in Athens, Greece. It's LongHair with The Forbidden Dance.

Tune. Raze with their 1987 proto house single Break 4 Love, and it was written and produced and performed by Raze's Vaughn Mason, and Vaughan Mason led Vaughan Mason & crew, and they had a roller rink jam with Bounce Rock Skate Roll, and of Rediscover Break For Love recently. Played it a couple of times, I think at Pykes and also NT's Loft, and it still sounds so fresh. I also love the female vocal on the flip as well. Thank you to Matt Blythe for that request.

Ahead of that, we had the former Brooklyn synth pop duo Holy Ghost with Anxious, featuring Nancy Wang from LCD Sound System on vocals, and we heard the incredible Tom Moulton mix, as requested by David Puzzi. And you know, Tom Moulton is just a force of nature. He kind of really helped define the disco sound along with many others, but his was certainly a hugely significant contribution, and still doing remixes, and that's, you know, electro pop synth dance, and you know, it still sounds great. His arrangements are just absolutely fantastic, and I got to meet him at The Loft once, and I was definitely starstruck, I have to say. I don't always get starstruck, but I definitely was starstruck meeting Tom Moulton.

Okay, you've probably heard there's a forthcoming album by Brian Jackson, the former collaborator of Gil Scott-Heron, who released his debut solo album, I think it was a couple years ago on BBE, or no, a few years ago now, I think. But he has a new one coming out, produced by Masters at Work, and it's a great album. It's called, I'm just trying to remember what it's called, it's something that I think Now More than Ever, I believe it's called, trying to remember what it's called. In any case, it's a fantastic album, covering 17 covers of songs that he had formerly collaborated with, with Gil Scott-Heron, but really updating them. And we heard some great, great ones on the show before. He did one of It's Your World with Raheem Devon and Jay Ivey. There's also a great, great version of The Revolution Will Not Be Televised with Black Thought. And this is the next single, a new version of The Bottle, one of our favorite Gil Scott-Heron songs, especially for the dance floor. It's a real dance floor burner. And this one has Omar on the lead vocal.

The delightfully, delightfully titled Los Twangueros, who come from the Balearic seaside town of Hastings in Kent, with their version of the Chemical Brothers' Star Guitar, as requested by Matt Raistrick. And Los Twangueros are also fans of the best meal of the day, breakfast, of course, as they have two albums out called The All Day Breakfast Part One and Part Two. Just love that song. I played that original when it came out. Gosh, it must have been 20 years ago, 25 years ago, maybe. I always love that one by Chemical Brothers.

And Los Twangueros, such a fun name to say, just did it really justice.

Ahead of that, we have Kuniyuki Takahashi and UK bassist Nick Cohen, aka Kooshji, in collaboration, blending live instrumentation and sleek electronic textures with tremor. And that is out now. And Kuniyuki has a signature sound that results in kind of roomy rhythms and great warmth. And I know him from Sapporo in Japan. And Cohen is an acclaimed London session player who's played with Massive Attack, Roy Ayers, and Jimster, just to name a few. And that is out now. Just picked that one up on vinyl and requested by my friend LiZy.

Ahead of that, Bert Francois and Brooklyn requested the Carrie Chandler mix of the Gospel House classic, Going Home to See My Savior, the 2021 single by DJ Spen and Soulful Edge. And I hope you got some hand clapping and foot stomping going on for that one. And we started it all off with Brian Jackson featuring Omar with their version of The Bottle. And that's coming out on the forthcoming album, Now More Than Ever, coming out on BBE in September.  And it was produced by Masters at Work. And I'm really looking forward to that one.

Okay, hopefully I'll see some of you at the We Are Love Festival in Brighton. It's also hosted by 1BTN and a shout out to them. I'm doing the closing set on the Sunday, I think 10 to midnight, but the lineup for the entire weekend is fantastic. So it's a real honor to be part of that one. Hope to see you there. I'll be hanging out on Sunday. Trojan Sound Systems also playing as well.

For the next couple of weeks, I'll be streaming Balearic Breakfast remotely as I'll be away. But we have some great mixes coming up. Next week, we have a mix from Ken Phan of Café Del Mar, and also a mix from our Balearic Breakfast family member Special K, or K McMahon. And the following week, we have an interview with and a mix from Abigail Ward from Ghost Assembly, and also an exclusive mix from our Balearic Breakfast family member Barry Berenitz in Washington, DC. So really looking forward to that.

Okay, I'm now leaving you with one last tribute to the late Mu, the founder of Fat Freddy's Drop, who passed the next round last week, a Maori, a Maori and New Zealand icon. And this is from Scott Towers, aka Chopper Reed, the saxophonist from the band and a regular listener and contributor to Balearic Breakfast and also a friend. This is the 2004 remix of Hope by 3 Generations Walking in tribute to Chris Faumu. May he rest in peace.

Thank you so much for listening.