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The night is falling, and the sea rages in its perpetual agony... Somewhere in the distance, a light pulsates... I almost forgot I had a meeting tonight... A meeting at The Lighthouse... 1. Hello Olivier! It's heartwarming to have you here with us on the Balearic Breakfast blog! I wanted to discuss the Lighthouse so badly with you! I must admit that I took the time to listen back to the third track of your EP, "The Lighthouse" , just after requesting it, and the guitar blew me away: hearing these «spiralling down notes» was a hypnotic experience! The whole EP is greatly mixed and beautifully mastered. Can you share with us what it takes to get to that level of sonic perfection? What gear do you use in your studio? Thank you so much, Artur... That's a pretty high compliment! Well, I tried to do whatever was necessary to create an immersive experience for the listener, transporting him to a lighthouse in the vast open sea. Truly, my first gear was... time! I dedicated as much time as possible to guide the listener on this journey, fueled by my deep passion for lighthouses and nature. Regarding the equipment, I tried to keep things simple: I utilized a pretty good Spanish guitar, a bass guitar, Rhodes microphones, a Zoom recorder for field recording sessions, and various analogue consoles. I also drew upon my years of experience collaborating with sound engineers and studying exceptional musical productions, such as those by Alan Parsons. I effectively worked thoroughly on the acoustic guitar's sound (which differs according to the tracks...). I searched for a different sound, not necessarily as gentle and delicate as it typically is. I wanted the guitar's sound to align with the immersive, tragic, and mysterious narrative... In short, I made the best out of what I had at hand. I'm thrilled to know that my intentions reached the listener so greatly, and it makes me wonder how You felt while listening to the EP, Artur... You know... The first thing I saw was the advertisement you did on Instagram. I mean, not many musicians nowadays incorporate "sound effects" into music, right? Pink Floyd did that back in the day with great results, and Roger Waters too on his solo Album "The Pros and Cons of Hitch Hiking". When done wisely, the sounds enhance the music's message. I always did that, for instance, in my own mixes like " Swan Song " or " Shit Going Through ". It's effectively all about immersion; music tells a story, and the additive sounds help anchor the whole experience, allowing the mind to create "pictures". I found myself whole in your concept; it resonated 100% with how I like to make music live. When listening to your EP at night, of course..., I immediately "saw" the Lighthouse. I felt its walls, the cold, the unbearable and painful loneliness, time ticking away, ghostly invisible figures, and I knew a part of my Soul, Michael, went there; I felt her, and she sent me that letter , you know... Strangely enough, I also felt that "light evolution" in the third track. It wasn't as dark as the two other ones, and that's why I requested it. Knowing Colleen's appetite for great-sounding tunes, this last track had everything I felt the show was about: the Balearic touch, the strangeness and the evolutive structure, going from darkness to light. It really made me think about our Dear David Mancuso for obvious reasons... The whole "Lighthouse" experience was something I needed to share, and here we are... 2. Speaking about sound effects, and given the insane amount of work you put into the editing process (working with nature's sound and other sounds to enhance your musical message), when do you know a sound can be added to your mix? Is it a feeling, or do you have a story in mind while composing? An insane amount of work... You're right! (laughs!) I literally put my whole life on hold for about a year to complete the first part of the project! As for the sounds, they are both a feeling (as I’m so moved and touched by every nuance, every detail of these layers of sounds, offering them to your ears) and a story: as you said perfectly, music does not tell anything explicitly by itself, and, since there are no words spoken, sounds immerse and guide you in your eerie experience. At the same time, you’re still free to imagine what you want. So, I use them to make you feel contemplative and introspective and to make you understand what happens. I design them accordingly to align with the music, as they do in concrete music, or as Damian Volpe did for the film The Lighthouse. But my tracks are also a hymn to nature, which was not the film's point. I must add that the musical aim is central: the roaring sea plays the bass, birds and all the strange creatures play in the midrange, the high wind in the treble… I enjoy doing that! All these sounds become music, not just an atmosphere; they align with the lantern's ostinato... Nature is rough and requires much listening to be set to music and thus revealed... I really worked my soul for this experience to be Unexpected, and I was surprised by the results when I listened back to the EP: the whole movements of the tracks became independent of my own will; they speak for themselves, they are not me, it’s the Lighthouse... who is talking to you... https://www.mentensel.com/ 3. Speaking about lighthouses, you seem passionate about them as you are part of the French SNPB ! How did the whole idea come to your mind? I’m fascinated by lighthouses. I can say I love them! They challenge nature and the people who keep them: on the high seas, they stand alone in dangerous places where nobody should be. Moreover, lighthouses are so important in the cultural domain... There are so many dramatic tales about them ! This is why I am honoured to share SNPB's advocacy for preserving the cultural legacy and the future of these incredible buildings, which are now automated and completely unmanned, leading to their widespread abandonment . You know, lighthouses are places of unique solitude, connecting with nature's elements, evoking a range of emotions including fear, tenderness, despair, and love. After experiencing a stay in a lighthouse, it's hard to view the world the same way; it alters everything, and I'm still exploring that change. I opted for an esoteric approach, a peculiar musical narrative, to convey that transformative power to the listener... 4. It's all so captivating, Olivier... Can you share your musical journey with us? Do other musicians work with you on the Lighthouse project? I’m so glad you talk about it, Artur! (laughs!) It's an incredible journey! A journey searching for what lies behind...  I composed the first part of the music in a lighthouse in Scotland... And, in a lighthouse... You’re alone! So I don’t have any other musicians with me; I do everything by myself. I must confess that my beloved brother Guillaume, who is a musician, and a music lover, advises me at every step of the process, though. I would not have done all of this without him... For instance, during a summer night recording session on the island of Ouessant, I was deeply focused on the organ part of the third track... And, at one point, I Found Something... I was so excited that I called my brother at 2 a.m. to share my discovery with him. Thanks to his assistance, I regained composure and executed the piece accurately before dawn. It was the best moment to do that as I was in a good mood to build this scary but also sweet passage... 5. That's crazy; I find myself so much in what you share here, Olivier (laughs!). I also spent hours on 5 minutes of a mix because I knew I had found something tremendously perfect! Actually, you are still working on the album as we speak! As discussed earlier, the three first songs share a common “musical base” that opens up in the last track towards its end. Do you feel the rest of the album will be as worried as it's beginning, or can the clouds lift up? Thank you once again, Artur... That’s so well said. Well, the clouds… They will disperse a bit later... The Lighthouse project aims somewhat to awaken people from a kind of numbness we can all experience sometimes… I'm open to everyone's suggestions as far as the Lighthouse story goes, even if I have my own ideas... How about the island having a beautiful cave, which would be a safe haven, for instance, or a dance floor at the top of the lighthouse... in the end? I will take everybody in... You first dear Artur! What is certain, though, is that dawn will come... Only the constant sound of the lighthouse's lantern, an ostinato in D, and your very self will remain... deeply moved, maybe lost, for sure, by this incredible night... Thank you so Much, Olivier... Watch out for the Lighthouse... Artur...

Constadino Folias' mix was featured in the 175th episode of Balearic Breakfast. The Balearic Breakfast enjoyed his work so much! I met him for a heartwarming interview... 1) Dear Constadino, thank you so much for joining us on the Balearic Breakfast blog! Can you tell us more about your musical journey? How did you start your DJing career, what led you to this musical path and who were your guiding mentors, if you had some? Thank you for inviting me to the blog, Artur! It all started in 1981, at a very young age, when my first connection with music was through my father, who used to play music cassettes all the time in the car while he was driving with me on board. I still remember tracks like Earth Wind & Fire's “Let's Groove," Rick James's “Super Freak,” and Quincy Jones's “Ai No Corrida” being on heavy rotation, among others. In the early 90's, as a teenager, I took part in several parties when electronic dance music started to rise in the city of Athens. My music knowledge has its roots in those parties and the music magazines I was reading at that time, such as Muzik, Mixmag, DJ, Wax, Straight No Chaser, The Source, Jockey Slut, Blues & Soul, JazzTimes, and Wax Poetics, to name but a few. From 1995 until 2002, I had a job in the best record store in Athens (Metropolis), which helped me expand my musical horizons. I love music, any kind of music, just as long as it's grooving (track from The O'jays), whether it's Soul-Jazz-Funk-Disco-Reggae-House-Balearic etc. I can't say that I have a professional career as a DJ, nor do I have a mentor, but for sure, there are many music artists and DJs who have given me music inspiration through the years, and they still do. I can describe myself as a music lover, music selector and vinyl collector. Sometimes I do play music as DJ here in Athens, but I wouldn't say that this happens often as I don't make a living from it. 2) As you know, I love it when a DJ takes me on a mental journey where I can see pictures in my head while my soul sets itself free. I felt that quite strongly when your mix was aired during Balearic Breakfast's 175th episode . Your transitions were so smooth, perfectly respecting the mix's somewhat 'nightish' soul, and the whole thing kept on evolving as time went by. How did you work on that mix?        I was very excited about doing a mix for Colleen's “Balearic Breakfast," which I must say is my favourite show at the moment. I always prepare my mixes for the radio. Everything depends on the show and the music style it represents. So, for this mix, I picked up some modern, mostly, “Balearic” gems that I believed would match and mixed them together as smoothly as I could to achieve the best possible result for the listeners. I recorded the mix about three times. Each time, I added or put out some tracks, trying to find the perfect flow and harmony in music. According to the comments from you and the Balearic Breakfast family members during the broadcast, I think the mission was successful, and I'm really happy about it! 🙂 3) There is a sense of unity, at least to me, in the "Balearic" musical domain. For instance, you can have tracks that are both worried and cheerful, while others may blend elements of salsa with progressive rock. When you think about it, Disco itself had some absolute "Balearic" bangers! Does it make sense to you?         Anyone who really knows the meaning of the term described as “Balearic” will totally agree with you, and so do I!  4) How do you listen to music? Do you believe that listening at night brings something more to the experience?          For me, the ultimate listening experience is when I play my vinyl on the stereo. Nothing can compare to the "warm" analogue sound that comes out from the speakers. As an alternative, I listen to music via digital music platforms such as Bandcamp, Mixcloud, Spotify, and YouTube. Definitely, music sounds better at nighttime. One primary reason is that there is generally less ambient noise, and you can focus entirely on the music. Our bodies are naturally programmed to rest and relax at night, making it easier to feel and process emotions. Listening to music at night can create a sense of intimacy and privacy that enhances the listening experience! 5) On the human side, what is the most important thing to you in life?         In the fast-paced world we live in, it is easy to lose sight of the important things in life that truly matter. A famous quote from Mrs George Sand says, "There is only one happiness in life: to love and to be loved" , and I agree 100% with that! Thank you so much for being here with us, Constadino! Thank you for everything, Artur..... it was a pleasure!! 🙂 Take care & stay blessed! Constadinos music links: MIXCLOUD https://www.mixcloud.com/DjConstadino SPOTIFY https://open.spotify.com/user/11182954077?si=08f2393b6c1149a4 HEARTHIS.AT https://hearthis.at/constadino/ SOUNDCLOUD https://soundcloud.com/djconstadino

When Colleen played Gus F's remix of Jimmy Somerville's classic song "Smalltown Boy", I instantly felt I had to meet him for an interview. Little did I know what I would find there! 1) Hello, Gus, and thank you so much for joining us here on the Balearic Breakfast blog! Colleen played your remix of Bronski Beat's "Smalltown Boy" during the 180th Balearic Breakfast episode dedicated to Pride Month. The song resonates on many levels for a lot of people around the world. How did you work on it? Could you tell me what you wanted to convey? As a producer, Is it hard to touch a "classic"? Hello Artur! My pleasure! I started an event called Secret Sunset during the Covid lockdown as an outlet to continue playing music whilst clubs and other venues were shut. I would find beautiful locations around the island of Jersey, where I live, and broadcast a live stream. However, Facebook would frequently cut a stream due to copyright issues as the algorithms would detect recognisable music. I had dabbled in music production before, but not seriously. I bought a new synth and ended up producing music just for those events so I could bypass the Facebook police! One of the tunes I loved as a child (without understanding its significance – just the iconic top line of the melody and of course, Jimmy’s vocal) was Smalltown Boy. Whilst there have been many versions over the years, I wanted to give it the Secret Sunset treatment and give people watching from home a kind of nostalgic experience, whether for Ibiza sunsets they missed during lockdown or for the actual original Smalltown Boy that might spark memories. I had no idea it would mean so much to so many people – I uploaded a version to YouTube, and it exploded. So many views and nice comments with no marketing whatsoever. I’m obviously fully aware of the meaning of the song within LGBTQ+ communities, it’s such an incredibly sad story, and one that so many people can identify with, so I was keen to try and maintain the melancholy of the song and obviously the iconic vocal from Jimmy Somerville, nostalgic and dreamy. 2) I read on your socials that you got Jimmy's support! That must have been quite a moment for you! Congratulations from the bottom of our hearts; we know how much such a moment is precious! How did that all happen?! Tell us the story please! Believe it or not, some unknown person shared it with Jimmy’s team and he approved of it; I had nothing to do with that part of it… Next thing I knew the YouTube video I had made with my bootleg (unauthorised/unofficial) version was shared on Jimmy’s official channels and it blew up! I figured if Jimmy liked it, there was a possibility I could maybe get an official release, so I set about learning how to do this. At the time, I don’t think I had any signed music yet, no label or anything; I had to learn how the music business works in terms of licensing, publishing rights, recording rights, etc. It took me almost two years, due in part to my naivety, but I kept working away and after an email a week (not even joking… I sent a LOT of emails!) I finally got full permission. Funnily enough, the usual difficulty is not with publishing, but with the master recording from which the vocal sample came; however that part was easier as I was in direct contact with Jimmy’s team. When you’re a nobody in the music business, it’s difficult to get anybody to respond to emails! It was worth the wait 😊     3) Then, you kept on flying on the wings of your dream and got the track released, the 1000 CDs being sold out during the pre-order campaign! Wow, just wow! What was the hardest part of the whole adventure, in your opinion? Was it crafting a track that would enhance the original version while respecting its legacy, or were they the publishing steps? I think my version surprised Jimmy’s team with its popularity when it was released on streaming platforms . When the 40th anniversary releases were being planned, they asked me for permission to include my version on the limited edition 1,000 CDs, that are coming out later this month. Of course, I said yes… I was delighted to be asked! This was a big validation moment for me and one I’ll always be proud of. Quite honestly, the effort to get the official release was a LOT more time-consuming than making the remix in the first place (which actually came together really quickly! Sometimes things just fall into place!). 4) Music is the centre of your life; you're someone reaching high with a smile, and we here, on the Balearic Breakfast blog, love that! You're the first person who DJed the full London marathon! Wow, once again! Can you tell us how that happened and how you prepared yourself for that incredible journey?! (It's easier to reach incredible goals with music right?! ^^)   When one of my son’s best friends was diagnosed with Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma (an aggressive form of cancer) over a year ago, I felt absolutely powerless and helpless to do anything about it. Cancer is a horrible disease at any time (my father passed away 11 years ago from pancreatic cancer), but it’s even worse when it’s a child. It’s completely indiscriminate; another friend was recently lucky to survive an 11-hour surgery, resulting in the removal of her pelvic tumour, colon, part of her liver, spleen, and a total hysterectomy and ileostomy. Although I felt helpless, I wanted to do something about it anyway. After a slight glitch myself (I was hospitalised twice last year) I regained my full health decided to raise as much money as I could for Cancer Research UK, the world’s leading cancer research organisation. With my music reach, I just figured I’d have a chance at raising more than simply asking friends & family for donations, especially during difficult economic times. So I decided to try & run the London Marathon whilst DJing. It was a story of trial and error… There were a lot of failures along the way! Blood, sweat and tears… Literally all three… Quite honestly, I’ve had better ideas as I struggled around the course, and no surprise to me that I was the first person to do it, as nobody else is crazy enough to try it… 🤣 But I got there in the end, and it was an overall success. All my fellow runners were supportive, but it was the crowd that got me round; the noise was amazing as they heard me approaching (I had a subwoofer and two speakers on my back, as well as the speakers on the Numark Mixstream Pro Go I was using – thanks to Numark for all their support!). Not sure if I’ll do anything like that again, as it took me a long time to recover physically and emotionally. I’m not sure if I’m there yet 😅   5) You seem to be very busy, active, and musically prolific! What's next on your agenda?   I love electronic music, I absolutely devour it and can’t get enough of it. But I’m also keen to produce an album whose shelf life isn’t as ridiculously short as a lot of music is today. Popular one month, then consigned to the archives. More music is being produced today than ever before, and Artificial Intelligence coming around the corner will not slow this down… But I still think there is room for an original album of music that can be listened to from start to finish, and one that won’t sound out-of-date in a year or two. So that’s my aim, to focus on creating something I can be proud of and that will hopefully be appreciated for more than a few short weeks 😊 Thank you so much Gus! You're welcome Artur!

I met Puerto Montt City Orchestra's Tim Salter for an interview about the band's new track, "Balearic For President", and how both of them approach their musical journey. 1) Hello Tim! Thank you so much for joining me on the Balearic Breakfast blog! Your brand new track is out now on Higher Love Recordings and was played by Colleen on the 177th episode of Balearic Breakfast. Can you tell us more about your journey in music and how the Puerto Montt City Orchestra came to life? Hi Artur! So, Puerto Montt City Orchestra is me, Tim Salter, and Angus Murray. We became friends when our children went to the same primary school in Kent, England. Over time, we realized that we shared a similar taste in music, so we decided to transform our love of all things Balearic into music production. Angus has released music in the past on UK house label Luxury Service as Downtown Loop, whilst I have been in a number of different bands over the years. We were thrilled that Higher Love wanted to release our first track – Our Patagonian Friends – and we’ve not stopped since (We’re not the most prolific producers, but we do have a steady output!). We are also very fortunate that we have some very talented friends that we collaborate with – Ellis on guitar, Dave on bass, and on "Balearic For President", John on saxophone. 2) Why did you guys choose to remix Residentes Balearicos' "Balearic for President"? What did you like, on the sonic side, in that track? "Balearic for President" came out as one of the tracks on the "Higher Love 2" compilation back in 2022.  I think the track resonated with us because of the way the synth chords worked so well with the more acoustic elements. For us it sounded so summery and really evoked that early evening feeling when on holiday. We contacted the Residentes Balearicos to see if they were up for us doing a remix and were over the moon when they agreed and sent over the parts. 3) You did not one but went as far as to propose three different versions! That's impressive! I feel these are more than "remixes" since you really enhance the initial track, a point nicely explained on the Bandcamp page and during Colleen's show. How do you approach the "remix"/ "rework" side of things? What are you after? When we start working with an original with a plan to remix, we look for the parts of the song that we feel we can build something around, and we go from there. On "Balearic For President", the first mix we came up with was the Blue Sky mix, which was built around the beautiful vocal harmony from the original. We love a track with a spoken-word element, so with the track name "Balearic For President", the idea quickly came to us to find an interview with the President of Ibiza! We are always trying to include a 'live' element, which is why we replaced the synth bassline with a bass guitar version and then added the guitar. We have been massive fans of "Schmoov!" for years, so we were super excited when John (Buckby) agreed to write and play a sax line. We built the White Sands mix around what he sent us. The final version we did was the Orange Sun mix, which was based on our hope that if we did a beatless version, people might decide to open mixes with it! We also wanted a version that really highlighted the beautiful parts played by Ellis and John. 4) Colleen shared the way she likes to work on the remixes she does. Do you think that having even a vague idea of the direction you want to take a given track is a preliminary requirement, or do you give yourself time to let the track sink in and then try something out "on the fly"? I’d say a bit of both. One of us will have a strong idea as to what to do with the track from the beginning, but then with time, the track will go through so many iterations and directions, that often it won’t be immediately recognisable from the original idea, but each step in the process is so valuable to us, as without the previous one, however minor a change or idea it may be to build upon it, it wouldn’t lead to the next step, and we wouldn’t end up at that final destination. 5) What are your future plans? Are there any new remixes or other musical goodies coming our way? We have quite a few tracks on the go at the moment. We have a reimagining of a track called "Hay Fever", which is coming out in August. This is one that is close to my heart as it’s a song by 14 Iced Bears – an indie band from the late 1980s that I actually nearly joined as a drummer when I was 15 – but my parents wouldn’t let me as I was still at school! Anyway, we’re super pleased with how this has turned out, and we actually got Rob from the band to sing a new vocal for us. We are also very chuffed that Jesse Fahnestock (10:40 / Jezebell) has agreed to do a remix. We’re also working with Maya Blandy on another tune and hopefully, then have an album coming out next year on Higher Love. So, lots going on and exciting times! Thank you very much Tim! My pleasure!

Sharing our mutual Music Stories is a joy to me. I love discovering your worlds and your musical adventures! Let's listen to Kieran's musical Journey! 1) Hello Kieran! I'm so thrilled to have you here on the Balearic Breakfast blog! Your mix was featured during the 160th episode of Balearic Breakfast. How did you work on it? Was it planned, or did you do it on the fly? Thanks for asking me, Artur! Yes, it was planned. I would never plan a live set, but for me, it makes sense to prepare a radio show or mix that I might upload. I'm intrigued by the music played in Ibiza during the early 80s before house and indie dance hit the island and had such a huge impact on the Balearic sound. There's a bit of mystique around that time for me, perhaps because it is less documented, so initially, I thought I'd do a mix that tried to capture that era and sound. In my head, I imagine the DJs in Ibiza at that time might have been playing a more global sound with a lot of records from Africa and mainland Europe. Balearic classics that represent that time would be things like 'Hoomba Hoomba' by Jasper Van't Hof's Pili Pili, 'Obsession' by Guy Cuevas or 'Yé Ké Yé Ké' by Mory Kante. I started putting records aside that I thought fit into that category, but I abandoned the idea as it became a bit restrictive. There were a few of those that did make the final mix, though, such as Manu Dibango, Antoinette Konan, Nana Tuffour and Esa. For the rest of the mix, I just picked tracks that I love and that I felt sat logically together. One record that I was really keen to include was 'War' by Neyssatou, which is a cover version of Bob Marley's classic sung in Arabic. It's such an incredibly powerful track. It was on the Dub No Frontiers compilation album that I felt should have got much more attention than it did. Other than that, the only real requirement was that all the music I included would be things I might have requested on the show. 2) Musically speaking, what are your biggest musical influences both as DJs and as Artists? I'm not sure about influences as I wouldn't call myself a DJ, and I'm definitely no musician, sadly, but I love sharing music – whether that's requesting tracks for Colleen's show or playing Music at a party. Still, calling myself a DJ would do a disservice to those who put a huge amount of time into their craft and treat it as a profession. That said, there are DJs whose mixes and radio shows I make a point of listening to because they consistently introduce me to new (and old) music. Some that come to mind would be Colleen (obviously!), Mafalda, John Gomez, Cosmo Sofi, Dr Rob, Abigail Ward, Barbie Bertisch & Paul Raffaele's Love Injection, and Steve Barker's On The Wire. The only things I could pinpoint as providing specific influential moments would be seeing David Mancuso at a party in Glasgow back in the early 2000s (I'll come to that influence later) and listening to François Kevorkian's Essential Mix album that came out around the same time. Back then, I was DJ'ing in the Sub Club and playing mostly straight-up house music sets. Those two things completely altered my view on how you can select music and mix tempos and genres. I still listen to the FK mix when I need a little reminder of that. Again, I wouldn't say there are artists I would call influences, but there are musicians and producers whose music I'm always drawn to and who feature regularly in what I listen to and play out. Off the top of my head, I would say, Ron Trent, Lloyd ‘Bullwackie’ Barnes, Mizell Brothers, Paul 'Groucho' Smykle, Yvonne Turner, Matthew Halsall and Inflo. To me, these are all producers who have their own sound signature, I guess. If I was more musical, I might be able to explain this better! 3) As a member of the CAS events with Colleen, you shared your passion for Music with us. What are your five favourite albums from your childhood to where you're at now? An impossible question to answer, but I'll give it a go… Massive Attack 'Blue Lines' – Perfect from start to finish. Probably the record I've listened to most in my life. As a teenager listening to this, it was a doorway to so much other music through its samples and covers. Marvin Gaye 'What's Going On' – An obvious one but just so good. The transition from 'God Is Love' into 'Mercy Mercy Me' is one of my favourite musical moments ever. Melts me every time. Joni Mitchell' Hejira' – Each song is like a novel, and the musicianship is flawless. This album was given to me by a teacher who had a really positive impact on my life, so it means a lot to me on that level, too. The opening track 'Coyote' was actually my first Balearic Breakfast request. Lee Morgan' Search For the New Land' – My favourite Blue Note. Post-bop with a hint of the spiritual jazz sound that was to come soon. Stunning. Dadawah' Peace And Love' – Deep, hypnotic, psychedelic reggae. This is one to listen to on really good headphones. Attending the CAS events has really given me a new appreciation of making time and head space to closely listen to an album uninterrupted. I've discovered so many great albums that weren't really on my radar before being a CAS member, things like 'Ingénue' by K.D. Lang and 'If I Could Only Remember My Name' by David Crosby. 4) You launched the "Coorie Doon" parties in Glasgow in February 2023. What is the most challenging part of starting such a project? Can you tell us your story around it and your future plans? Coorie Doon is a party inspired by the spirit of David Mancuso's Loft, and other parties that carry that same ethos forward such as Colleen's London Loft. In terms of the story behind it, I always hoped someone would start a Loft-inspired party in Glasgow. I had a dream of doing it myself but didn't imagine for a minute that would happen. Out of the blue, I got a message from a fellow Loft obsessive, Finlay Kerr, who had seen that I had DJ'ed at the launch party for Colleen's first Balearic Breakfast compilation, and he asked if I'd ever thought of doing a party in Glasgow. We met for a drink with his friend Cameron Smith and we just connected instantly over a love of music and decided to give it a try. Our first step was reaching out to Colleen for advice. She warned me of the huge commitment it would require to do it properly but gave us loads of support right from the start and connected us with Iain Mackie and Andrew Pirie. Iain runs Danley Distribution and A-Live Sound, and Andrew is a hi-fi expert at Loud & Clear, one of the UK's leading high-end audio shops. They were both associates of David Mancuso and were involved with some of the parties he hosted in Glasgow in the early 2000s, and for many years they've helped Colleen with the sound at the London Loft. As luck would have it, they live in Scotland and have been incredibly generous with their expertise and time. So, that connection from Colleen was essential in getting us off the ground. After the sound system, the other big challenge was finding a venue. We didn't want to use an existing club, and we really wanted a space that felt like it could be someone's home. It also needed to have good room acoustics. I attended some talks and arts events at a venue called Civic House on the edge of the city centre. It's an old print factory that has recently been given a huge retrofit, and the organisation behind it has a great community spirit and a socially conscious approach to how they work. As well as being a cultural events venue, there is a canteen on the ground floor and this beautiful upstairs loft space that is used for co-working that I thought would be great for a party. It has wooden flooring, a vaulted ceiling and an amazing view over the city. I remember sending Andrew Pirie a picture of it, and he was like, "That's the one". I was doubtful they'd let us use it, but I got in touch with them, and luckily for us, our message was picked up by Grace Winteringham, who was leading projects for the venue at the time. Grace got what we were trying to do straight away and really went out of her way to support us and make it happen. There's a sense of responsibility that comes with saying your party is inspired by the Loft. Obviously, achieving the best possible quality of sound is crucial, but there's also the principle of making the space feel like a party in someone's home. We've tried to make the experience more personal by getting to know people who come along and build a sense of community. Food is served at the start of the night, and we invite people to bring their kids for the first few hours. We decorate the space in quite a simple way to create a more homely atmosphere – plants, lamps, wall hangings, drapes, plenty of seating, incense, and balloons. All these details are really important in properly respecting the philosophy of what David Mancuso set out through his parties. Some principles are more difficult to achieve, though, such as removing commercial transactions – the venue has a paid bar, for instance – but we try to offset this by being completely volunteer-led and making the party non-profit. So any money made goes into improvements or is donated to charity. The response has been incredible. We're coming up to our fifth party in a few weeks, which will be our first birthday. We've got a really lovely, diverse crowd of musically open-minded dancers, and we've built up an amazing community of volunteers who give up their time to help decorate the space, carry heavy speakers up and down stairs and welcome guests at the door. The crew have become a pretty close-knit group, and a few of them will be taking over musical hosting for the next party. In terms of future plans, we have thought about running cultural events alongside the party – talks, workshops, album listening events – but for the moment, we're happy to keep going and make small improvements like upgrades to the equipment and giving some more thought into how we decorate the space. 5) According to you, what does it take in our modern society to "Be Balearic"? Do you think it's just philosophical, or can we act a certain way to follow Colleen's recommendation? For me, it's just about being open and tolerant and showing love and kindness. That might sound sentimental to some people, but if having kids has taught me anything, it's about how important these things are. I think 'Balearic' in terms of both philosophy and Music relates a lot to the idea of 'life energy' that Colleen has spoken of a lot, and that was important to David Mancuso. It's a positive, life-giving force. Maybe I think that because we associate the 'Balearic' spirit so closely to the sun.

Discover the beautiful and thoughtful conversation I had with Caoilfhionn Rose whose new album "Constellation" is out this May! 1) Dear Keelin, thank you so much for joining me here on the Balearic Breakfast blog. Listening to your music feels like experiencing an ongoing discovery. There is always an element inviting the listener to search beyond, even if it's unconscious. We feel this very much when listening to your second album, "Truly", which was very well received by the critics, with the track "Paths" being included in Colleen's first "Balearic Breakfast Vol. 1" compilation. How did you start composing music? Sometimes, artists discover their talent by accident. Was it your case, or did it happen gradually? The process of creating music feels like an ‘ongoing discovery’ to me too, so I’m glad you hear that in the music I make. I could talk about a number of things unfolding which led me to start writing and performing my own music and believing that this was something I could pursue long-term. I have always enjoyed music and am grateful to have had piano lessons with a really lovely, encouraging teacher throughout my childhood and teenage years. After a period of illness, when I was 17, I discovered the healing and therapeutic nature of music. I began writing my own songs on the piano and gradually built up to performing them at open mic nights. I decided to delay going to university for a year and earned a diploma in Music Production and Audio Engineering. This was very inspiring and enabled me to create my own demos of the songs I’d been writing. I also met Matthew Halsall (musician and Gondwana Records label owner) before I went to Newcastle to study. He’d heard one of the little self-produced EPs I’d put on my Bandcamp page and was interested in working on my debut album with me to be released on Gondwana. Matthew’s belief and support were really encouraging and put me on a path to pursue music in a more serious and dedicated way. 2) You have your own "Sound". Of course, your voice, which can't be forgotten by the listener, but also, that free and open-minded approach, the tight and not overwhelming bass, and that kind of "eternity" to it, enhanced, I feel, by the beautiful equilibrium found in the several echos and reverbs used for the recording/mastering of your records. The guitar plays a dominant role in this sonic picture. How do you work with your team (bandmates and sound engineers) while you're in the studio? My approach to making music is quite experimental at times, and I don’t really follow any one process. I self-produced ‘Constellation’ with my husband Rich Williams (who also plays guitar in my band). We worked together at crafting the sound-world of the album and constructed the songs in different ways. Mostly, we employed a collage-type method, starting with the core of a song – some chords, a vocal melody – and gradually pieced it together, building layers on top, working with other musicians adding their parts. Sometimes, we stuck two song ideas together, reworking and reimagining as we went along. We recorded a lot of stuff at home in our shed and also had a lovely studio session at WR Audio in Manchester. In this session we invited bandmates – Alan Taylor on drums and Gavin Barras on bass – to jam out ideas and craft them together some more. The song ‘Rainfall’ came about through improvisation over an ambient sample created by trumpeter and producer Aaron Wood. The new album also features my good friend Jordan Smart (Mammal Hands) on saxophone. His parts were recorded remotely sometime during the lockdown. We sent over a bunch of songs, and Jordan interwove his beautiful melodies over the top. I really enjoy working with other musicians and, when making ‘Constellation’, I really opened myself up to collaborating, sometimes in person, sometimes remotely – sending things back and forth. I find it really exciting to find new ways of working and exploring new sound-worlds. 3) Your new album, "Constellation", will be out in May. Two tracks are already available to listen to on the streaming platforms, and your Bandcamp, "Rainfall" and "Fall into Place", played by our dear Colleen on the 165th episode of Balearic Breakfast. Though you keep your "ethereal" nature, even giving it a wider range, one can feel a slightly more solid approach to sound; realism seems more present. What did you want to convey both musically and spiritually through this new album? Musically, I wanted to veer off into a bit of a new direction from my first two albums, ‘Awaken’ and 'Truly’. I did this by using different instrumentation, singing in different ways, writing about new things, being playful with song structures, and collaborating. The whole album was quite patch-worked together, so I’m not sure whether there was ever an overarching plan or concept. ‘Wandering Mind’ was the song that sparked the idea of the album’s sound-world. It was the first song I was working on where I thought: ‘yes this is where I want to go’. It felt like I’d unlocked a new soundscape and style. Spiritually, I hope the music is felt and understood in whatever way is helpful. The album’s meaning seems to reveal itself to me more and more as time goes on. The songs resonate in different ways at different times. I hope it can do that for other people, slotting into their lives when they need it. 4) While watching your album covers, I was surprised by how much they share a close pictural element (I won't tell our readers which one it is; of course, they'll have to look and find it for themselves, laughs!). How do you choose the path to take when working on your album covers? Can it be that just one song brings up the idea, or is it generally the album as a whole that leads you to propose the final vision? The artist – Daniel Halsall – designed the covers for my albums ‘Truly’ and ‘Constellation’ and the cover of my first album ‘Awaken’ is a photo of me taken by my husband Rich Williams. Daniel Halsall designs a lot of the album artwork for the Gondwana Records label and has a way of connecting to the music and bringing that music to life in visual form. The decision to create and choose album artwork is quite collaborative between me and Gondwana Records. It involves a lot of moodboard making and listening to the record as a whole to highlight themes and imagery. I went to Daniel Halsall’s art exhibition last year and was really inspired by his line drawings and use of composition. Serendipitously, the style seemed to correlate with the constellation theme, and so I asked if he could design something of that ilk, incorporating some imagery from the lyrics of songs from my album. 5) You like to share thoughts on some of your songs on your socials, and one can feel you're a positive person. This contrasts with the more balanced tonalities of your songs, which, at first listen, lead the listener onto a more reflective path. Where does your soul guide you, Keelin? I really like this question! Hmm, I’m quite a deep thinker, or well, I am an over-thinker… I try to be positive but often I am overtaken by worries, both of the future and dwelling over things. When I’m writing songs it’s often done in a sort of self-talk way, advisory and with care. The messages I want to send out are of kindness and warmth, with hope and resilience. My soul guides me to constantly work on myself and to be a good person.

On 5th May 2024, while travelling through Spain, Colleen stopped at the Curtis Audio cafe, cocktail bar & record store for a special show. About this show. – We're so excited to share a new episode of Curtis Radio curated by legendary DJ and producer Colleen 'Cosmo' Murphy. Her exciting and successful musical journey spans 4 decades, from her adolescence working in record stores and radio stations in her hometown, to her connection and friendship with the 'godfather of Disco music' David Mancuso and his seminal parties. From the Loft, to current projects Balearic Breakfast, Classic Album Sundays, Love Dancin' Sound System, among many others, her resume is too long and rich to list here. We can simply say that for a humble Barcelona audio bar that cares about quality sound and music, having Colleen 'Cosmo' Murphy select 10 songs she likes to be featured on our radio show is an important event and an honor. We share that with our audience. Colleen doesn't just play records. She tells the stories behind the music. In her own words… “I am a music lover, music curator and music educator. It's about trying to transcend everyday life through music. When people say that Balearic Breakfast helped them get through the pandemic, I think it's because music has a healing quality. When people are on the dancefloor, I want them to forget about their daily lives. And the same goes for Classic Album Sundays, when people are completely immersed listening to an album, it takes them to another place. Those experiences have been very important to me. The search is endless and that is what motivates me. I never set out to do any of this intentionally; It just happened because of my passion. One thing led to another which fed another which fed another. I will never stop discovering music. “You always have to be looking forward, expanding your horizons.” So let's do just that, sit back, relax, turn up the volume and fully expand our musical horizons with these 10 beautiful songs lovingly curated by Colleen 'Cosmo' Murphy. Press play and enjoy. Listen back to the 43rd episode of the Curtis Radio Show: TRACKLIST (2023) The Circling Sun – Spirits (Part 2) (2011) Jonathan Wilson – Desert Raven (2023) Jacob Gurevitsch – Elevation in MInor (Cosmodelica Remix) (2022) Derya Yildrim & Grup Simsek – Bal (1976) Pacific Express – Sky Ride 2 (1973) Madeline Bell – That's what it's all about (2023) Parbleu – Elios (2021) Flamingo Pier – Cosmic Sunset (2021) Sun Palace – Rude Movments (François K Sats Dub Extended) (1984) Robert Sandrini – Occhi Su Di Me CURTIS RADIO PRESENTATION Let's celebrate. Here, from the Curtis Radio sound system. Your monthly space where we propose music from the best selectors, interviews with quality content, Music with soul. No robots or artificial intelligence here. Through a selection of ten themes, today we are accompanied by a defender of the art of listening. Colleen brings together everything you can dream of in a musical prescriber. Writer, radio host, collector, DJ and producer. Basically, we could define her as a central figure in the contemporary musical scene, with a life dedicated to sharing and spreading. She was born in Boston, Massachusetts. At 14, she was already in charge of her own radio show, marking the beginning of a career that would lead her to be one of the most respected voices in the waves. In 1986, she moved to New York to study sound and radio at the School of Cinema. During her stay, she would become the first female director of one of the most important university radio stations in the United States. There, she would be a pioneer in the diffusion of the emerging house music style, attracting the genre's main figures. The conduction of radio shows, along with her experience working in the main record store in Massachusetts, made her a part of an eclectic musical fanbase that would promote her beginnings as a DJ. The turning point in her career would come when she attended the legendary David Mancuso parties at The Loft back in the 1990s. For those of you who are not familiar with David Mancuso, he is something like the "godfather of disco music". Mancuso's influence led her to appreciate music from a completely new perspective and to adopt a unique philosophy, the dance floor, as a community experience. Soon, a friendship would be forged where Mancuso would entrust her with the task of being the hostess of his mythical parties. In the 2000s, she founded the record label Beaches Brew, releasing a variety of recordings that covered genres from dub to rock. Collecting vinyls, putting records on, telling stories and producing, which would lead her to collaborate with artists like the Irish singer Roisin Murphy, others like Chaka Khan or Stevie Wonder himself, leaving her mark with innovative and eclectic remixes. Her influence transcends and goes beyond, creating the classic album Sundays concept in the Royal Albert Hall, a movement that proclaims the art of listening to albums in full with the audience. To this day, Colleen continues to express herself through her show Balearic Breakfast, which began on Gilles Peterson's radio as a musical lighthouse and transcended to a series of vinyl compilations. Colleen Murphy merges the desire to entertain with the need to heal and educate through music, inspiring with new sounds and perspectives. Today, through Diez Temas, she educates us again with a very special selection for this new episode of Corte y Radio. Thank you for being here with us. Colleen Cosmo Murphy, friends. COLLEEN PRESENTATION Greetings, this is Colleen Cosmo Murphy and right now I am in Andalucía. Actually, I'm in Zahora and I've had a lovely holiday, just about to return home and back to reality, but just love this part of Spain so much. We've been coming here for over 20 years now and I'm feeling pretty Balearic, even though we're on the wrong coast. Of course, we're on the West Coast. Those are Spanish birds that you can hear in the background. I'm delighted to be here on Corte y Radio with 10 selections that give an idea of the overall arc of my weekly Balearic Breakfast radio show, which started on Worldwide FM and I now host on Mixcloud. I'm on Mixcloud Live every Tuesday from 10 a.m. to 12 noon British summertime. You can join in the live chat. And, yeah, it's a great community of people. The show's been going on for just over three years now. I guess coming up on four years. It was started during the pandemic. And luckily and quite gratefully, I also have a Balearic Breakfast compilation series on Heavenly Recordings. And volume three is coming out very soon. I believe it's at the end of May or early June. And I'm also doing a special record release party in Ibiza on the 8th of June at The Standard, if you want to come along and join me. Today's selection, as I said, represents the arc of Balearic Breakfast. And there's some New Zealand spiritual jazz, some contemporary California singer-songwriter material just kind of hearkening back to the Laurel Canyon days, but more modern. There's a remix of mine, a Cosmodélica remix of mine, of Jacob Gurevich, who is a Danish guitarist who really specializes in Spanish-style guitar. It's a song called Elevation in Minor that I remixed for him. And that can be found on the upcoming compilation, Balearic Breakfast, volume three. You can still hear the Spanish birds here. There's also some Turkish folk dance music, some 70s South African jazz rock, some classic American soul, some Neapolitan jazz funk. I just love what's coming out of Napoli at the moment. Some New Zealand live cosmic disco. Yes, a couple of New Zealand tracks because we went to New Zealand for the first time this year and had a great time. I also have a tribute to two of my mentors, Francois K. Francois Kvorkian, that is. He did a great remix of a song that was played a lot by David Mancuso, David Mancuso of The Loft in New York. They're both supporters, friends, mentors, and just people who I admire and have had very intense relationships with in a very positive way. And I also leave with one little song that's a little bit of a surprise, so I hope you enjoy. Thanks to Curtis Radio for having me here, and thanks to all of you for listening.

NTS Radio broadcast the 7th episode of Balearic Brunch on June 01st 2024. About this show. – Life is a succession of events. Sometimes they're good. Sometimes they're bad. They can bring you down, but, ultimately, they should always... bring you up. That's something I learnt while listening to Colleen and to other DJs I discovered thanks to her. This last episode of "Balearic Brunch" is all about these quite philosophical thoughts as we shall see in the listening experience section of that post. A lot of the songs, if not all of them in fact, and the show itself, for many reasons, depict that choice you have to make in life, that destiny you must accept while somehow refusing it, thus moving forward... And, sometimes, even if that may seem quite contradictory, deciding not to make a move is still a rebelious way to act upon events... Somehow, staying on a protective side may alllow you to move forward on a safer path, at a later moment... The Balearic crew joined Colleen on her last Balearic Brunch show which was aired on June 1st 2024 on NTS. We really had a ball with a "Gif Party" including dancing pigeons and kitties, not forgetting crazy rabbits and other cheerfull pictures that brought a dose of well-needed hapiness to our dear Captain (btw, Colleen, if you are reading these lines, this one is a gift from Rick!)... On her socials, Colleen shared the following presentation with her followers: "My last Balearic Brunch on @nts_radio is now reposted on my Mixcloud and thanks to all who joined in on the Discord and to all who tuned in live. It has been a pleasure to host a 6 month residency on NTS and thank you to all of the staff who have supported me and the show. I appreciate you! This show features the first play of my Cosmodelica remix of @bryonyjarmanpinto Moving Forward which is coming out on @tru_thoughts in July. Its a beautiful, positive song and I was delighted to bring out the strings in the arrangement. I hope you like it! (...)" Let's dive deeper into this beautiful last Balearic Brunch episode! Listen back to the 7th episode of Balearic Brunch: PLAYLIST (1992) La Fábula – Acuarela Crepuscular (2024) Don Glori – All Seeds (1986) Tri Atma – Yummy Moon (Long Version) (NOL) Bryony Jarman Pinto – Moving Forward (Cosmodelica Remix) (1977) True Transfusion – No Communication (Part 1) (1977) Gary Bartz (ft. Syreeta Wright) – Funked Up (2023) Bosq & Kaleta – Meji Meji (2024) Nicola Conte – Umoja (Joaquin’s Sacred Rhythm Dub) (2013) Zero 7 – On My Own THE LISTENING EXPERIENCE Starting the show with the somewhat sad, and slightly worried, yet hopeful, "Acuarela Crepuscular", Colleen introduces us to La Fábula (the band consisting of musician, improviser and sound experimenter from Mexico City Rogelio Nobara Tamura, and Hector Zavala and being part of the El Chopo Flea Market artistic community, still active to this very day!) letting us reflect upon life's ups and downs. Such a beautiful and reflective musical moment. Keeping the interrogative feeling alive and well, Colleen then plays "All Seeds", Don Gori's track from the 2024 studio album 'Don't Forget to Have Fun', infusing a Jazzy vibe to the musical journey she proposes here for this last edition of Balearic Brunch, this jazzy trip being beautifully followed by the more Bossa-Nova like number that is Tri Atma's "Yummy Moon", which, as it keeps a worried soul, seems to be more combative in its approach! (Listen, and read, Colleen's interview with Balearic Mike & Kelvin Andrews here). Even if it is being said that "Moving Forward" celebrates the deep sense of security and steadfastness Bryony cherishes with her partner while navigating parenthood together (read more about these changing times for Bryony here), this uplifting song has a broader meaning perfectly fitting today's show! It is beautifully followed by True Transfusion's "No Communication", enhancing the need for change when something goes wrong. Adressing things is a proof of love indeed! This Jazz-Fusion moment is followed by the frontal and very direct number that is "Funked up" by Gary Bartz (ft. Syreeta Wright), allowing us to enter the second half of today's show on a good foot. By now, you must have noticed something quite important in these Balearic Brunch shows, which shines here: NTS's sound! Yes, that radio station has a Sound of its own. Listen carefully to how precise the sound is, it is quite organic too, somehow I would say there's a vintage approach here! Also, take the time to listen to Colleen's voice, did you notice that she uses it slightly differently during Balearic Brunch? Her tone is more profound if I can put it in that way, while keeping her gentleness, her sound is less "open". Also, take the time to listen to the other episodes, you'll see how much every Balearic Brunch episode has its own sonic and intellectual soul. Again, these shows seem to be more "organic" and more "soulful" I would say, while retaining Colleen's visuals intact. Yes, Colleen really tried to craft something here... Well done, dear Captain! Keeping the positive flow afloat, Colleen then plays the very Balearic "Meji Meji" (loosely meaning something like “two heads are better than one” in Yoruba, taking a positive stance, with Kaleta singing about unity over division on a heavy Disco Funk groove with blistering horns and heavy percussion), followed by another Jazzy number, the tremendously motivating "Umoja" (expressing unity, oneness and harmony in Swahili), here presented in its Joaquin’s Sacred Rhythm Dub version! What a ball we had on the NTS chat while Colleen was playing these energetic musical trips, we laughed like crazy and Colleen enjoyed our GIFs to the maximum! Ending the show with the electronic, very oceanic, yet worried song that is "On My Own" by Zero 7 (a two-track EP that was released after a four year break from their last studio album Yeah Ghost, and with the up-beat disco-funk vibe and catchy vocals by Aussie Danny Pratt), Colleen leaves us with a strong message: it does not matter how much you'll want to protect yourself, one day life will make you Dance... against your will...

The brand new Balearic Breakfast (Vol. 3) double LP compilation is out today! To celebrate, T-shirts are available to order on the Heavenly Recordings website! Today marks the vinyl release of my Balearic Breakfast Volume 3 compilation on Heavenly Recordings! It’s another eclectic mix of sunshine sounds that knows no bounds. Most of the songs are difficult to find on vinyl and some have never had a vinyl pressing (ed. See below). I hope you like it. Thank you to all who pre-ordered the signed editions on Bandcamp and to those who have already picked it up at their local record shop. If you still need a copy, there is a list of shops here. We also have some brand new Balearic Breakfast T-shirts in pink, white, ivory and denim blue and there is a choice of designs with prints only on the front or on both the front and back. And a reminder that I’m hosting two record release parties: tomorrow, Saturday the 8th June, at The Standard Ibiza from 6 to 11pm - please head pre-reserve. And the following Saturday, the 15th June, I’m over at NT’s Loft from 3:30 - 9pm where I’ll be joined by Zero 7 with a DJ set. It’s both indoors and outdoors with a great view of Balearic East London. Thank you for your continued support of Balearic Breakfast - a radio show that I started nearly 3 years ago on Worldwide FM and which has continued as a weekly stream and archive on my Mixcloud. This family keeps growing together and reaches most corners of the globe. I’m so proud of our community. And thank to you all of the shops stocking the record, to ardneks for the awesome artwork and to Heavenly recordings for believing in me and keeping this series going three years in a row. And finally, thank you to the artists and record labels who have allowed us to include their music including Jonathan Wilson, Jacob Gurevitsch, Shawn Lee, Quintus Project, Pigeon, Shunt Voltage, Mildlife, David Holmes, Zero 7 and Primal Scream. I appreciate your support. A NICE REVIEW FROM DREAMHOUSE RECORDS Out today: Colleen ‘Cosmo’ Murphy Presents Balearic Breakfast Vol. 3. (Heavenly Records) When it comes to curating playlists, few have better bona fides than the US DJ and all-around radio legend Colleen ‘Cosmo’ Murphy. The host of many seminal shows, including the wildly successful Cosmodelica, the 6 Music album series Sounds of a City, and Radio 4’s documentary series Turntable Tales, Murphy’s knowledge is exhaustive and her taste unimpeachable – evidenced by her side hustle as an in-demand remixer, who has transformed tracks by artists such as Róisín Murphy, The Rapture, Candi Staton, The 2 Bears, and Horace Andy. It’s always a happy day, then, when Murphy puts together a compilation, and the third instalment of her acclaimed series Balearic Breakfast is an absolute treat – a wide-ranging, multi-genre record for which Murphy follows Jose Padilla’s simple credo that Balearic is not a sound, but rather a way of life – or as Resident Advisor put it, “Murphy’s definition of Balearic seems more tied to music’s capacity to take you to limitless backdrops than it is to any specific destination.” The LP features a treasure trove of incredible tracks (most of which have never been available on vinyl before, while others are long out of print), such as Jonathan Wilson’s ‘Desert Raven’, which takes flight on a descending guitar part that’s equal parts Laurel Canyon and Las Salinas beach; Shunt Voltage’s ‘Generator’, a relentless slab of analogue after-hours electro; and Andrew Weatherall’s (RIP) phenomenal remix of Primal Scream’s ‘Uptown’, which dresses up the original in nine-and-a-half minutes of melodica-led futuristic electro-disco glitter – and so whether you’re waxing existential on Margate Sands, or sipping Caipirinhas in Ipanema, Balearic Breakfast, Vol. 3 is as essential a beach staple as sun cream and shades. About the rare Andrew Weatherall remix of Primal Scream (from Colleen's interview with Andy Beta) So how did you get that insanely rare Andrew Weatherall remix of Primal Scream? That and the Zero 7 are the rarities here. That Zero 7 is $150 minimum as it was just a white label. Get 2-3 of those, then get Bandcamp things that didn’t get a pressing. Then I look at styles: is it too much of a proggy sound? Too much jazzy? Too much house? Then once everything is licensed, it’s about the sequencing and timing for each side. I was a big Primal Scream fan. I knew all their stuff. They have that ‘60s thing going on. When Screamadelica came out, it was melding the dance music I was getting into with the ‘60s psychedelic stuff. I interviewed them when it came out and it was difficult: they all have thick Glaswegian accents and I had one microphone. Then I interviewed them again when they recorded down in Memphis with Tom Dowd. Then I interviewed Bobby for one of my radio shows, a spotlight on Glasgow. Over my career, I’ve interviewed them the most. David played that white label 12” at the end of one of our Loft parties in London. And I ran up to the booth like “What is thiiis?” A friend let me borrow their copy for a Loft party we did in Italy. But I never had a copy. Jeff from Heavenly is tight with them all from the ‘80s. I just wanted a vinyl copy to play at the parties. And then I wanted it for the compilation. But Primal Scream is on a major. Yet because Weatherall’s remix didn’t actually officially ever come out, that actual copyright isn’t owned by a major label. So it’s owned by the band. Jeff asked Bobby and he says: “Yeah, I like Colleen and I want her to have it.” It was very cool. So they were able to say yeah: “I want her to have it.” That was such a coup.

Matt Wolfe is one of the core listeners of Colleen's Balearic Breakfast show. I am so pleased to welcome someone that became a friend! Let's meet Matt! 1) Dear Matt, I am truly humbled to have you on the blog, as you are one of the show's "core listeners"! Going back, way back to Balearic Breakfast's first shows, did you feel that "irresistible attraction" to the show? What impact did the show have on your life back then? Hi Artur! 🌅 Thank you so much for your support, your kind patience and for having me! 🫶🏻✌🏻 I was so happy this show came along… Colleen's amazing soundtrack and beautiful selections got me back in touch with my musical roots again. That's really a priceless gift! 2) I have been thinking about it lately, but don't you think that the tragic event of "The Disco Demolition Night" wasn't, in a sense, a good thing as it permitted a new musical approach in the 80s, ultimately leading to "Nu-Disco" with tracks like Findlay Brown's Stallion's Suite thus assuring Disco's Legacy? It was a very sad and shocking event, indeed! Of course, I was too young to remember anything from it. But I believe what happened then has led us to where we are now and the huge Disco resurrection that has taken place over the last four centuries… I believe Disco is bigger than ever with the new generation and with events such as Glitter Box nights. Disco is firmly back on the map. I think Nu-Disco definitely has a firm place on the map, too! 3) Talking about music, tell me more about your 80's! Please share with us some of your beloved songs from that era! For me, everything started back in 86/87. I started to feel the love and energy of the electronic/synth-sounding pop songs like Donna Summer's Dinner with Gershwin and Petshop Boys' Domino Dancin and Heart. These songs led me to dance Music and, of course, house music! 4) As a DJ, how do you approach music when blending tracks together? What is your goal when sharing music with people? I like to play the full song and blend in towards the end… I like people to hear the full 12-inch of the mix as I believe you can fully appreciate it this way! 5) With the vinyl resurgence in recent years, we saw a lot of new editions coming out, and lately, sadly, prices have gone up. How do you buy records, and most importantly, being a DJ, how do you listen to music? Lockdown made me reconnect with my vinyl collection again…. I started purchasing more records, and this led me to do a few live sessions on Instagram! As far as buying goes, Discogs can be expensive, but I love a good charity shop hunt, too. I’m now very selective about what I purchase and only buy what I truly need. I also use a few sites to download songs (Traxsource, beat port, etc.) and love a bit of DAB radio, where I listen to Jazz FM quite a bit! Thank you so much, Matt! See you soon, Artur! ✨✨

An electronic project based in the North West of England UK, Shunt Voltage is nothing short of a musical electrifying band! I met one of its members for a great interview! 1) Hello Jamie! How is the current going lately? (laughs!) Thank you so much for joining me on the Balearic Breakfast blog! Colleen featured Shunt Voltage's music several times during Balearic Breakfast, and we all dig it a lot! By the way, are you into electronics? (laughs!) Hi Artur, the current is flowing very well thanks, and thank you for inviting us on. Yes! it’s actually Damian who knows all about circuit boards and capacitors etc. It's great for us because he’s really good with the gear we use. 2) On Facebook I read that quote from your latest musical effort: "Thanks to Andrew Weatherall for bringing us together". How did you guys actually meet, and what led you to create music under the "Shunt Voltage" moniker? I had worked with Damian for many years on previous projects that he had been involved with, and so we just decided to start our own project. Initially, there were another two guys involved and SV started life a little more organic sounding. When they left, it kind of forced us to approach things differently and we became more electronic-based. We had a rehearsal room (the Bunker) where our mates, who we’d known for years and with whom we used to hang out, played music and did photography/art and so Karl started to look after the projections when we played live. We wanted a name that kind of reflected what we were doing and so, with Damian's knowledge of electronics, he suggested a few names and we both instantly agreed: 'Shunt Voltage' sounded right… I think he then explained to me what it meant which wasn’t quite as exciting, but it still sounded right! The Andrew Weatherall nod is a reference to the sonic ecosystem that in a roundabout way enabled us to hook up with Duncan Gray and John Paynter/Ben Lewis for the remixes on our 12" release. The same musical ecosystem was also a catalyst for a previous release 'Scapeism' on Duncan Gray's Tici Taci label which was remixed by Sons Of Slough (Duncan Gray & Ian Weatherall). 3) That's quite impressive indeed! And it leads us to the song played by Colleen on the 173rd episode of Balearic Breakfast, 'To What Degree (A Space Age Freak Out)' which, in its essence, is quite close to some tracks played at the Loft (I'm thinking about "Torch Song's "Prepare to Energize" here), with that bumping spacey feeling to it. How was that tune born and how did you guys collaborate with ASAFO on that one? The SV version came about like most of our tracks, just experimenting with ideas and jamming things out. We like using vocals but not too much, we try to avoid being too song like (i.e verse chorus and so on). I think minimal lyrics and repetition are good enough hook lines in themselves. Our manager, Paul (Beautiful Burnouts), was the catalyst behind the remixes. He’s put on a number of gigs that John Paynter and SV have appeared on the same bill, and so we’ve got to know John and become friends. We submitted a couple of tracks and a remix for John's “Shelter Me” projects, so it made complete sense to ask him alongside Ben Lewis to do a mix, they did a great job with it, and gave it a bit more of a club vibe. We were also really pleased with the Duncan Gray remix of 'Cowboys', which was a bit more industrial electro-funk style! So all in all we're proud of our first vinyl release! 4) I went down memory lane and listened back to the 120th Balearic Breakfast episode where another track of yours was featured, "Generator", another very electrical name indeed, laughs! It's also a very interesting track because it has some beautiful stereo effects, quite frighteningly realistic, I must say, and also a beautiful soundstage, which helps the listener lose himself in the Sound. How do you work on a track? Do you start with a rhythm or a beat, or do you go another way around while creating? Yes, we have a few running electric themes. Our first release on Bandcamp was titled "Electro Circus”, but this was actually a nod and a wink to the infamous 70’s punk night in Manchester the Electric Circus, where many great bands played like Buzzcocks, Talking Heads and Fall etc. Back to the question… Generator started life very differently to how it ended up. It was based around a Can-type groove on bass guitar and drums mixed with some industrial-type sounds, it was an unusual blend of ideas which is what we still try to do now. Eventually, things were replaced by sequencers and drum machines. However we retained the industrial aspect of it to keep the original spirit of the song and, finally, to finish off, the vocal idea was developed. We generally process all our vocals one way or another to make them a bit more interesting. 5) You're quite busy lately, as I saw you also had a few dates this year leading you to the Social in London! Congratulations! With all of that going on, what's next for Shunt Voltage? Any chance an album could be in the making? We self-released our first vinyl 12’ this year. Hopefully, if we sell all the copies we can fund another release at some point later this year. We also have a single called “Resistor” (keeping the theme going, ha!) being digitally released through Paisley Dark alongside remixes from Adult DVD, Mindbender, Cosmikuro and A Space Age Freak Out. Other than that I guess our future plans are to carry on doing everything we’ve been doing, more gigs and more music. Thank you Jamie! Thanks Artur!

Colleen will celebrate the release of her Balearic Breakfast Volume 3 compilation on Saturday, the 15th of June at Night Tales Loft in London! LAUNCH PARTY ANNOUNCEMENT Colleen will celebrate the release of her Balearic Breakfast Volume 3 compilation on Saturday, the 15th of June at Night Tales Loft and is thrilled to announce her special guests are Zero 7 playing a Swim Surreal DJ set. Expect sunshine Balearic vibes in East London as it will be a daytime party (3:30 to 9 pm), both indoors and outdoors, with a Buena Vista. Balearic Breakfast family member Lee Zee will open up with a chilled mix and then Zero 7, followed by Colleen herself. Colleen has long been a fan of Zero 7, their ultra-rare ‘On My Own’ is one of the featured tracks on the vinyl compilation (the cd version will be released next year). We hope you can join us and please head over to Resident Advisor for info and tickets. The compilation will come out a week before the party, on Friday, the 7th June on HEAVENLY RECORDINGS. Signed copies of Balearic Breakfast Vol 3 have already sold out on Bandcamp so please ask to pre-order at your local record store – they need your support and remember record store day is every day! Note from Colleen: Here are some links for territories outside of the UK: Here's the ffm link for Balearic Breakfast Vol.3: https://ffm.to/balearic-breakfast-vol3 I am told by PIAS that it is geo-targeted, so it shows you the links based on where in the world you are. If people are using the link overseas it should show them the shops relevant to where they are, however we can only see the UK based ones on the link due to our location (if that makes sense). Here are the international links that are featured on the link though for reference Germany: https://www.amazon.de/Colleen-Cosmo-Murphy.../dp/B0D22QMPGP https://www.hhv.de/shop/en/records/item/v-a-colleen-cosmo-murphy-presents-balearic-breakfast-3-1125530 https://www.deejay.de/balearic+breakfast+vol+3 Holland: https://www.platomania.nl/article/14502991/colleen_cosmo_murphy_presents_balea/various?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTAAAR049bDF6wA9qQSZvXg6ZNWF4HS_K-HtqDV5vOi8u1Dg-BR3O-7KgLgjbd8_aem_AZYZK_gOPcRP1n8QApHz0r2eD3nhBBIFPirpqv1GHtguj_W8PM7tojDbKcQAUSv-w6r9UI0SBHL_7spBbxkVshVV US: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0D22QMPGP https://recordstoreday.com/UPC/5400863159672 France: https://www.fnac.com/a20376613/Collectif-Colleen-Cosmo-Murphy-Presents-Balearic-Breakfast-Volume-3-Vinyle-album