Search Results

The latest "Faith" fanzine edition features an interview with Colleen 'Cosmo' Murphy. Let's discover its highlights in this post! On August 17th, Colleen shared the following message on her socials: "Huge and heartfelt thanks to @faithfanzine and writer @nickgb_music.ita for the wonderful piece in the latest issue of Faith. The fanzine published an article on me when I moved over to London from New York City in 1999 for which I was hugely grateful as it helped me relaunch in a brand new country and continent - I’ll never forget that. Also in the latest issue a feature on another friend and mentor @francoisknyc and a much needed article on women DJs [p. 42. ed.]. Sure it’s getting a bit better for us but you wouldn’t believe the amount of both conscious and unconscious bias many of us still quietly experience even from the most unlikely sources and in circles that claim otherwise. We are still judged differently and more harshly than our male counterparts. And there are still some boys clubs that not only refuse to credit women artists and DJs on their achievements but gaslight us. It happens more than you think. So until sexism in all its insidious forms is eradicated both inside and outside the dj booth, I’m afraid we will need to keep talking about it. But great leaps have been made and let’s not forget that either. Upwards and onwards…" I took the opportunity and bought the issue to discover a fanzine I had never heard of! Though I can't share the interview per se (you can support the fanzine and order your copy here), I still can propose some of its highlights; let's dive in! The three-page interview (with a beautiful layout, should I add, making us think about some album covers from the late '60s) takes us on a new journey down memory lane with Colleen (the new biography on her website by Disco Pogo's editor Jim Butler is worth checking out too). The hard-working and well-organised DJ (she admits she doesn't sleep as much as other people, sometimes even overscheduling herself) has had music running through her veins since her youngest age (she hosted her first radio show at age 14), working in record shops after school, knowing radio was what she wanted to do. The interview is very cleverly conducted because we have both the story of these younger years and an insight into the Bostonian cultural scene (Colleen grew up in the suburbs of Boston in the "tiny town" of Holliston). We get to learn more about Colleen's whereabouts back then when she talks about her moving to New York City (a cultural decision allowing her to meet her to become Musical Mentor David Mancuso but also fellow friends like François Kevorkian - see this issue of Faith fanzine p. 36) and then establishing herself "back" in London. Listen to a very young Cosmo interviewing Ceybil Jefferies on Club 89: There is one thing that shines through this interview is how passionate Colleen was all the time and how much she knew what she wanted. For instance, when talking about "Classic Album Sundays", she says: "I remember when I started Classic Album Sundays, people saying 'Oh I always thought of doing that', I was like, but you didn't, so shut up. We all have these great ideas - you have to execute it" Another great quote (with a very Balearic touch) from this interview goes like this: "If you stay true to your ideals you will always at least be happy with yourself and that is always the first person you have to answer to" Talking about her work as a DJ, she feels that there are two separate species (but I'm not going to tell you all about that part, you have to read something, right? Laughs!). This excellent interview ends with a few words about our beloved show, "Balearic Breakfast": "I started it in the pandemic (as Summer Staycation) because I wanted it to be like a musical conversation. One thing I love about BB is the community aspect, the BB Family are so knowledgeable, they all have their different things going on, most of them aren't DJs. It's about community building, which is something I learned from David, the community aspect is number one." Overall, it's a beautiful interview, very well conducted, with a nice rhythm, lovely depth and a few "punchlines" tending to show that being Balearic is also about fighting for your dreams to make them come true!

Recorded by Irish singer Róisín Murphy and officially released on her fifth solo studio album, Róisín Machine, "Murphy's law" became a hit and, quickly, a "Balearic Breakfast" classic. April 2020. The world was in a state of Shock. Locked in their homes, billions of people were forbidden to go out because a pandemic was going on... "Balearic Breakfast" was not born back then yet, but Colleen was lifting our spirits up with the Cosmodelica shows aired on Worldwidefm and on her socials. Still, there was something we didn't know: Colleen was working hard behind the scenes to cheer us up even more... One evening, as I was scrolling my way down on Instagram, I fell on something that stopped me in my tracks. I went berserk and laughed like I never did before in my life (in fact, I still laugh when watching that video today with tears of joy in my eyes !) Murphy vs Murphy !!! This just in!! Incredible @colleencosmomurphy remix of Murphy's Law! Please forgive the dancing, I just cannot believe all the incredible music that's pouring into my life right now! 🚀🚀🚀🚀🔥🔥🔥🔥💥💥💥🖤 Like thousands of other music fans, I could not believe the news. I could not control the happiness that was overwhelming me. This thing. That video. The vibe. The dancing. These two names, united together in such a dark moment of my life, were just like a sun outburst. I was experiencing something tremendously powerful. Was it real? Would this track be released on vinyl? When?! Where could I buy it? I could not handle this. I had to find Answers immediately (laughs!!). I think I played the short video 10 times in a row! And the comments on Rosin's Instagram went up, and up, and up... We were all so excited about what was happening in front of our eyes !! To celebrate the song that gave so much Joy to so many people, here is its story... I didn’t want to make new music, but I wanted to remix, and I thought ‘Murphy’s Law’ would be perfect. I’m such a fan of vocal music, the human voice is my favourite instrument, a well-crafted vocal to me can be so sublime, so transcendental. In ‘Murphy’s Law’ I could hear something else; I heard Prelude, post-disco, early 80s Gwen Gutherie, Unlimited Touch. And Róisin and I have a lot of the same friends even though we’ve not actually met in real life… Colleen, Sisters of Murphy interview, 28/08/2020 The song "Murphy's law" was written by Roisin Murphy, Dean Honer, Michael Ward and Richard Barratt (who also produced it). It dealt with Murphy embracing her future, no matter the costs: "Well, the song is quite old, but it came to us in the studio, I think it was the only one we did in the studio together, the others were more remote. When I said, 'why don't we do one about Murphy's law?' it was like, 'Yeah, that's a really disco thing.' And then we tied it up with singing about Sheffield and leaving a small town and going and making myself. There's a lot of that on the album — that part of your life where you make yourself, where it comes time to do your own nurturing and decisions. Especially when you're youngish and you leave home. The biggest decision I ever made was to stay in Manchester when my parents broke up, and I was 15. And that 15-year-old is definitely in this one." According to Roisin, the song was the most difficult one from the forthcoming album to finish : "We were there writing it thinking, "it's cheesy, but it's so strong." So we kept going with it. The whole track was in a different key, I kept singing it and it never felt right, and then I said, "well, stick it in another key and transpose it and I'll re-sing it." So he transposed it and we got this gender-bent vocal sound going and we haven't replaced it because we couldn't live without it. It felt like a perfect foil against the song." What's interesting, in the first place, are the lyrics. When you read them, you feel like the song is really about the new start of a love story with a former lover : It's Murphy's law, I'm gonna meet you tonight Just one match could relight the flame And just when everything is goin' alright All my hard work goes down the drain And Murphy's law, I'm gonna meet you tonight Just one match could relight the flame And just when everything is goin' alright Murphy's law's gonna strike again It's gonna strike again It's gonna strike again But then, of course, by reading the rest of the lyrics, you understand Roisin Murphy's point of view when she talks about leaving the town and making a new start. Still, to me, this song is mainly about a new chance on a love story! Then comes the music! The original version of the song is very laid-back. You could effortlessly dance on it while having a beach party! It has a very Balearic soul indeed. Just listen to that funky rhythmic guitar (it's very discrete, so you must search for it in the mix ^^)! You can hear a similar groove on some of 'La Compagnie Créole' songs from the 80s'. Murphy's law is a groovy and sexy swinging song for sure! As far as the sonic structure is concerned, the song hasn't a lot of dynamics; it's not an expansive track, everything is very controlled, detailed, there's a lot of unity in there. Yet, while being controlled, the sound keeps an open spirit, and you can hear the "cosmic" elements that may have drawn Colleen's interest! Now, let's have a listen to Colleen's version : The first thing you say goodbye to is the laid-back experience you had with the original track (laughs)! Colleen's version is rhythmically more robust, more in your face. It's a Mean track. One talking about success in trying again and even in failing again! There is that Latin expression that I like very much that says "Amor fati". To me, it's very close to the one of "Murphy's law": "Amor fati is a Latin phrase that may be translated as "love of fate" or "love of one's fate". It describes an attitude in which one sees everything that happens in one's life, including suffering and loss, as good or, at the very least, necessary." On the other hand, Murphy's law is about accepting that "Anything that can go wrong will go wrong." Some formulations even extend to "Anything that can go wrong will go wrong, and at the worst possible time." In other words, let destiny do its work, try whatever happens, right? And to me, Colleen's version demonstrates that very well !! Embrace life, embrace your choices and go on, dance with yourself! The sonic structure of Colleen's version is also very different from the original version. It has a lot of "silence"; the sound breathes, and you can picture yourself floating somewhere like Neil Armstrong among the planets bouncing around you! The kick aspect is definitely present (remember Murphy's kicks in ya face ? ^^); it makes you slap your feet and clap your hands! The dynamic aspect of Colleen's version also comes from that Piano playing! I mean, can a piano part be meaner than that ?! I've never heard such a punchy way of playing. I don't know who played that piano, but the man or the woman behind the keys deserves a round of applause, like Really !! Last but not least, Colleen's version takes the reverb on Roisin Murphy's voice to another dimension. Yes, we're lost in space, for sure! Also, it seems Colleen's version has a lower volume with greater overall dynamics, but this does not stop the track from being an absolute belter; on the contrary! Watch Roisin Murphy's interview with Colleen (Classic Album Sundays) : Colleen's version has become an anthem, and the Balearic Breakfast Family always requests it with undisputed pleasure. Whenever Colleen plays it, we all have a blast. The last time was during the Woman's day special. Let's listen to how that party went! Keep on, keep on, keep on...

Released on 10th February 2003 by Virgin Records, Massive Attack's 4th studio album "100th Window" contains three songs by the late and great Sinead O' Connor; "What your soul sings" being the first one to appear in the setlist. Let us discover more, both about the song and about its subject... There is a kind of hatred, within; there is a scream down there; there is sorrow lost somewhere and to hide nowhere, but still nothing else to do but to find a way of truth, a way of peace, a way with meaningless words because everything else has already been exposed; there is a bomb that needs to explode, and a resurrection to be forced, to be reborn again, no one else can understand but the ones who went through hell. Artur Click on play and read on... Introduction. – I wrote a few days ago a sentence that, in the light of this tribute to Sinead, takes on its full meaning. It said, “We believe in things we don’t know”. About the song. – Written by Robert Del Naja, Neil Davidge and Sinead O'Connor, “What Your Soul Sings” started as a guitar riff – played by Angelo Bruschini (salvaged from one of the very few leftover pieces of music composed during the 2000/2001 Lupine Howl period, which were mostly all scrapped) – used by the band when they were working in 2002 on their fourth studio album “100th Window” (issued in UK on February, 10th 2003). Massive Attack wanted to work with Sinead for quite a long time, actually since 1994, before finally coming together for three tracks on their, back then, latest effort (Special Cases, Prayer for England and What Your Soul Sings). Sadly enough, this blissful musical moment never got the coverage it truly deserved: It wasn't issued as a single, only appearing on The Music Of Sinead O'Connor 1986-2003, an Official 2003 US promotional CD-R acetate featuring a unique compilation of songs (custom printed stickered disc complete with a custom picture sleeve and studio title/tracklisting back insert) and was sung by Sinead only on a couple of live dates with Massive Attack. Furthermore, despite "100th Window" being a critical success, the album "only" sold 180,000 copies in the US (England being first with 216.607 copies sold). The lyrics of this beautifully touching song are self-explanatory; the music soothes you and helps you, thanks to its very pictural capability, to reach pure emotions deep down inside (thus explaining why the song was played during Balearic Breakfast's 140th episode), with the words slowly guiding you towards the one who should be your only true friend. Of course, the composition is all about “self-empowerment”, "self-love", and "self-care", and I could go on rephrasing the lyrics, but you will find that easily on the web elsewhere. Yet, a crucial theme here must be, at least partially, put on the forefront, and you already know which one it is... Talking about Soul. – “Death is the ultimate opener”. I should have known better and feel very sad about discovering Sinead’s musical universe after her passing. While I was a teenager, I only listened to her second album, "I Do Not Want What I Haven’t Got", which will be presented by Colleen on the forthcoming Classic Album Sundays online event, held on Tuesday, 22nd August 2023, at 8 pm BST. First, when talking about the human Soul, I feel we need musical guidance, even an incomplete one. The first song, to me, presenting what Sinnead’s song is all about can be found in Gary Wright’s discography, “Love’s Awake Inside”. Another splendid one is Tori Amos’ “The Reindeer King” (find out more here). We can't talk about Soul and not wave a big hello to Pete Townshend of The Who... A lot of songs of The Who do openly talk about that theme, one of the most direct and strongest ones being "The Real Me". Another artist who often sings about the human Soul is Mylène Farmer, have a listen to the great "À l'ombre". Of course, we also all have in mind the classics from the 60s infusing this energetic positivity in our lives and united under the “Soul Music” musical genre, “music that originated in black American gospel singing, closely related to rhythm and blues, and characterized by intensity of feeling and earthiness”. In any case, a lot of people talk about "Soul". Yet, to this day, few people are really able to define or prove its existence. To me, a Soul is a young woman. She is not an "entity" but the one initiating all of the emotions you feel (both good and bad) and bringing you the raw decision to take; she is not the brain, though she is linked to it, and she is not "intelligence"; she is your inner Freedom, she is the core of your "emotional states" but she is not your Feelings, she is the initiator of how you feel, she's the current, not the cable... Knowing that, I'm going to leave you and let you think about Sinead's song. Give yourself time, and ask yourself: "Where is my soul?", "Did I talk to her lately?", "Can I identify her?", "What is her name?", "How does she show herself to me?", "Did I ever lose her?" (and yes, it can happen, I personally experienced it...), "Do I love her, do I care about her?", "Is she awake?", "Is she asleep?", "Where does she live?". Try to find her; she is waiting for you... It may happen that you end up having two sides to her, like I do. You'll even maybe end "Bleeding Quadrophonic"... But, at least, you will Know. And it will help you to gain a "Balearic State of Mind" and you won't "Believe in things you don't know"... Don't be afraid Open your mouth to say Say what your soul sings to you Your mind can never change Unless you ask it to Lovingly rearrange The thoughts that make you blue The things that bring you down Will mean no harm to you And so make your choice joy The joy belongs to you And when you do You'll find the one you love is here You'll find you The love yeah Don't be ashamed no To open your heart and pray Say what your soul sings to you So no longer pretend That you can't feel it near That tickle on your hand That tingle in your ear And ask it anything Because it loves you dear It's your most precious king If only you could hear And when you do You'll find the one you need is here You'll find you Love you

How do you share your Love for a radio show? By creating a blog. But Artur the Lioncub is much more than your average blogger. Let's meet him... When you start a brand new day Let your heart show you the way And make a dream or two Come true. How I love when my thoughts run To the land of make believe Where everything is fun Forever. Chuck Mangione, Land of Make-Belive, 1973 Colleen's record room at night, a few days ago... "So you see, if we talk about that record, here, we can't forget to mention that one too, see? – Yes, I understand your point but still, we should also mention that one because it is linked with that show! – Aw god, dear Lioncub, we can't mention them all! – Grrr... Okay okay okay, let's do it that... – What are you guys doing in my record room?!" asked Colleen while stepping in... "Oops! Good evening Colleen! We're just working on something, sorry we didn't want to wake you up! – Did you see what time it is? It's 3 o'clock! I was trying to sleep and I was hearing you in my dreams, guys, really, you should have told me that you wanted to come here! Gosh, what did I do to have two musical freaks like you? Urgh!" The Lioncub and Artur made a grin and laughed out loud. Desperately waving her hands in the air, Collen answered... "Ok. Ok. Ok. (sigh)... Please finish what you're doing quickly and go off to bed, and I mean everyone, including all the invisible spirits out there, I have a show tomorrow guys... – OK Colleen, good night; sleep tight!" (laughs filled the record room...) "So, where were we, Artur? Oh so, are you sure you wanna do it that way? – Yup dear Lioncub... – OK, let's do this!" Hello, dear Lioncub! How are you doing? Oh, I’m fine, thank you! I just uploaded a surprise for you all! Oh Really? And what is it ?! It’s a live mix I’ve done all by myself, entitled: “The Big Blue: A Tribute to Balearic Breakfast”! I am so excited to share this one with you all! I think you must tell us more about that musical journey. Why did you do that tribute mix to “Balearic Breakfast”? Since Colleen started her staycation shows in 2020, I have always felt a strong musical connection to what our friends requested and how Colleen played the records. With everything we went through together, Balearic Breakfast became a Home to me (this is why I created this blog, of course). I’ve had the privilege to hear Colleen play some of my requests, like “The Ghetto” (Donny Hathaway), “I can only be me” (Eva Cassidy), “Let your love flow” (Solomon Burke), “Sing to me mama” (Karen Cheryl), "Long Train Runnin'" (Traks), a dub version of “Ha-Chica” (Tony McKenzie), "Margherita" (Massara), "Souvenirs" (Voyage) and even “Dziwny jest ten Swiat” (Czesław Niemen). Believe me, sharing music with your beloved DJ is something unique (and I am not the only one to feel this way ^^). This is why I love the show so much because whether you’re an artist or a music lover, you can participate! In the end, we’re the biggest musical family alive on earth (laughs), and the requests are really off the hook! And how did the mix happen, I heard you wanted it to be Huge... I had a vision. It started a year ago. I felt the need to share Music once again. Already thinking about launching the blog but asking myself how to do it; I wanted the world to know how much “Balearic Breakfast” meant to me. But I didn’t want to do just “another” mix. I wanted a Real Tribute Mix. Something I could be proud of for years, something that would beautifully encapsulate a lot of the “Balearic Breakfast” elements. From the start, I knew it had to be a vinyl mix and it had to be Big. Other ideas poured into my mind as time went by (this version of the mix is the Standard one... Do you see me coming with my Huge Poaws?)... So I set off to work and, in 2022, did a first mix. But it wasn’t good enough. I decided that I needed more time... So I took it, worked on the setlist, bought some more records, improved my setup and finally, in July 2023, recorded the whole mix. As I’m not a professional DJ, I didn’t want to do complex mixes but rather do my best to let the Music Flow (a nice way to wave hello to Colleen and David by the way!). And I think I’ve succeeded. Mixing for two hours straight has been difficult for me, though I really tried. So I eased the burden and said to myself, one edit per main part. And I stuck to it. 99,9 % of the mix is unedited. I gave it my All… The mix got recorded over 2 weekends. I had to record the last part of the mix twice to get it right and had a tough time getting the first half of the first part right too (I think I tried to do it like 6/7 times in a row to get it the way I dreamt it... laughs!!). Maybe I ate more than I could chew (laughing again)! But the Journey was really worth it and I’m proud of what I achieved, even learning some lessons on the way, which is always good! Anyway, You’ll tell me how you like it! So, somehow, you’re giving back what you received, right? Yeah, somehow (laughs)! I mean, of course, the show itself is all about Music. But, on the other hand, it is also much more than that to me... Very often, Colleen shares more than music... I try to translate that on the blog (even though each one of us may have its own perception) and sometimes I think I share some "Intellectual Synchronicity" with Colleen (laughs)! Music always showed me the way to the ideas I had to convey: each song has something to teach us about what "being Balearic" means (think about songs like "Land of Make-Believe" or "Wake up Everybody"...). And, of course, I learn so much from being in the Balearic Breakfast Family; it’s just unbelievable. This show is helping me to grow. And I mean it. I’m much more of a “Balearic Lioncub” now, even though I still must improve certain things (laughs)! Well, I think we got the picture, dear Lioncub! Thank you so much! Let’s listen to the mix! I dedicate "The Big Blue" to our Beloved Captain, Colleen 'Cosmo' Murphy; to her husband, Adam and of course, to the Balearic Breakfast Family... In Loving Memory of David Mancuso. THE BIG BLUE - A TRIBUTE TO BALEARIC BREAKFAST (Standard Edition) PLAYLIST Part I Yusuf / Cat Stevens – If I was the king of a Land Randy Crawford – You might need somebody INTRO : Eric Serra – The big blue (Ouverture) Luciano Pavarotti – Caruso Cock Robin – When your heart is weak Londonbeat – I’ve been thinking about you (acoustic) Don Ray – Standing in the rain [EDIT] Vanilla – Imagination (Calipso nights) Fragile – We’ve got tonight boy Skipworth & Turner – Thinking about your love Dølle Jølle – Balearic incarnation Fat Freddy's Drop – Mother Mother (Cosmodelica remix) Lady Blackbird – Lost and Looking (Cosmodelica remix) Eric Bamy – Tell me what you got to Do ("David Lansky" Soundtrack) Freeez – IOU Billy Ocean – Caribbean Queen Tears for fears – Everybody wants to rule the world HF International ft. Kasif – I can’t go for that (No Can Do) (Kaoru Inoue Extended Disco Dub Remix) INTERLUDE: Rare Earth – Tobacco Road / Eric Serra – Homo Delphinus Part II Chuck Mangione ft Esther Satterfield – Land of Make-believe Bobby Caldwell – What you won’t do for love Vivien Savage – La P’tite Lady Working Week – Inner City Blues (Urbane Guerilla MIx) Mariya Takeuchi – Plastic Love William Pitt – City Lights Roisin Murphy – Murphy’s law (Cosmodelica remix) Prince – It’s gonna be a beautiful night (live) Ryan Paris – Dolce Vita Muriel Dacq – Tropiques Luisa Fernandez – Lay love on me [EDIT] Tavares – Heaven must be missing an angel Boney M – Let it all be music The Weather Girls – It’s raining men Santa Esmeralda – Another cha cha Sylvester – You make me feel ENCORES: Tina Turner & Rod Stewart – It takes 2 Joe Cocker – Satisfied Joe Cocker – High Time We Went The Dire Straits – Two young Lovers / Tunnel of Love (live) FINAL: Rod Stewart – Rythm of my heart

"Music for Dreams", Kenneth Bagger's record label, issued on August 4th 2023, a new compilation on which a new remix by Colleen 'Cosmo' Murphy appears. Introduction. – I remember writing a memorandum of law when I was much younger in which I discussed the creative role of the DJ and how the creative work was to be protected by intellectual property. One of the points of the discussion was to prove the originality of the creative production, which would allow legal protection, leading me (without going into many details because it will not change the face of Colleen’s wonderful work on Jacob Guresvitch’s track) to explain the difference existing between a remix and a rework. In a few words, while a remix is a new version of the original song, its original parts are arranged differently (often, the DJ will use the artist’s multi-tracks). For instance, the bass would kick in later in the song, there would be effects used differently, there would also be a “dub” part, etc. But all of this would be done with all of the song’s original elements. On the other hand, and still, in a few words, a rework is based on the same multi-tracks, eventually rearranged but with new musical elements being added and with musical changes which, in the end, offer a new version of the song. To end this introduction, and to me, Colleen’s version of Jacob Guresvitch’s is a rework, even if she presents it as a “remix” : "I’ve long been a fan of Kenneth Bager’s record label MUSIC FOR DREAMS and one of my favourite albums of 2022 was ‘Yellow Spaceship’ by Danish guitarist Jacob Gurevitsch. I was delighted when I was asked to pick a song from the album to remix and chose ‘Elevation in Minor’(…) Whenever I’m asked to do a remix I try to serve the song which is why there is a wide spectrum of sound rather than a cookie cutter imprint (although sometimes I wish I could do that as there are many producers whom I admire who always have a distinctive sound). This is the Balearic Colleen - sitting by the sea with a warm breeze…alright that's enough - you get the idea. I also want to thank the other musicians on the remix. First, thanks to Jacob for playing a whole new guitar part as I wanted a key change, to Jamie Harris for his beautiful percussion and to my studio partner Darren Morris for the extra keys, engineering and his exquisite mix.” Colleen, Instgr., 04/08/2023 Jacob Gurevitsch. – The Danish guitarist has a 10-year-long musical career and is influenced by many musical genres. Drawn to the Spanish guitar during his late twenties and finding himself playing bolero, a nineteenth-century Cuban voice and guitar tradition, he began practising on nylon strings two hours a day, his first committed training since his student days at the Conservatoire in Copenhagen. You can find more about him on his Website and also on his Bandcamp! Elevation in Minor, the original track. – As always, let's listen to the original version of "Elevation in Minor" by Jacob Guresvitch: The utterly beautiful guitar track takes you on a romantic and somewhat sad journey. When I say romantic, I don't only mean "sentimentally" but also musically as, according to me, this 4:37 mins. composition is close to the classical genre (think of Tchakowsky's Concerto pour piano n° 1, which, globally speaking, of course, has a somewhat similar musical framework, both compositions sharing a minor key). If you think about it, the track's title is quite self-explanatory as the guitar part is always "reaching out" to higher grounds (the same applies to Tchaikowsky's Piano Concerto). It's almost an arabesque, searching for an answer in its twisting fate. The rhythm isn't steady, the guitar constantly twisting and turning small arpeggios are enhanced by the rest of the instruments delicately sustaining its sad story (listen to the violin and the harmonica parts). Everything is suspended in time, the soundstage is beautiful, and nothing jumps on you. Yes, everything in this track is about a sort of "extension", a sort of desperate call, but desperate in acceptance (the track seems to say, "It is what it is; it's all right, though..."). Oh boy, I can't listen to “Elevation in Minor” without tears coming to my eyes :-) The Cosmodelica Remix. – Now, as always, let's listen to Colleen's take on this incredible guitar composition: As often, Colleen's DNA is very well represented in this new "Remix" (although you know by now that to me it is much more than that as explained at the start of this article): the rhythm is assumed, we still have that large and spacy feeling, not to mention her Romantic touch (which can be found in a lot of her other productions…). What took me by absolute surprise when I first heard “Elevation in Minor” during Balearic Breakfast was the "musical twist" she gave to it. I said to myself "Wow, how cleverly done, she emphasizes the sadness of the track by giving it a somewhat lighter touch in the beginning". And this feeling is present (and enhanced when listening back to the original version) during the 8:54 minutes of the remix both musically and rhythmically (the latest element also playing a huge part in the more positive touch because of its assumed presence). As in the original track, we have the twists and turns but now they are not only done in the minor key but "seem to reach the major key"... Absolutely Brilliant. Also, there is another “twist” musically speaking: in Colleen's version, the bass and the other instruments take the lead while Jacob's guitar is put on a more distant position in the mix, without losing neither its absolute clarity nor its crucial importance, leading to another intellectual interpretation which could be “go ahead, you’ll be ok”… I don't want to tell you much more, I could, is it really necessary? And remember, just be Balearic...

On July 28th 2023, Worldwide FM broadcast a special show both on their website and on Twitch dedicated to the soon-launching We Out Here Festival. On July 28th 2023, the great Luke Una has been joined by Colleen 'Cosmo' Murphy, Roisin Murphy, Bay Brian and Alan Alan for a live evening of Music, chat and Dance! The 3+ hours show allowed us all to have a memorable evening. Watch Colleen's set just here and enjoy! PLAYLIST Impressions,Bobby Matos Afro Cuban Jazz Ensemble ‒ So What Pigeon ‒ Yagana xxx ‒ xxx Negrocan-Aquela esquina HanLei/Sunlightsquare ‒ Hanging Tough Daisybelle/Carly Foxx ‒ Blue Beams Izo Fitzroy ‒ God Gets a Little Busy Sometimes (Cosmodelica Remix) Treena Rose ‒ Tell Me All About It [Main Vocal] Lindstrøm ‒ Nightswim Bananarama ‒ Long Train Running (Alma De Noche Mix)

Released in 1983 on the "Dancing for Mental Health" album, "Adventures in Success" is a song whose positivity effectively impacted its listeners. Let's find out how! I was scrolling my way down on Instagram a few days ago, and I fell on an interview Snoop Dog gave some years ago where he was explaining how much self-appreciation is important. It immediately made me think of Will Power's song "Adventures in Success" that has been featured in episodes 11 and 124 of Balearic Breakfast. Let's watch Snoop Dog first. Reading the comment section of Will Power's "Adventures in Success" YouTube video allows you to quickly understand how much the track has impacted the people who heard it: I had no idea this was a parody! I found this video on the USA network's "Night Flight" TV show right after I had finished high school. I taped the video and wrote down what the steps were. I was really helped by this. I remember getting the album and listening to "you are an important person.... A rare individual. you have talents and abilities no one else has. the power to do anything you can imagine is within you..." I went through a real dark period in the last part of the 80's and I kept thinking about that phrase. I teach now and I have used that phrase to inspire my students and some of lines in this video are really inspiring. I don't know what your intentions were when you recorded this but I am so glad you did. This gave me the ability to really see that I was unique and I could do anything. Seriously, this totally came to me at a time when I could have either hatched or gone bad. I play this video to my students and have them follow the steps. I bet you had never thought that some people would take this as seriously as I did. But the wonderful advice you give with the three steps worked with me and I have been able to incorporate a lot of what this song encourages when I have worked with my students. Thank you so much for this. This really changed my life. I could probably tell you so much more. I honestly think that you could turn this into a university course or seminar for high risk college students and they could do well. You probably think I am some kind of kook, but I'm not. I am so glad I found the real source of this so that I can thank you for how this made my life better, I was 18 when I found this and I am 50 now. I was able to college, grad school and serve as a missionary for my church because of the positive message you gave me.. Thank you so much. George It did have a huge impact on me (the Lioncub) when I first heard it thanks to Colleen, I laughed so much and I thought: "Aw my god, I need to buy the extended version and play that over and over and over again till I drop" (laughs)! So, of course, if you don't take a step back you can't understand why self-appreciation is important. To some people it might be something "arrogant"; people may think that it is a very "self-centred" approach. But, on the other hand, when you're young and insecure, or when you face difficulties in your life, being kind to yourself might be the only way to keep going. And, lastly, think about it, how do you react when something bad happens to you, something you need to take care of, something you need to address be it an accident, or an event you don't really know how to handle (an illness for instance)? What do you tell yourself? You say "I'm gonna make it, I'm gonna find a solution, I'm gonna get out of this maze". This is belief; this is an indirect way to tell yourself that you care about what you are. The same thing happens when you work hard on something (like I did on this blog) or when you're ready to quit whilst your inner voice keeps on telling you "No, don't do that; try one more time". There is hope in there; there is self-love, there is a need to show people how much you mean to the world. It is also, a "self-extending" experience... You believe so much in yourself that you are ready to destroy your boundaries and show the world how important and great you are. And it is You for you, and not you against the other people. You don't need to win a race; you don't need to compare yourself to other people. If they love you, they will recognise your value. Be True. Don't let yourself Go. Don't let life destroy your light, and everything will be Fine... With all of that in mind, let's discover some of the song's secrets! Because this blog is all about being "Balearic", it's all about... You! The first question you might ask yourself is: Who is behind Will Powers? My first answer: Did you notice the play on words in the band's name? Nice move, heh? ^^ As they say, if there is a Will, there is a Way... In an interview she gave to the Redbullacademy on December 18, 2015, the Rock Photographer Lynn Goldsmith said: "I thought: “What could I do that’s not like anybody else?” I have always been someone who hopefully helped people to realize their potential, whether I used the camera to show them that they could be beautiful or helping people to have a better stage presence by helping with their dancing. I opened doors for people. In my lifetime, I had also been through every form of therapy I could think of. Whether it was therapy from a spiritual path like meditation, primal scream therapy, Dr. Casriel’s group therapy, Freudian therapy. I had a teacher who studied with Sai Baba. My thing was there’s always something to be gotten from everything. Even if you think that it’s simplistic or baloney, there’s something to be gotten from it. I felt like all those self-help books, from Dale Carnegie’s How to Win Friends and Influence People to Vincent Peale’s The Power of Positive Thinking, or The Greatest Salesman in the World, I’d read them and be laughing out loud. The stories seem so made up, but it didn’t matter, there were germs of truth in them." So as with a lot of things in life, the song was born out of a Will... Working as a Rock photographer, Lynn got to hear a sample at her Friend's (Rob Palmer) house. She came up with a rap and recorded the song using a vocoder to get that neutral voice, including it on the LP she was working on back then. It is interesting to note how she insists on the words, their structure, their "Sounding Force ". Using word's natural dynamics and rhythmic structure is so important when conveying a message! To me, it is a full part of the "positive thinking" method! Everything in that song is about the Soul and the positive impact it can have on us. I truly believe we all have a Soul, and it is our duty to find it and to allow it to become our absolute best friend (yes, I know dear Lioncub, you're happy, don't forget to hug Michael Too, please!) "I used a vocoder and worked with lots of different possibilities. I wanted it to be neither male nor female. I wanted it to be one’s supposedly inner voice. I don’t know if I was successful with that, but that was where I was going with it. Todd taught me how to use the vocoder. It took a lot of work to get it like that. You have to talk a certain way with a certain rhythm pattern: “You. ARE. An. Im. PORT-ant. Per-SON. a u-NIQUE. Indi-VID-ual.” You can hear the ups and downs and make a sine wave that matches it. You have to do it in a certain way for the voice to modulate like that." Featuring Sting, Todd Rundgren, Nile Rogers, Carly Simpson in the recording process and also the great Meat Loaf in the video Clip which made use for the first time of 3D Technology, "Adventures in Sucess" is a song every one of us should listen to at least once in a month. In another interview Lynn gave about the song, she stated "I have always thought that one has to find who or she is, and that's why I wanted to create the character Will Powers". Last but not least, I would like to end this unorthodox presentation, by bringing out one last quote explaining why the song has been chosen by the Balearic Breakfast Family and played by Colleen (yes, we are talking about that Mental Connexion once again)! "I wanted the whole record to be danceable, however that’s where it kind of got away from me because as writing and recording for the record progressed, I felt the words took over. In that way, the album did fulfill my original vision. It’s really important for all of us to get up and move. I think dancing is important."

On July 30th 2023, Colleen took us for a Balearic Brunch on the NTS 1 radio. Hosted live, as always, this 2-hour show took the whole family on a new musical trip! Good morning! Getting my music together for my first radio show on NTS Radio this morning. I’m hosting a Balearic Brunch from 11am to 1pm which will feature a selection of my favourite Balearic Breakfast songs and requests from my weekly Tuesday Mixcloud stream, along with some new tunes. Sounds will range from ambient to jazz to folk to soul to house to sleaze (what would a Sunday be without it) to Balearic beat and beyond. I hope you will join me… Colleen, Instgr, 30/07/2023 Colleen Murphy has been played on NTS in shows including Smirnoff Presents International Women's Day, featured first on 2 April 2014. Songs played include Mother Mother (Cosmodelica Remix) and Lost And Looking (Colleen 'Cosmo' Murphy Cosmodelica Remix) (Extended Version). Colleen 'Cosmo' Murphy, (born August 24, 1968) is an American radio broadcaster, club DJ, music producer, remixer, record label owner and founder of Classic Album Sundays. Originally from Massachusetts, she attended New York University where she was Program Director and a DJ at the university radio station WNYU. She cites her introduction to and friendship with David Mancuso of The Loft as a major influence. Together they produced the compilations David Mancuso presents The Loft. She co-founded the record label Bitches Brew and recorded as Wild Rumpus with former Captain Beefheart guitarist Gary Lucas. She has remixed Fat Freddy's Drop, DFA's Planningtorock for the Remixes (Phenomenal Handclap Band album) and more under the moniker Cosmodelica. With Ashley Beedle as DarkStarr Diskotek she has remixed Candi Staton, Beardyman, The Rapture and more. In 2010 she founded Classic Album Sundays, an album-listening event. She is often a spokesperson about vinyl records. On July 30th 2023, Colleen 'Cosmo' Murphy stepped on for a guest appearance, dipping into her expansive collection of dance music - house, psychedelia, rock, jazz funk and beyond and presenting an exclusive Balearic Brunch, live, on NTS Radio. PLAYLIST TAMBORES EN BENIRRAS Templos Del Sol CHIP WICKHAM Space Walk JUNKO OHASHI & MINOYA CENTRAL STATION Rainy Saturday & Coffee Break BAY BRYAN Let Go 77:78 Love Said (Wallace & Morris North Street Vocal Remix) PRINCE FATTY (feat. Schniece) Expansions (Mix B) JACOB GUREVITSCH Elevation In Minor (Cosmodelica Remix) JOHNNIE TAYLOR What About My Love THE STARKILLER From Me To You (The Starkiller Remix) CHARME Georgy Porgy (Edit by Mr K) ESCAPE FROM NEW YORK Slow Beat (Dance Mix) THE TRIBE OF GOOD Heroes (Disco cutie Edit) GHOST ASSEMBLY I Miss Your Love GRACE UNDER PRESSURE Make My Day (Bruce Forest Club Mix) BLAZE (DANNY KRIVIT mix) Gloria's Muse (The Yoga Song) (Danny Krivit 718 Mix) SOPHIE LLOYD & AMY DOUGLAS Sweet Love (Love Hangover Extended) MONKS ROAD SOCIAL On The Wings Of The Morning IZO FITZROY Small Mercies (Art Of Tones Extended Remix) JURA SOUNDSYSTEM Careless Whisper (Lovers Version)

On July 16th 2023, Jenny Greene received Colleen on "The Greene Room". This wonderful mix allows the listener to picture a beautiful beach with the Balearic Breakfast Family having a party. Close your eyes and drift away! It's so nice to discover DJ's while following our Captain on her Musical Journey! This time, Colleen curated a special and chilly mix for Jenny Greene's show on RTE 2 FM and boy, that mix is so nice! Just close your eyes, and I'm sure you'll see us having a party on the beach! If you want to discover more about Jenny Greene, follow this link to read an interview she gave to the Irish Examiner! No more talking; let's listen to Colleen's mix in the second hour of Jenny's show! https://www.rte.ie/radio/2fm/clips/11547574/ PLAYLIST Jacob Gurevitsch – Elevation In Minor (Cosmodelica Remix) Hifi Sean & David Mcalmont – Happy Ending Pieces of a dream – Warm weather Willie "Beaver" Hale – Groove on LTJ Xperience – Best life Circles around the sun – Away Team HF International – I Can't Go For That (No Can Do) (feat Kashif - KI's Extended Disco Dub) Mike Anthony – Why can’t we live together Cantoma – Way to the sun

Packed with cosmic chuggers and uplifting remixes, this mix was curated by Colleen 'Cosmo' Murphy for Crackmagazine and published on June, 27th 2023. Ahead of my set for @listenhereevents at @stowawayfestival on the 19th August, Crack Magazine invited me along to put together a one-hour set for their mix series. Just to keep you on your toes, I did more of a Balearic/Indie-dance kind of a thang and I have reposted it on my Mixcloud and Soundcloud. I’m chuffed to have been asked by Listen Here Events to perform on their wonderful sound system at Stowaway. Their tent is curated by obsessive vinyl collectors, selectors and DJs who share a deep passion for music and high quality audio. My Balearic Breakfast guest Paul Hillery is also one of their special guests. With it’s secret world of ancient woodlands and lakes with hidden parties, soulful relaxation, glorious comedy and plentiful feasting, Stowaway Festival in Buckinghamshire is the perfect place to host Listen Here and I look forward to exploring more! Info and tickets can be found in my linktree. Hope to see you there! Music on my Crack Magazine Mix is from @calm_music_conception@galloriginale@hellyeahrecordings@shuntvoltage@ewanp@andrewweatherall1988@primalscreamofficial@franz_ferdinand@markequark@hortonjupiter23@musicfordreams and more… Listen back to the Crack Mix 503: PLAYLIST Gallo – Abysso (Calm’s Mellow Mellow Acid Dub) Shunt Voltage – Generator Rheinzand – Mi Mundo (Blitzzega Mix) Angela – I Gotta Little Love Arcade Fire – Reflecktor Mark E Quark – Doin’ It Right Franz Ferdinand – Outsiders (Ewan Pearson Remix) Spacemen 3 – Revolution (Horton Jupiter Rework) Primal Scream – Uptown (Andrew Weatherall Mix)

WorldwideFM broadcast the 2nd edition of 'Summer Staycation' on August, 18th 2020. On this new edition of the "Summer Staycation" show, Colleen takes us on the relaxed and absolutely enjoyable side of Music! The playlist is still "Sun oriented" (except for the beautiful "Sweet Rain" song ^^), but the "heat" is less direct musically speaking, the selection being more relaxed and more "groovy" (the spirit of Salsa is not so far away !). Right from the start of the show, on McCoy Tyner's track "Beyond the sun" and also on Dorothy Ashby's sound-alike "Little Sunflower", we are taken aback by the beauty of the sound (even though we don't get from these first streams the higher frequency range Mixcloud now offers). We then enter the "groovy" musical atmosphere which will accompany us almost until the end of the show. Listen back to the second edition of "Summer Staycation" here : Your requests make it feel like we are hosting it together and we are! Colleen, Instgr, 19/08/2020 PLAYLIST McCoy Turner – Beyond the sun Dorothy Ashby – Little Sunflower Dr. Buzzard's Original Savannah Band – Sunshower Pieces of a dream – Warm weather Breakestra – Set the sun Dee Dee Bridgewater – Sweet Rain Leon Ware – Why I came to California Third World – 96 Degrees in the Shade Eddy Grant – Walking on Sunshine Niall Hoban – Music of the Sun DJ Cam ft Anggun – Summer in Paris Terry Callier – Love Theme from Spartacus (Roy’s Steppar’s Delight) Karma – High Priestess Elements of Life – Into My Life (You Brought the Sunshine) Rinocerose – Mes Vacances a Rio (Francois K Remix) The 5th Dimension – Let the Sunshine In (Danny K Edit) Incognito – Out of the Storm (Carl Craig Remix) Kool & The Gang – Summer Madness (Thelonious Mark, Jeremy Lown) The show is archived on worldwidefm : Colleen ‘Cosmo’ Murphy: Summer Staycation Vol. 2 – Worldwide FM

WorldwideFM broadcast the 2nd edition of 'Coffee with Colleen' on July, 8th 2020. Colleen ‘Cosmo’ Murphy, founder of Classic Album Sundays and the David Mancuso-indebted Lucky Cloud Loft Party in London presents a two hour morning show today. Tune in for a motown special with a lot of caffein! For the first half of the show, she dedicates her selections to Norman Whitfield and the other half to her favourite female talent on the label but more 70s focused rather than the pop 60s stuff. Worldwide FM As with the previous show, Colleen’s professionalism just shines here through the way she mixes the tracks together, showcasing that DJing is not only about keeping the same “sound type” but also helping each track to support one another, thus painting a beautiful picture (just like a painter would do - listen how the 2 first tracks of the Tina Marie tribute are wonderfully mixed together...). Now you know why some DJs are considered Artists… Also, having a 30-plus career in radio does help in this matter, but during Rare Earth’s song, pay attention to how beautifully Colleen’s speech ends and how Rare Earth's track takes it perfectly home. The same absolute perfection is reached between the end of "You + me = Love" and the next track. Goosebumps assured. That’s the kind of professionalism that speaks to a listener’s heart. Lastly, the show sounds wonderful, though the high frequencies are cut off from 15 KHz on, you still can enjoy the realism of the sound, showcasing Colleen’s perfect audio setup (more about this here) which really shines on the track “I’m a sucker for your love”. Listen to the second edition of "Coffee with Colleen" here : PLAYLIST Gladys Knights & The Pips – Friendship train The Temptations – Cloud nine The Temptations – Unite the world The Temptations – Papa was a rolling stone Rare Earth – Get ready Undisputed Truth – I know i’m losing you Undisputed Truth – You + me = love Rose Royce – What you waitin’ for Teena Marie – I’m a sucker for your love Teena Marie – I need your lovin Teena marie – Portuguese love The Supremes – High energy The supremes – Let yourself go Diana Ross – Medley: brown baby / save the children Diana Ross – Once in the morning The show is archived on WorldwideFM : Coffee with Colleen 'Cosmo' Murphy // 08-07-20 | WorldwideFM