Nick Callaghan's tribute mix to Andrew Weatherall made me realize how serious we sometimes should be when listening to music... Listening context. – It comes from nowhere. The Pain. Unexpected. Unwanted. Violent. A sudden rape that leaves you hanging, bleeding, almost dead, spiralling down in the unknown undertow of your own inexistence. The Blow. Unexpected. It comes from an unwanted bleeding, from a sudden nowhere, spiralling you down the rape you just experienced to an unknown undertow of your own rebirth. "I've always thought that the best music was uncontrived, it's done in an instant. The first things that come to mind are usually the best, once you start finally tuning things and honing things down you disappear up your own arse." Tell me how do you listen to Music, I will tell you who you are. A vibration. Thank god, I am a vibration. A sound. My Body has an inner instrument, and it is able to produce a sound when anything hits me; it can be a loud and absolutely dynamically deafening moment, forcing me to evacuate the sound; the deflagration can be also only felt in the inside, long after the blow has gone, it can be a calm response too, joy, who knows where you’re leading yourself to. Only you are your own conductor. Sometimes, life has a master plan, and you have to be there, experiencing your own disappearance allowing your rebirth. But at all times, you’re aware. At every single moment, your truth is all that matters. You are not somebody’s else frequency to play with. You’re not here to adjust to anybody but only there for you to grow. You should always be beyond the pain of their unwanted solicitations and keep your vibration intact should they hit you. And, understand me: it’s not about how quickly you’ll vibrate or how quickly you will fill the room with your chaos, answering their supposed heavenly belonging to you. It’s all about the reality of it, the objective reality of you accepting to drown, vibrating down, maybe in the process dying and somehow coming back to life. The secret lies here: unlike you, I am not trying to save myself. Unlike you, I am not trying to save myself. My hurt is mine to shine; my darkness does not need your false light. Everything will come back to its place one day, eventually. The thing you must take into consideration: are you aware of your vibration? Do you know how it manifests itself, when it appears, when it dies, and where it is located within you? Does it need anything more to fully express itself? Is it working against you or on par with you? Do you block it? Can it bring you up? What’s the aftermath but also, can you feel other people's vibrations... Listen to Nick's Tribute to Andrew Weatherall: Andrew's takes on music and subjective outputs. – Life had a master plan. Tell me how do you listen to music. I will tell you who you are. I waited to receive Nick’s tribute to Andrew Weatherall at the right moment. I didn’t want to just listen to the mix like "just for the sake of it". I knew it was far too precious to be overlooked. I wanted to be able to dive in. Totally. Life hit. I reacted. Pain came. I listened. Once again, it’s not about the subjectivity of the vibration, not about the importance (or the non-importance) of the pain that initiated it. It’s about the existence of these two factors and how each one of us copes with these always dynamic situations. As I listened to Nick’s tribute, as Andrew’s music penetrated my soul, I visualised my Vibration and felt the pain form its reality in my soul. This precise moment was crucial because it enlightened Andrew’s musical importance, nicely put on the forefront by Nick’s work, ultimately leading me to write... A selector’s work essential is. Repeat. A selector’s work essential is. Only he can your mortal coil portray. And this is exactly what Nick did here. The 2 hours musical journey takes us through some of Andrew’s nicest musical moments, notably showcasing: the importance of space: Whether you listen to a track like "Primal Scream - Loaded", Doves – Compulsion (Andrew Weatherall Remix), or, from Nick's Mix Big Hard Excellent Fish – Imperfect List Part 1 (the list could go on and on), the vast majority of Andrew's Music is rooted into space, large soundstages, echos, allowing your mind to loose contact with your body... the sadness: Starting the mix with Cowboys International – The ‘No’ Tune (which can be considered Andrew's "title soundtrack"), Nick not only respects Andrew's legacy but also puts on a logical forefront what makes Andrew's music so appealing to people like myself: the sadness, the lingering sadness which is present in a lot of the tracks he played and produced or mixes he crafted – I will be forever proud to have discovered such an important artist thanks to Balearic Breakfast...; the revolving questioning aspect of his music: If you take the time to dive into Nick's tribute mix, you'll feel the unstoppable questioning, lost shapes asking blurry whys, cloudy skies, lost cars driving in circles towards empty destinations...; the sonic qualities: One of the things that left me totally awestruck when listening to Nick's mix is the sonic quality of Andrew's music; it's sharp, it has a 3D element to it, it constantly surprises your ears (listen to a track like "Ricardo Villalobos – Dexter (Two Lone Swordsmen remix"), even on loudspeakers you'll be surprised by how much the sound on that one will grab you...; the musicality: Even though we can of course think about artists like Reich, Stockhausen, Boulez, Penderecki or even Medek, or as Andrew puts it "Seeking transcendence through repetitive beats", there is always an absolute Musicality to the sounds Andrew created or played (making me think that really I wasn't, like other people I suppose, really about a Musical style but more about notes that are awakening my soul (the stop sign being, obviously, for me, musical creations where Music in its musicality element was not present or far less present than what I needed); the Artistry of the music: Andrew's music is never a flat line (listen to his "Music's not for Everyone" on Mixcloud shows). It's always and Absolutely Dynamic; it slows; it speeds up; it has sound effects; there are so many information to be found in Andrew's sounds, perfectly joining his analysis of what music should be like "I think music should be like a movie soundtrack in a way, it should be like a journey, it should tell a story". When listening to Nick's mix and diving deeper into Andrew's music (My Bloody Valentine – Soon (Andrew Weatherall Remix)), I was able to picture paintings by the great Beksinski or Dali; I was able to see Artaud's face flying over me, thinking about some of his writings, and even picture other artists' creations... Andrew's music is an open door to Art, and it is because of its own artistry... So, yeah, Nick's mix is something to listen to times and times again as it is a beautiful resume of Andrew's musical Legacy! Lastly, Nick’s tribute showcased how important it is to dive into Music while taking into account your mental state. By choosing wisely the moment you’ll listen, you’ll be able to allow revelations to occur and the healing process to start, even oh so indirectly... I'm on my knees, I’m drowning, Andrew. Stay there, Lioncub, I’ll help you. THE PLAYLIST (Thank you, Nick, for the playlist and the picture!) Cowboys International – The ‘No’ Tune Andrew Weatherall – Thirteenth Night “The first music that moved me…” Big Hard Excellent Fish – Imperfect List Part 1 (Rimming Elvis the Andy Weatherall Way mix) Ricardo Villalobos – Dexter (Two Lone Swordsmen remix) “Sydney Opera House…” Two Lone Swordsmen – Spin Desire “Sean Johnston - I first met Andrew back in the summer of 1999…” My Bloody Valentine – Soon (Andrew Weatherall Remix) “When did the DJ’ing start off?…” Fort Beulah N.U. – 002 “Andrew on Tony Wilson…” Mike Garry & Joe Duddell – St Anthony: An Ode to Anthony H Wilson (Andrew Weatherall Remix) “Basic human need for transcendence…” Cut Copy – Son God (Weatherall ARP mix) Two Lone Swordsmen – It’s Not the Worst (Lali Puna Remix) “The Boys Own story…” Primal Scream – Don’t Fight It, Feel It (Weatherall Scat Mix) “S is for Sabres of Paradise...” Sabres of Paradise – Ballad of Nicky McGuire “At the moment the studio is really productive…” The Asphodells – Another Lonely City Andrew Weatherall – Ghosts Again “Dave Beer… but what about Weatherall?!…” Primal Scream – Come Together (Weatherall extended remix) “Life has Surface Noise…” Sabre of Paradise – Smokebelch II (Beatless Mix)

Colleen 'Cosmo' Murphy broadcast the 164th episode of Balearic Breakfast on her Mixcloud and Twitch TV socials on February 20th 2024. About this show. – Sometimes, and this is also something I learned thanks to Colleen, it's okay to simply let the silence speak... This is how I feel today for a Lot of Good and Important reasons... On February 14th 2024, Colleen shared with us this message. I feel it belongs here... "Today is the 54th anniversary of David Mancuso’s Loft parties and I woke up reflecting upon David’s impact upon my life. When David asked me to be ‘chair wo/man’ of The Loft, he wrote, ‘You are the best person for it. You have proven to be a good friend to me and the Loft. You are also involved in the music scene - dj/producer/owner of a dance business/audio awareness….the list goes on. You have all the ‘know how’s’ as I do with all aspects and are faithful to the principals. Also you are a woman and this give the ‘yin-yang’ balance to the over all concepts.’ It was important to David that I build my own musical worlds and these are a few of the things he taught me... The Life Energy of Music - David and I listened to records together for hundreds of hours and he taught me that even if a record is particularly cool for the moment all that matters is whether it can convey a healing force. He transformed the way I listen to music. Sonics - David pointed out how to closely listen to the EQ of the mix and the mastering and the quality of the pressing. All three processes must be done correctly so that the music can sing and come alive as great sound systems don’t lie. Deep Listening - Classic Album Sundays is a culmination of my musical vocation (record shops, radio shows, interviews, journalism, sound production) but David taught me about audiophile sound and listening to music in the way the artist intended. Community - David built a global Loft family and inspired people to do their own thing and more importantly, create friendships beyond borders. Balearic Breakfast is also a global family - duly noted during my recent travels in Oz and New Zealand - and has inspired listeners to DJ, make playlists, and create a community blog. I’m so proud. Safe Sound - David once told me that good sound is a human right. So is safe sound and that’s why your ears do not ring when you leave a Loft party. In tribute to David and to celebrate this year’s anniversary, I’m getting a hearing test this weekend. Watch this space. Love saves the day." And, as far as this very episode is concerned, Colleen shared this post with us, today: "On this week's show we pay tribute to The Loft, the party started by my dear friend David Mancuso 54 years ago on the 14th February 1970. I asked members of the worldwide Loft community to contribute a song and a story and on this show we are joined by many including DJ Will of Carry Nation, Paul and Barbie of Love Injection, Jeannie Hopper of Liquid Sound Lounge, wonderboy producer / engineer Chris Berg and one of house music's finest pioneers, Yvonne Turner. We also have a beautiful story from Richard Horstman, David's nephew and the Administer of the David Mancuso Estate. And I also share the last piece of music that David and I listened to together. Thanks for joining me, thanks for listening and Love Saves the Day." Listen back to the 164th episode of Balearic Breakfast: THE PLAYLIST Nina Simone – Here Comes the Sun Ahmad Jamal – Poinciana Donald Byrd – Love Has Come Around Groove Collective – She's So Heavy Dexter Wansel – Life on Mars Crown Heights Affair – Say a Prayer for Two James Wells – True Love is My Destiny Beautiful Bend – Make That Feeling Come Again/ Ah - Do It Fussy Cussy – La Vita Frankie Knuckles ft. Nicki Richards – Keep on Movin' (Danny Krivit's La Familia Re-Edit) Ashford & Simpson – Bourgie Bourgie (Joe Claussell's Classic Remix) Diana Ross – The Boss Morgana King – A Taste of Honey THE LISTENING EXPERIENCE Our Joy was pure today; our Joy was strong for many important reasons. First of all, Adam & Colleen came back from touring the southern hemisphere. So we were happy as can be to have them back and seeing Colleen in her record room really felt Good! We missed that space, that's for sure! Also, we were celebrating the Family spirit that literally took off with Colleen's help, allowing some members of the Family to propose mixes of their own under Colleen's musical impulse while she was travelling; some of us doing it for the first time ever as Bert said it "I was really honoured to be a participant in the mixes during Cosmo's break and enjoyed everyone's mix sets, it's the first time I have done anything like that". It was so great hearing how our friends rock their own Balearic Boats! We all loved that very, very much! Last, but not least, we were celebrating the Loft's 54 Anniversary with Colleen in today's show but also the Superbowl! As Bert put it, "There's so much to celebrate: Love Saves the Say anniversary, the lunar new year, Mardi Gras, and the Swifties team winning the Superbowl. :-)". There you go, here's our Happiness ^^ I think you can understand why I could not add anything to that Feeling... This show is one to keep for your records... A beautiful musical selection made by people who have experienced the Loft, who actually met David or who are part of his Family (Richard Horstman, David's nephew, joined us today), full of short stories and Musical memories alike. An essential episode if you ask me! We even had the pleasure of having Pete Blaker with us. I can't be happier than today, can I? OK. Let's dive into Music now! Starting the show with Nina Simone's – Here Comes the Sun [1971-Discogs], Colleen shares with us from the very start one of David's most beloved tracks; if my memory serves me well, David did play that one at the end of some of the Loft's parties as a new day was dawning... I just came to realise that Nina's version has a very ethereal touch to the song. Her version could represent someone waking up in heaven and walking towards a new and eternal journey, and it seems I am not the only one feeling this way: "Nina Simone lays down the gauntlet with the opening, titular track, taken from the catalog of the Certified Greatest Rock Band Who Ever Lived. Simone blows them clean out of the water. The original “Here Comes the Sun” is a stoned, lazy, good-vibes kind of a song. “It’s alright,” George Harrison sings, but he doesn’t make it sound too much better than that. Simone takes it a couple hundred miles further. Her jazz training kicks in, and she hits strange notes few pop artists could even find on the scale, bouncing around in patterns well divorced from the usual pop melodies. She warps the Beatles’ descending phrase, ending on a high note she seems to reach for as if she was reaching for the sun itself. By the last chorus, she hits the edge of her range and holds it for a mood of transcendent yearning that gives me chills. When she says, “It’s alright,” it’s not a good vibe, it’s a hard-won victory. You really believe “It’s been years since it’s been here.”". Beautiful show opener, of course! Then, Ahmad Jamal – Poinciana [1958-Discogs], a track that was played during the first London loft party (listen to it here - I tried a first restoration of that party but did not keep it as I was unsatisfied with the result; I am working on a new edition as I speak...), reminds us that the Loft embraced all musical genres, thus being absolutely Balearic in its own right! For the next song, Colleen took us right back to 1984, when David Held his last Loft Party at Prince St. with Donald Byrd – Love Has Come Around [1981-Discogs]! The first Wow effect of the show came with the incredible cover of a Beatle's Classic: Groove Collective – She's So Heavy [1996-Discogs]. What a mesmerizing musical moment that was! If you want to listen to a much different and heavier version, Halestorm is waiting for you just here. There's also something in Colleen's voice that was so Joyful in that 163rd episode; she was glowing, and you should have seen her dancing; my goodness gracious, I think we were all on fire just as she was as she swayed during Dexter Wansel – Life on Mars [1976-Discogs]! Listen to the Loft Special (with M. Riley & D. Wansel): Keeping the groove on, Colleen took us away with another track played at Prince St. in 1984, with Crown Heights Affair – Say a Prayer for Two [1978-Discogs]! I remember sharing my thoughts on the chat about how much the Klipschorns were the only loudspeakers that were able to truly reproduce detailed information from the lower sonic register, being then joined by Popdiscorules, who said that the Klipschorns sounded even better lately at the new London Loft's location! Colleen's mixing was Joyful, too; you can clearly hear that as she launched the beautiful James Wells – True Love is My Destiny [1978-Discogs]! While surfing on the net, searching for information about that very song, I stumbled on Ian Levine's Bandcamp page and decided to share here the text that goes with it: "When British producer Ian Levine saw the soul group 100% Poison live in concert in 1974 he was immediately impressed by the outrageous lead singer, a flamboyant gay man from Chicago, James Wells. Due to contractual reasons Levine had to wait another two years before being able to sign him up for a deal at Polydor Records where they released 4 singles during 1976 and 1977. By March 1978 Levine had completed their first album, My Claim To Fame. "My music publisher, Mike Collier, took me over to Los Angeles, and he set up lots of appointments there for us, with just about every major record company in the city," said Levine. We played our album to fourteen different record companies, but shockingly, all of them passed on it, without any hesitation at all, making it blatantly obvious that they were not even remotely interested. On the other hand, Rick Gianatos himself was utterly one hundred percent convinced that it was a smash hit album, and he took it straight over to his colleague, Ray Harris, over at AVI Records. He persuaded Ray to sign it there and then on the spot." By October 1978, My Claim To Fame peaked at #4 on the Billboard Disco Charts, selling a phenomenal 100,000 copies. True Love Is My Destiny was another much-played track from the album (later CD versions of the album included a 9-min. edit, my video includes the full version of nearly 13 minutes). I have expanded the album with the track Never Let Go that was originally left off as Gianatos could not stand Wells's wailing vocal on top of it. He eventually stripped the lead vocal, and the track was released with the backing vocals only under the name Eastbound Expressway, giving Levine another disco hit record. Wells himself went on to record a second album, Explosion, in 1979 and another couple of sides with Levine in the mid-80s. Sadly, he passed away around 1990 from an AIDS-related disease. Here's to his "Claim To Fame". One of the things I adore about Balearic Breakfast is discovering new music. I was ecstatic when hearing James Wells; I went down on my Knees when discovering Beautiful Bend – Make That Feeling Come Again/ Ah - Do It [1978-Discogs], laughs! By the way, as a single, the track was issued on the great T.K. Disco Label! What a way to start the second hour of the show (click here to listen to one of Yvonne Turner's great mixes – thanks, Kieran, for the link🌞)! Keeping the rhythm steady, Colleen then plays another well-known Loft Classic, Fussy Cussy – La Vita [1976-Discogs], nicely followed by the incredible Frankie Knuckles ft. Nicki Richards – Keep on Movin' (Danny Krivit's La Familia Re-Edit) [2001-Discogs]! How do you end a show like this one? Well, simply by adding classics that open up your mind, setting the right mood to start the day (or to end it depending on your time zone, laughs!), and Ashford & Simpson – Bourgie Bourgie (Joe Claussell's Classic Remix) [2017-Discogs] is, of course, one of them (I just discovered that the song's title is a reference to the French word "Bourgeoisie", "Bourgie" designing, in slang, someone aspiring to be a higher class than he is), followed by Diana Ross – The Boss [1979-Discogs]. Produced by our beloved duo Nickolas Ashford and Valerie Simpson, the song (and the album of the same name from which it is being taken) helped Diana Ross to kick the charts again after a few years of "Calmness" (do you feel how Colleen is working? There's a hint right there ^^). Every dream has got to end, but, as I said, when you choose your tracks wisely, you can convey the right feeling... Ending the show with a falling feather, Morgana King – A Taste of Honey [1964-Discogs] reminds us of important things in our lives and how eternal they can become... Thank you again Colleen ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️ and thank you everyone who continues to support Colleen as she continues to help carry on the Legacy of my Uncle David and his TRUE LOFT TRADITIONS and memories. Much love to everyone ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️🎈🎈🎈🎈🎈 Richard Horstman

Lee Zee is, without any doubt, one of the architects of Colleen's request show, Balearic Breakfast. I am so happy he accepted to join us here! Let's meet him! 1) Hello Lee! It’s such a pleasure to have you here on the Blog! We owe the show’s title to you! How did it come to your mind back when the show started? Hi Artur – many thanks for inviting me. It’s a pleasure to be here. Well, as you know, Colleen was holiday-hosting Gilles Peterson’s breakfast show on Worldwide FM, and it had the running name of ‘Summer Staycation’. When summer came to an end, Colleen put a call out on Instagram for listeners to suggest an alternative name for the show. As soon as she put the call out, I messaged her back, saying, “How about Balearic Breakfast?” Then I quickly did a check to make sure there wasn’t another show with that name already!! Thankfully there wasn’t. The name just came to me – it felt like a natural choice. I’ve always felt there was a significant overlap with the musical aesthetic of the Loft and the Balearic movement. A musical open-ended-ness and psychedelic quality. Knowing Colleen, her deep knowledge and love of music across genres, space and time, the name just felt like a good fit. 2) have been featured in the 160th show of the series, and your beautiful mix obtained a lot of praise from the Family. Are you aware of your ability to propose musical stories through the tracks you select? Generally speaking, how do you create a set? It's great to hear the mix was well received. I’m not on social media at all, so when Colleen told me about the positive feedback, I was really touched. Thank you. When Colleen asked me to contribute, it was originally going to be for a mix for the launch event of the first Balearic Breakfast compilation in 2022. I wrote the track list on the back of an envelope in a couple of minutes and told myself I had to stick to it – no matter if a “better” track then came into my consciousness later that day! I can’t really tell you why I chose the tracks I did or why they are in that order. That’s just how I wrote them down. I’m quite interested in Taoism and being in the “flow state”. I generally like to go with the first idea that comes into my head. It’s about listening to your inner voice and trusting it. There is a beautiful power in doing that. It’s also a good way to honour your uniqueness. What I love about the mixes from the Balearic Breakfast family is how completely different and personal they are. 3) You also work with Colleen on the request posts pictures; without any doubt, you have an artist’s soul to me! Is your creativity conscious, or does it come almost silently and unpredictably, fueled by music or other forms of art? Thank you! I have been creative since I was old enough to pick up a pen. It was my mum who spotted this – when I was about two years old and was playing up / whingeing, she was wondering what she could do. So she gave me a big roll of paper, and some felt tip pens. Needless to say, I stopped crying and spent the rest of the day lost in drawing. I’ve been that way ever since. I think creativity – in whatever form it takes – drawing, cooking, playing an instrument, writing, gardening, painting, photography – whatever it is – nurtures the soul and raises your vibration. I do love visiting galleries, reading, and obviously listening to music, but really anything can be inspiring. A sunset, a walk in the forest, a really deep conversation, a really good cup of coffee – (the latter is a daily essential!). I do think that meditation, yoga and various herbs and fungi also have a powerful part to play in letting you tap into your inner creative spirit. You also need to stop worrying about whether people like what you do or not. If you love it – that really is more than enough. 4) The Balearic Musical scene is vast. If you had to choose five albums that are Balearic to you, which would they be and why? Firstly – sorry. I know you asked for five albums, but I’m going to give you 8 of them! As with the mix, I quickly scribbled them down in a couple of minutes! (but this time on a post it, not an envelope (laughs)! I guess the joy with the Balearic genre is that it literally can be anything you want it to be. I first heard the word Balearic (in a musical context) with the Balearic Beats Compilation LP, which came out on FFRR in 1988. But at the time, the music on the LP wasn’t really my cup of tea (apart from the Nitzer Ebb track, which has a great dub mix on the 12”, btw!). Going out clubbing in Manchester in the late 80s, you would hear records that are now considered “Balearic” (such as Carly Simon’s “Why”), but they were just part of an overall “club” / house music soundtrack back then. It wasn’t until 1993 or 1994 when a friend of a friend at University came back from Ibiza with a Jose Padilla mixtape, that I had my proper introduction to what I perceive as being the “Balearic” sound. Of course, this was only a part – the chill-out / Café Del Mar part – of the Balearic sound. But it immediately struck a chord with me. This was the pre-internet era, so trying to find the tracks on that cassette really did take years. Still, that tape opened a lot of musical doors for me. The albums below? Well, they vary somewhat in both genre and notoriety, but, for me, they are all Balearic because they share an otherworldly, transcendent quality. An ability to take you to another place and time. Music to transport. Music to transform. Music to heal. Music to help you connect with the universe. That’s my take on Balearic. So……. In no particular order: Laurie Anderson – Mister Heartbreak (Warner Bros - 1984) Mr. Fingers – Amnesia (Jack Trax - 1989) Collin Walcott – Grazing Dreams (ECM - 1977) Wally Badarou – Words of a Mountain (Island - 1989) Michael Shrieve / Kevin Shrieve / Klaus Schultze – Transfer Station Blue (Fortuna - 1984) Nina Simone – Baltimore (CTI - 1978) Michal Turtle & Suso Saiz – Static Journeys (Planisphere - 2021) Pat Metheny Group – Still Life Talking (Geffen - 1987) 5) I can’t end this interview without asking you, what does it take to “be Balearic” in this life? Having an open heart and an open mind but always dancing to the beat of your own drum! Thank you So Much, Lee...

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.

Colleen 'Cosmo' Murphy broadcast the 163rd episode of Balearic Breakfast on her Mixcloud on February 6th 2024. About this show. – Sometimes things don't go as planned. And, believe me, I will always be the first to try to be helpful when such situations occur. Firstly, we're all humans; we can make mistakes, and it's okay to make mistakes. It's part of life. Secondly, way too often, I have seen fingers pointing at me when I failed to do a task I ought to do, leading to an unbelievable amount of criticism and anger, leading to crises. Remember, when something does not work out as planned, the first thing to do, even if you're managing people, is to understand what happened. What is done is done, and your anger, your shouting or your reproaches won't help the matter (plus, you'll be adding unnecessary pressure to the already tense situation...). So, first, take the time to analyse what happened, why it happened, and maybe that's something that can be fixed easily for next time. By understanding our mistakes or helping others who did them to understand what happened, we can move on and improve ourselves. Of course, if you're a manager and you feel this should not have happened, you have the right to take decisions afterwards, with an objective mindset. But anger or shouting won't help the case, so show some calmness and understanding. It will add motivation, discussion and improvement, eluding exhausting anger and any other unwanted feelings between you and those you're working with. Simply be objective; that's really Enough. As a teacher once told me, "Only those who do nothing never make mistakes". We were all eagerly waiting for that 162nd episode because we knew Colleen was going to stream Bert's and DJ Emma's mixes. Sadly, Colleen couldn't stream these two due to technical difficulties, so we listened to the previous show on Mixcloud, supporting Colleen, who felt terrible about what had just happened. And we all stayed with our dear Captain, supporting her. Shit can happen, but you always must put into balance why things happen; that's the first thing to do before anything else may eventually come into play. Believe me, streaming Balearic Breakfast away from home while on tour in a different time zone is not easy (and Mixcloud can be tricky, too, it seems!): our dear Captain just did that for a whole month (I couldn't stop the lion cub from jumping into your arms Colleen, sorry!)... So, once our sadness left our hearts, we cheered our dear Captain up and stayed all together on Mixcloud, enjoying the previous show (while Eagerly waiting for Colleen to put Bert's and Emma's Mix on Mixcloud!) and having a Memorable Chinwag. All I can say is that Bert's and DJ_Emma's mixes were absolutely worth waiting for. These two mixes are among the sexiest and the coolest mixes ever streamed we got to hear through our Family Meetings. What an incredible way to end this first series of Family Gatherings! So, without further ado, let's hear this 162nd episode of Balearic Breakfast as it was meant to be!! Listen back to the 163rd episode of Balearic Breakfast: PLAYLIST Bert François' Mix Jean Carn – Revelation / Infant Eyes Millie Jackson – A Love of Your Own Phyllis Hyman – The Love Too Good to Last Webster Lewis – Give Me Some Emotion Sidney Barnes – Your Love Is So Good to Me Dionne Warwick – You're Gonna Need Me Eramus Hall – Just Me 'n' You The Love Unlimited Orchestra – Strange Games & Things Scott Grooves ft. Chris Codish – Organ Nights Hayden Andre presents Subculture – The Voyage (Hayden Andre Deep Mix) Indigo ft. Joy Malcolm – Fly to the Moon (Mood II Swing Remix) DJ_Emma's mix Peter Brown – Without Love As Ganhadeiras de Itapua – Mare Mansa Quincy Jones – Summer in the City (Old Smokey Edit) Terry Callier – Imagine a Nation Mel & Tim – Keep the Faith Psychemajik – Your Love Was Meant For Me Tina Turner – I Can't Stand the Rain Pino D'Angio – Ma Quale Idea Alex Kassian – Leave Your Life Laura Green – Manhattan (Horse Meat Disco) Black Lodge – Broughton David Bendeth – Feel the Real Brittany Howard – Stay High ASHA – Ball & Chain (JJ Tribute) (LG Giobbi Remix) THE LISTENING EXPERIENCE Starting his set with the very Jazzy Jean Carn – Revelation / Infant Eyes [1978-Discogs], Bert is going to take us through one of the most sensual, one of the sexiest (I'm not ashamed of that word here) mixes we ever had the pleasure to listen to during these Family Gatherings (to read the interview I did with Bert, click here). The sexiness starts with the great Millie Jackson's – A Love of Your Own [1976-Discogs]; a song which was written by the Average White band and first released in July 1976. By the way, did you hear that beautiful and light mix Bert proposed here? It's not the last time that you're going to feel Bert's sensual touch during this mix, let me tell that to you right away! This mix depicts so perfectly a sensual evening shared by the couple of your choice; just close your eyes, and you'll see the moves, the closeness, and the desire pouring out of the love these two individuals share tonight on the screen of your inner desires... Enters, with a nice discretion, Phyllis Hyman – The Love Too Good to Last [1981-Discogs] showing that sometimes the perfect touch is not the ever-lasting one but the one swaying on your body just like an oceanic wave, slowly leading you to your most unmentionable desires... This very song was written by Peter Allen, Burt Bacharach and Carole Bayer Sager and was first sung by the Pointer Sisters on their 1980 Special Things album. The groove is good, the groove is here, and it is led by a man knowing a lot about Music and Love, for sure! Bert knows how to keep the rhythm on; he's a personified groove, and his beat will never let you down; listen to how beautifully Webster Lewis – Give Me Some Emotion [1979-Discogs] enters the mix! This song was composed by Webster and covered by Merry Clayton as "Emotions" in 1980. The swayin' is definitely on as Sidney Barnes – Your Love is So Good to Me [1978-Discogs] starts, and it ain't gonna stop so soon. Bert's mix will focus on this love affair for 3/4 of its running time, which is quite unusual here on Balearic Breakfast, as the mixes are often divided into two even parts. So it's nice to have a mix that takes that slight departure from this structure, especially when you take into account how Bert ends it... But we're going to talk about it later, as, for the time being, Bert keeps on making us dance to the slow and oh-so-sexy rhythm! I love how Bert joins the previous track with Dionne Warwick – You're Gonna Need Me [1973-Discogs], in what we could call a "musical" "Fil d'Arianne" which keeps on leading us with Eramus Hall – Just Me 'n' You [1980-Discogs]! Did you know that the song "You're Gonna Need Me" was composed and produced by Brian Holland, Lamont Dozier & Eddie Holland, the three of them being responsible for Countless Motown hits including "Reach Out I'll Be There" or even "Where Did Our Love Go"? Another interesting fact you might not know about is that Lamont Dozier was invited by Claude François to France in the 1970s when he released "Going Back to My Roots"! They actually sang several songs together live for a French TV show! We gently reached the second part of Bert's mix, and he shows no sign of slowing down the sexy, very playful dance! Talking about the playful dance, the next number (a cover of "Strange Funky Games and Things" by Jay Dee issued on his beautifully sounding 1974 "Come on in Love" album, produced by Barry White and Tom Brock!) The Love Unlimited Orchestra – Strange Games & Things [1976-Discogs] slightly changes the rhythm, but that change is very soft and playful, almost acting like some kind of "mistake" in the course of the mix, an unexpected touch on an almost forgotten area, so well done! A perfect mix is a mix that surprises you, a mix in which you allow yourself to sway, a mix that shows some kind of vulnerability, bringing images to your mind, and Bert's mix exactly does that here! Slowly bringing in the next track, Scott Grooves ft. Chris Codish – Organ Nights [2000-Discogs], Bert keeps the surprise element of his mix very alive; we're suspended to his magic fingers, and we really can't get enough! What a musical taste Berts shows to us tonight! The last 15 minutes or so of Bert's mix will be more groovy. Still, the tracks he chose to share here, despite their quicker rhythm, do share a very high degree of sexiness, perfectly showcasing that a track can be quicker but still bring sexiness to the forefront! Bert is not the one who will show off as he keeps his delicate touch perfectly on the beat for the next number, Hayden Andre presents Subculture – The Voyage (Hayden Andre Deep Mix) [1991-Discogs]! The last song, Indigo ft. Joy Malcolm – Fly to the Moon (Mood II Swing Remix) [1995-Discogs] enters the mix with a slight precipitation enhanced by its somewhat "abrupt" start, but it has that "openness" that really suits the whole vibe very well! DJ Emma is a favourite of mine. I love her soft voice, her broad musical taste and her joyfulness when she's surrounded by musical friends! You might not know it, but she is the one whom I wanted to interview the first when this blog was only a dream! And I made this dream come true (read the interview we did together here)... DJ Emma's mix is a perfect example of a woman doing her thing and reaching beautiful heights (she's not afraid of them...), thanks to her gentleness and also thanks to her great ear! The first two tracks, which are Peter Brown – Without Love [1978-Discogs] and As Ganhadeiras de Itapua – Mare Mansa [2014-Bandcamp], pair so well together... It's like a living painting animating itself in front of your eyes; listen to the beautiful closeness of the notes these two tracks share! Keeping the rhythm balancing, Emma chooses to play Quincy Jones – Summer in the City (Old Smokey Edit) [Bandcamp]; here, the mix allies both the closeness of the music and of the rhythm, the living painting keeps on moving in front of our eyes whilst we're being taken out of reality in this beautiful musical trip... It takes a great deal of Knowledge to be a good DJ, and Emma has that without a shadow of a doubt! We're drawn into a new chapter of our adventure, I just think about it now, as I write these lines, but this mix resembles a lot to a track Emma issued not so long ago, Bliss... Terry Callier – Imagine a Nation [2002-Bandcamp] is an incredible trip, taken from Callier's 2002 "Speak your peace" studio album; beautifully followed by Mel & Tim – Keep the Faith [1973-Discogs], a cover of Mark James's song released in April 1973 on his self-titled album, that also got covered by the great Lou Rawls later in 1974 on his "She's Gone" studio album! The second half of Emma's mix will take us into a more groovy side of things, but I can assure you that the Wow effect this mix is, will not diminish at all. You're going to be Wowed people, I can guarantee you that and I hope you feel the groove this mix really is... Did you hear how Emma chose to blend “Keep the Faith” with Psychemajik – Your Love Was Meant For Me [2017-Bandcamp], allowing her to step up the rhythm just a tiny bit? And aren't you on your knees just when Tina Turner – I Can't Stand the Rain [1984-Discogs] enters the mix?! Yeah, I know you now understand why I told you these two mixes were the sexiest we ever got to hear during these Family gatherings (laughs)! You're also now keen to understand why I was saying that Emma was reaching Heights, oh my beloved risky DJ, you're Shining here!! Words can not express the magic a true DJ is able to create. You're Wowed, and so am I; everything is OK... By the way, "I Can't stand the Rain" was originally recorded by Ann Peebles in 1973, ranking at 197 on Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Songs of All Time, and was very famously covered by Eruption on their 1979 studio album "Leae a light" which contained over covers of well-known songs such as "One way Ticket" or "I'll leave a light in my window"! Let's Dance as Pino D'Angio – Ma Quale Idea [1981-Discogs] enters the mix (click here to read a great interview with Pino d'Angio)! Keeping the rhythm perfectly steady, Emma then lets Alex Kassian – Leave Your Life [2021-Discogs], based on a sample of YES ‘Owner of a Lonely Heart’, present itself with a musical naturality that's not to be explained anymore here (laughs)! As Laura Green – Manhattan (Horse Meat Disco) [2009-Bandcamp] arrives in the mix with a nice solidity to it (the original song is from 1979), it seems we're flying, aren't we?! Keeping a steady Rhythm with David Bendeth – Feel the Real [1979-Discogs], the song was initially intended to be an instrumental only; Emma is going to take us to an absolutely ecstatic state of mind to end her mix, firstly by gently slowing down the rhythm with Brittany Howard – Stay High [2019-Bandcamp] and then by reaching eternity with the mindblowing ASHA – Ball & Chain (JJ Tribute) (LG Giobbi Remix) [2021-Beatport], which beautifully uses Janis Joplin's vocals from a live show she gave in 1972... Did we just meet at the other side of this painting hanging on that Balearic Wall?...

Matt, like a lot of us, has been there from the very start. I was happy we got to discover more about him through his mix! I met the "I'm no DJ" guy, and we had a fantastic chat! 1) Hello Matt! I’m thrilled to welcome you to our Home! If I understood things the right way, you used to DJ in the past. Can you tell us more about how that passion started? Thanks for having me, Artur. I only really did a small amount of DJ-ing over 20 years ago when I was a uni student at house parties. I’ve always been passionate about music from a young age. I can remember making my own compilations from the ‘Now that's what I call Music….’ tapes I had, basically just compiling all the dance/hip-hop! I was slightly too young when acid house swept the UK, but I used to love the endless tapes that used to get passed around (Sasha at Shelley's was a big favourite as that was local to me). I also used to listen to a lot of local radio, like the ‘New Dawn’ show on Signal radio. When I went to Uni, I got my own decks and used to love going into town on Mondays and trawling through all the new releases. I think my musical tastes really matured in the 2000s as I started listening to a much wider variety of music. If anything I’ve become more obsessive in the past ten years than ever! 2) How did you feel when Colleen asked you to prepare a mix for Balearic Breakfast? What was the most challenging part of that journey, and how did you get things done? I was really pleased to be asked, my first thought was that I probably couldn’t do it as I’m a little out of practice on the djing side. The most challenging part was technical, just getting the setup working on my Mac, getting it recording etc. (I’m quite a technical person and I know it’s not that hard but it was just being a bit stubborn). The actual mix and song selection came together really quickly; I started with about 40 tunes and just played around to see what was working. I guess working with the range of bpm was also slightly different as I’m used to mixing more 4/4 stuff. Getting it all down to an hour also made me appreciate how hard it must be for Colleen to juggle everything every time she does a show. In the end the actual tune selection came pretty easy and I did the mix in one take. I went from saying ‘maybe’ to Colleen to submitting a finished mix in about three days! 3) We both share the « no dj » label spirituality as I call myself « the record cueer » (laughs)! There are a lot of people starting this musical adventure nowadays, often for bad reasons with mitigated sonic results. According to you, what should a « true » DJ be like both spiritually and technically? It’s weird; I read so many conversations on X and Threads from younger DJs obsessed with BPM, technical mixing and working social media (which I guess is inevitable these days). I think the best DJs are the ones who you know would still be doing it passionately as a hobby even without success because they are just obsessed with the music and the culture. For me, Colleen, Bill Brewster, Luke Una and Tim Sweeney all optimise that (I think of Tim doing his show on student radio for 15+ years). I think true DJs don’t put themselves into narrow lanes musically and don’t get bogged down by trends and formats. They listen and play music across the decades and not just new tunes. There also seems to be an obsession with ‘how can I make this bigger’ instead of ‘how can I make this more intimate’. 4) An active member of the Balearic Breakfast family, your requests are very often “of quality,” if that makes sense (laughs)! How do you listen to music, and, most importantly, how do you keep yourself up to date? I love this question! To be honest, Bandcamp has really started to dominate how I listen to music; it has the perfect blend of social that means you have close contact with the artists/labels and get great recommendations from the people you choose to follow. I love how you can ‘subscribe’ to labels you want to support too. I’m amazed the other music sites haven’t followed their lead. I still use Apple Music a lot to listen to albums, make playlists, share music and go through new releases. I also subscribe to a few people on Patreon, like ‘The Reflex’ to get exclusives; again, it’s great to support those whose work you appreciate. I also listen to a lot of podcasts and radio stations like WWFM, BBC 6Music and NTS. Good music can come from anywhere, though, really - Instagram stories, WhatsApp recommendations, TV shows, etc. I just like to keep my ears open. I’m not really one to be found in the basements of record stores though, I leave that to the true obsessives ;) 5) If you had to choose, let’s say, 3 Balearic Breakfast shows, which would they be and why? Hmm, that's trickier. I think the ones that stick in my mind are… Episode 15 - I think this was the first one I got a request played - Apiento/She Walks, that gave me a real bug for trying to get requests on; Episode 124 - International Woman’s Day Special - I think Colleen did about 4hrs, avoiding filling in her taxes and making sure everyone’s request got played. I asked for Jessie Ware/Remember Where You Are which is one of my favourite tunes from the past 5 years; Episode 127 - Children on the Sun. I think Paul Hilary’s mix truly blew everyone away, he takes digging to a different level. Also, before I go… Having done the mix for BB I’ve really got the bug back for dj-ing and making mixes. I’m gonna try and do at least one every three months and try and do something with the music I spend so much on! So can I plug my Mixcloud page and the first mix I’ve done (which is much housier than the one I did on the show)!

Parbleu! Andres Balbucea and Andrea De Fazio answered a few questions about the band's origins and their latest musical effort, Elios. A sunny musical trip, Indeed! 1. Hello to you, Parbleu, and thank you so much for joining me here on the Balearic Breakfast blog! You issued "Dance cette Zik" in March 2020 amidst a tremendously severe phase of the Covid pandemic when the world was facing lockdowns. The funny lyrics and the musical positivity (including the clever ep's cover - "Parbleu!", a French expression that means "Good Lord!"...) had a great impact on the Balearicans! Can you tell us more about Parbleu's origins and Philosophy? Hello Artur! First of all, Thank you for the interest that led you to exchange a conversation with us about our project and our music. Parbleu was born in March 2020 from our collaboration (Andres and Andrea) in a not-easy time for everyone. We decided to transform those feelings of uncertainty into something positive and original that could renew our happiness and soul. We started sending each other the progress we were making with the compositions from home via email every day, comparing ourselves daily to arrive at a satisfactory synthesis for both of us. The name comes from a joke with Roberto, our friend and musician: we were looking for a cool name without success when he exclaimed, "Parbleu!" almost as if he wanted to make fun of us, and it was right there that we understood that it was the right name for the band... 2. Your latest track (Elios) is so different from "Dance cette Zik". Colleen featured both of them during Balearic Breakfast. Do you feel it's easier to compose a track like "Elios", which is lurking into the Disco Era? We have always been passionate about funk and disco, although we don't like to confine ourselves to a single genre or category. We have the most disparate influences and listening, and indeed, we often like to mix colours to try to arrive at something original done with authenticity. Said with sincerity, the bass line is inspired by the Latin disco world. Specifically, it comes from listening to a record by "The Conga Kings". We decided to synthesize it into a dark disco jam with different contaminations and string instruments contrasting with the acid synths. We hope you like the result! 3. How did you come up with the new album's theme? While we feel that musically, the adventurous journey holds up very well, we can't help but feel the lyrics on the album are somewhat darker... The album's theme Elios is dedicated to a genesis, a new birth, and in particular, the birth of little Elio, Andrea's son, from which we were inspired with our hearts to achieve that feeling. 4. Have you ever thought about the sound you wanted to achieve as a band? When listening to your songs, there is a "soothing" approach to the sound while the rhythm is dead-solid on every track. I can't help but feel a deep "duality" in all that you do. Would you agree, and is that conscious? The dualism, for example, the tight drums and the open, ethereal voice, wasn't intentional. It is the fruit of our collaboration since we both come from similar worlds, yet one of us plays the drums, and the other plays the keyboard and sings. Even though we have these different aspects, we still want to achieve the same outcome. Therefore, we've created this sonorous. This type of sound wasn't necessarily what we were going for, but it was the outcome of our collaboration. This is our way of composing at the moment. In the future, when we'll be in the studio, we'll see what we can create. 5. What can we expect from Parbleu in this coming year? Will you take your music on tour? We will most probably have an EP coming out. At this moment, we need to understand what to do first. We have a lot of new things going on, as well as concerts and growing musically. We will definitely play around Europe and, of course, Italy. We hope to see you when we play! Thank you so much, Parbleu!

When I heard Axnér's "Shoot from the rooftop", I knew I had to ask them a few questions about that song and about their musical duo. Come on, let's meet them! 1) Dea Chris, dear Julia, I am over the Moon to actually have you Here, on the Balearic Breakfast Blog! Your song, "Shout from the rooftop", has received a beautiful blend of re-mixes, and a limited edition vinyl has been produced. Congratulations! Can you tell us more about how the song was originally born? Hi Artur, thanks for having us. The song was the first track that we wrote together - it started life at least five years ago. It’s taken many forms since, with different lyrics and melodies and for a while, we were a little stuck on it. We returned to it after we’d released our first single, ‘Got The Look,’ and something clicked, and it came together a lot easier. The drums were recorded in a session with Ralph Rolle, drummer for Nile Rodgers & Chic, at the same time as Got The Look, and when we thought the track was finally finished, we sent it over to Ralph to see what he thought. A couple of days later, we received it back with some extra vocals from another member of Nile Rodgers & Chic, Audrey Martells, who’d added some amazing backing and ad-libs to the track. We’ve been amazed by the journey this track has taken us on, partnering with some legends of disco from Ralph & Audrey, John Morales & Al Kent, who, along with Kousto, produced great remixes of the track and Colleen ‘Cosmo’ Murphy who, ’s, shown some wonderful support. Limited quantities of the record are still available :-D 2) Colleen played John Morales' M&M Main mix version of the song during the 144th edition of Balearic Breakfast. I remember that this edition was, musically, a special one as it showcased how much "Balearic Music" was not only about the musical style itself but also about the music having a specific "soul". According to you, what makes "Shout from the rooftop" a Balearic Tune? Colleen spinning the track makes it Balearic! We feel honoured Cos included the track in her show, as we’ve listened to it for years and never expected to hear our music featured. It’s connected us to a number of people, including yourself. Radio is still such an important medium for reaching listeners - we prefer it over a Spotify playlist any day. Colleen also launched her new chapter of The Loft Party at the start of December and played our record on the night. This felt really special for us. The New York link has been so strong with this track that we mixed it in Brooklyn; Ralph Rolle & John Morales are from The Bronx & David Mancuso started The Loft Party on Broadway in New York City. Full circle complete! 3) Can you tell us more about your musical journey together? We started making music together after Acid Jazz Records proposed Chris produced some original music under ‘Disco Freaks’, his DJ partnership, after they’d released a couple of remixes on the label. Soon after, Ralph Rolle overheard Julia singing while he was being interviewed on The Disco Freaks Radio Show and offered to drum for us! That was pretty inspiring so we pulled our finger out and got some songs together to demo with him. Lockdown gave us the time to write about ten tracks, ones we’re currently focusing on finishing, and everything’s continued from there. We do have to thank a lot of people who have shared advice and helped along the way. We hope you know who you are, as there are too many to list! We’re very grateful to have creative and talented friends who have worked with us on everything from artwork to photos & videos and the songs themselves. We’re very much independent, co-dependent artists! 4) You did a guest mix for 1btn radio a few weeks ago, showcasing your broad musical tastes, and influences. It also included another stunning track of yours, "Got the Look". There is a great sense of unity in what you propose, musically speaking. Would you say that, in a way, Music extends your human existence, showing you things you weren't aware of in the first place? Music has always been a major part of our life. It’s connected us, family & friends, and we do what we can to keep that connection through the music. As well as Julia & Audrey Martells singing on the track we’ve got Julia’s twin, best friend, Mum & Auntie singing on it so you’re hearing that unity on the record. SETLIST AXNÉR - Shout From The Rooftop (John Morales M+M Acapella Mix) Bosq - Out Of My Head LAZYWAX - Hotel Colomba D’oro AXNÉR - Got The Look (Al Kent’s Feel Good Instrumental Remix) MORE AMOUR - Solar Flair Lenny Williams - When I’m Dancing (Sam Flanagan Remix) Wee Willie - Get Some (Aroop Roy Rework) Prince - 17 Days (Zach Witness Version) Kelly G - Feels Good (Yeah!) (Kelly G. Little Louie Party Mix) AXNÉR - Got The Look (DK’s Super Disco Edit) Jungle - GOOD TIMES (Braxe + Falcon Remix) L’Impératrice - Submarine (Todd Edwards Remix) AXNÉR - Shout From The Rooftop (John Morales M+M Club Mix) Freda Payne - I Get High (On Your Memory) 5) What are your plans for the foreseeable future? Can we expect an album? We’re currently working towards an EP & a live show in May. It’s going to sound a little different. Still rhythmical with plenty of grooves, actually more Balearic in places, which you’ll be happy to hear! Thank you so much, Chris & Julia!

There are names you can't forget. I was absolutely thrilled to be able to chat with Rob Calcutt, who is a dedicated Listener of the show, a great requester and Colleen's friend! Rob has put together a guided, 45-minute journey for Balearic Breakfast listeners, containing all kinds of breathwork and ambient sounds. You can get this at www.urbanhealer.co.uk/balearicbreakfast 1) Hello Rob! So happy to have you here! You've been a longtime listener of the show! Working as a shamanic practitioner, it all makes sense to me! Can you tell us more about your professional practice? I ditched the corporate ladder 15 years ago to provide support to victims of violent crime & terrorism, later moving to prisoner rehabilitation & homeless services. I'm also a shamanic practitioner, which is a thread that began in the Australian outback in 2003. These days I work with misfits and outsiders in the urban jungle, since the queer experience lends itself to this kind of narrative. I offer a range of things from drum/gong journeys to guided visualisation, breathwork, plant medicine ceremonies, tarot readings and other fun stuff, both online and in-person (North London). I’m also a proud cat mother - Fred, since you asked. 🐈‍⬛🤣 2) What is your approach to music? I'm sure you use it in some ways during your professional practice. But, more than that, does your professional practice influence the way you listen to it and the way you Experience it? I'm not a fan of New Age spirituality, so flutes and panpipes aren't really my bag. More Brian Eno and less Clannad, please (no offence, Enya). I sometimes incorporate music in my ceremonies, since they're quite long and cover a dramatic arc. This can include Biosonic tuning forks, singing bowls, shamanic drums, rainsticks, rattles, leaf bundles, tingsha cymbals, an ocean drum and a bull roarer for dramatic effect. It's all about holding space and framing silence, so when I'm working, any musical interventions are to facilitate a natural flow, rather than prescribe a specific mood. On a normal day, anything goes! 3) Do you believe Souls can communicate through music? I have a powerful feeling about what Colleen "sends us" through the way she mixes and the musical choices she makes. There's more than just music in Balearic Breakfast. Does it make sense to you? Complete sense yes. Since conscious listening is about stopping time and coming into the present moment. Giving someone your undivided attention is a rare and meaningful gift in today's world, and there's something about the immediacy and community that translates across Wi-Fi. 4) You must have been appealed by Colleen's aphorism! According to you, what does it really take to "Be Balearic"? I spent a huge portion of the nineties and noughties as a beach slug, passed out listening to Jon Sa Trinxa. Jon's music was always about accessing a flow state and he'd change it up depending on the weather, positioning of the sun, or how nature was responding on a given day. I still love Ibiza despite the horrific Vegas takeover in recent years. Rain or shine, it was always a mood, and Pat Metheny Group's 'Slip Away' never fails to take me back. That old "Balearic" tag is a mutable genre and moving goalpost that reinvents itself every decade – so the jury's out. It’s all about searching for that b-side or vinyl oddity and flexing rigid genre restrictions to blend seamlessly alongside 80s synth-pop, acid folk, early house, flamenco guitar and Bristol trip-hop. Anything Steely Dan wouldn’t do without his fez on, basically! 🤠🙃 ... And YES, you can overthink these things, but isn't that the point? 😜 5) You were featured in the 159th episode of the series; congratulations! Can you tell us more about how you prepared your set and what you wanted to convey? The first thing I did was panic. HOW on Earth was I supposed to curate a setlist of tracks that haven’t already been aired on the show, whilst still making it light and listenable? I guess my secret weapon was an obscure South Korean jazz import from ‘93. I don’t understand a word, but somehow, the sentiment still transmits. Playing ‘jazz’ (a blanket term for depraved Western music, not sanctioned by the state) has been a crime in North Korea since the 50s, so I hope it somehow carried across the border. 🙏 Being a 40-something gay man, I'm also a cliché – so Madonna had to feature. 🤣 It's a good Madge moment, though – I'll let you decide if this lowers the tone! 🤔 It was a pleasure to have you here Rob! Thank you!

Colleen 'Cosmo' Murphy broadcast the 160th episode of Balearic Breakfast on her Mixcloud and Twitch TV socials on January 16th 2024. About this show. – This very episode has been a long time coming! But it Happened! As Colleen embarked on what one can call "a proper tour" (she is in Australia), she had to find a way to keep the Balearic Breakfast ship afloat! To do so, she secretly asked several members of our Balearic Breakfast family if they could prepare one-hour mixes she would later stream as she would not be able to present the show away from home. And, as expected, we answered Loudly, with a lot of happiness: YES OF COURSE! Here is what Colleen shared on her socials before heading to the other side of the planet: "I've told you that I’m heading off down under, so you may be wondering what is going to happen to the show? Well, although I shepherd the show and pull it together into something that hopefully resonates, it’s the BB family who choose most of the music and I love the musical conversation. With that in mind, I asked several of our consistent contributors to contribute a one hour mix and I will stream those mixes by hosting Balearic Breakfast on the road. Starting on Tuesday, the 9th January, I’ll stream Balearic Breakfast at the same time -Tuesdays 10 to 12 GMT and hopefully at the same place - on both Mixcloud Live and Twitch TV. We have mixes from Kieran McCann, Lee Zee, DJ Emma, Rob Calcutt, Virginia Tzioti, Matt Raistrick, Susan Chan and Bert Francois. I’ve been listening to the mixes they sent over and its so inspirational as they all have their own vibe and musical bent. I’ll still be on the chat groups too so we can all get together as we listen to the mixes so yes, BB will take a couple of Tuesdays off and then the live streams recommence on the 9th January." Well, things didn't go as originally planned as, on the 9th of January, a technical issue prevented Colleen from streaming the show. It brought a lot of sadness to the Family, but eventually, we stayed Balearic and said to ourselves: "Good times are coming; let's keep the fire burning!". And that's what we all did! Finally, the awaited moment arrived, and we all had a memorable show, listening to 2 great mixes crafted by our friends Rob Calcutt and Virginia Tzioti. I even took the time to ask our friends some questions and published these two nice interviews on the blog. As I always like to say, We are the Biggest Musical Family alive on earth. Laughs! Nota: Rob has put together a guided, 45-minute journey for Balearic Breakfast listeners, containing all kinds of breathwork and ambient sounds. You can get this at www.urbanhealer.co.uk/balearicbreakfast Listen to the 160th episode of Balearic Breakfast: PLAYLIST Rob Calcutt 'Urban Healer' Mix Urban Healer – Day Night and Dawn in the Amazon Fred – Morning Meow Urban Healer – Gong bath The BBC Sound EFX Library – Ambience, Rural Britain, Sea Cliffs and Rocky Shores Mark Knopfler – The Rocks and the Water Amaro Freitas – Rasif Kiefer – Cute Footshooter ft Brother Portrait – Dawn (Buffalo Stance) Idjut Boys – One for Kenny (Extended LP version) Zenit – Waitin' 낯선사람들 – 왜 늘 Madonna – Secret Garden Phavia Kujichagulia – Overdose Christy Essien – Take life Easy Mari Kaneko 金子　マリ – Get to paradise Jolley & Swain – Soul Street (12" extended version) Millie Jackson – Leftovers Opal – Ain't No Way (Special Club mix) Bonnie Pointer – Free Me from my Freedom Virginia Tzioti Mix Ami Shavit – Alpha 1 Vangelis – Tales of the Future Tomislav Simovic – Waste of Emotional Energy (Repeated Viewing Remix) Von Spar – Scotch & Chablis 40 Thieves – The Sandpiper (Pyschemagik Remix) Wink – Higher State of Consciousness (Album Version) Miyako Koda – Butter The Grid – Crystal Clear (Clear Like an Unmuddied Lake Remix by The Orb) Samo – A Certain Ratio The Daou – Surrender Yourself (Album Version) Gala Drop – Overcoat Heat The Phenomenal Handclap Band – You'll Disappear THE LISTENING EXPERIENCE Two mixes, two vibrations, one same tribute to a show and to a person whose humanity brings people together around Music. I couldn't have written that sentence in another way! And you'll very soon discover how much it is all true! Let's bring a global analysis of the two mixes first, it will allow us to dive into them in greater detail afterwards. Rob's mix presents a great unity, both rhythmically and Musically, leading us in an introspective journey. On the other hand, Virginia's mix is more elevated, it has more variations and has a "dreamy", "flying effect" approach. Both mixes are perfect to listen to if, like me, you've been tired of your week and want to escape this world musically. And, as far as the tribute goes, it is obvious, when listening to the mixes, to hear songs that are like winks towards our Musical Captain, Colleen 'Cosmo' Murphy. It is one thing to share your microphone with other DJs and other artists, but it is something totally different to lend your show to people who admire what you do and to let them propose mixes of their own. Yes, Colleen embodies what it means to be "Balearic", bringing people together around music; well, to me, that's a pretty "Family affair" thing! Don't you think the same? (laughs!) So, now, let's dive into each mix and let's discover these two absolutely nice, by the way, vibrations that are Rob and Virginia! Starting his mix with a nice presentation, the listener is immediately struck by Rob's ability to propose a "mental movie" to him. I can fully feel that as in my own "edited mixes", I use the same philosophy to structure the story I want to tell! Whenever you add sounds to a mix of your own, whenever you add clearly thought sound effects to songs that are blended together, you expand the possibilities of interpretation; you allow your listener to let himself totally go away. It is what I call a "Musical movie", and it is not often used, I think, by DJs or radio broadcasters. So dear Rob, well done here! The actual Musical adventure starts with Mark Knopfler – The Rocks and the Water [1983 - Discogs]. Very quickly, from the second track on Amaro Freitas – Rasif [2018 - Bandcamp], the listener has a feeling: Rob's beautifully blended tracks do transmit an active willingness to soothe the listener, this feeling being enhanced by the warmth of the sound with somewhat shadowed highs that, nonetheless, show great detail. On a more concrete level, it's interesting to note that these first two tracks do intellectually refer to "homecomings": Rasif refers to a colloquial spelling of Amaro's hometown while "Local Hero" is Mark's first soundtrack solo project out of the Dire Straits, released in 1983... Coming next, the beautifully mixed-in Kiefer – Cute [2019 - Bandcamp] presents a somewhat shinier sonic approach (my feeling being confirmed by this review), still keeping a somewhat enclosed vibe. The relaxation experience is kept intact with the following musical experience, that is Footshooter ft Brother Portrait – Dawn (Buffalo Stance) [2017 - Bandcamp]. We do have the impression of being sucked into a huge space while we feel the sound has, for the first time in the show, a much "snappier" reality. These tracks really showcase the Wow effect of this first mix, which, to me, is the "musical integration". Rob's mixing is precise, as we do not notice the end of one track and the beginning of another one! This is exactly what happens when the incredible Idjut Boys – One for Kenny (Extended LP Version) [2012 - Discogs] starts. In a review of the Idjut Boy's fourth studio effort, one can read this: "The first single, "One for Kenny", is the album's most danceable track, candy disco that moves at the same pace as a comforting lava lamp. Halfway through it eases (there are no sharp movements on Cellar Door) into a gorgeous, jazzy piano line. It feels like someone draped a warm blanket over the track". This mix sure offers comfort! The next song, Zenit – Waitin' [1986 - Discogs], also beautifully mixed to the previous one, keeps on taking us through that unknown journey, Rob clearly showing us here he has no meaning of slowing the trip's tempo down. For your information, Zenit's album, Straight Ahead, from which Waitin' is taken, was recently reissued in 2018. What's great is that you can hear, in each song of Rob's mix, different sonic textures, and different depths, yet you're never distracted from the actual trip because the mixing skills are impeccable, and the general volume of the mix is absolutely perfect, allowing the listener to concentrate on the Music. Without a doubt, it is one of the most homogeneous mixes I ever heard in my life. Furthermore, Waitin' has a similar sound signature to THE BIG BLUE soundtrack, composed by the great Eric Serra, lending us to feel like we've reached our inner sea... There's a Style here; a musical soul is definitely living in Rob's body! When I said in the beginning that there was a willingness to pay respects both to the show and to Colleen, I was referring to what is happening right now in the mix. We changed tempos as the second part of Rob's mix starts with a beautiful South Korean PIece, 낯선사람들 – 왜 늘 [1993 - Discogs]. Issued on King Record - Hana Music, the album is hard to score. Rob kindly shared with me the song's meaning: "it's a song of longing, and the translation is something along the lines of "Why are we always strangers?"". Thanks Rob! Keeping the rhythm steady, Rob takes us to another great song, which is Madonna – Secret Garden [1992 - Discogs]. As you might expect now, at least you should not be surprised, "Secret Garden" is Madonna's most personal song. Get ready, if you're under 18 please don't read, laughs! "The song is described as Erotica '​s most personal song. In addition, "Secret Garden" is dedicated to the singer's vagina, "the secret place where she could enjoy herself."" Furthermore, the song features a jazz-house beat which samples the drum break from "Soul Pride" by James Brown with the BPM of 117. Interestingly enough, one of Madonna's fans shared his thoughts about the song, writing, "In French, "jardin secret" is an expression referring to someone's unspoken and intimate life and actions, the kind of things that you do mostly on your own without telling anyone else because it's not their damn business, the thoughts that you hardly share with your partner for a lot of reasons, and most importantly stuff that makes you feel good about yourself. Fontainebleau at the end of the song indicates that her secret garden is not only her bush but also that special place in one's life experience that you can only learn about when you're dating someone French. So maybe someone got the pun." That's something to feel Balearic Breakfast's soul breathing slightly differently in the hands of its supporters. To experience that is so heartwarming, really! To feel Colleen's support is really something mindblowing; we are the biggest musical family on earth people, and we Feel the love as the next song enters our dancefloor, Christy Essien – Take Life Easy [1979 - Discogs]. We experienced a lot of Beautiful mixes by Colleen, but that one, with the following track Mari Kaneko 金子 マリ – Get to Paradise [1983 - Discogs], has such a Balearic Feeling to it, I think it will be hard to top! As we can hear it, Rob's cat is in heaven; I know he is cuz' as a Lioncub, I talked to him, and he said to me, "Whenever Rob mixes, I fly elsewhere!" There you go! We're effectively flying on Jolley & Swain – Soul Street (12" extended version) [1985 - Discogs], which does have a "Music and Lights" feeling all over it! We're three tracks away from Rob's mix end as the great, and already featured in the show previously with "If Loving You Is Wrong" from her previous album "Caught up" ISSUED IN 1974, Millie Jackson – Leftovers [1975 - Discogs] takes us to a slower, groovier but somewhat darker place; Rob's mixing is, of course, still perfect here! The next song, Opal – Ain't No Way (Special Club mix) [1983 - Discogs], is not played in its entirety and when you hear why, you'll be jumping on your feet from exaltation; so well done, Rob! We end the beautifully crafted mix with Bonnie Pointer – Free Me from my Freedom [1978 - Discogs]. As I said at the beginning of this detailed playlist, Virginia's mix is more on the "open" and "outer voyage" side whereas Rob's mix was, to me, in its first part, more introspective. This trip towards an unknown yet foreign land is very well documented in Virgini'as Tribute to Vangelis, through the two tracks she plays that are Ami Shavit – Alpha 1 [1977 - Discogs] and Vangelis – Tales of the Future [1994 - Discogs], which has already been featured in the show. Vangelis shared, in an interview, how he worked when composing; I feel it is very interesting to remember that as it is true for artists: "They happen. When I do something like that I try not to think. It just comes naturally. And why naturally? Because what I see creates an emotion and this emotion comes out immediately," he says with a click of his fingers. "It may be the right one or it may be the wrong one. Usually the first one is the right one, and then the second and third are much more intellectual in approach which is second best. That's why I work in a very quick way. From this set-up," he says embracing the keyboards that surround him, "I can trigger anything I want in a split second. I like that immediacy and playability". Virginia's approach to this mix is more upfront in the beginning; the way she mixes the following track Tomislav Simovic – Waste of Emotional Energy (Repeated Viewing Remix) [2021 - Discogs] shows it perfectly, and we understand why she decided to put it here as it shares with the previous track the "airiness", enhancing the listener's flying sensation! As Ana Maria said to me, "I like Virginia's mix because there are a lot of cinematic moments"! There you go! Keeping the flying feeling absolutely alive, Virginia takes us to Von Spar – Scotch & Chablis [2010 - Discogs]! Strangely enough, we were speaking about wine with Colleen in the first part of the show, and she shared with us that she loved French white wine! Virginia's mix kept on opening itself, like a flower, and the next song, 40 Thieves – The Sandpiper (Pyschemagik Remix) [2014 - Discogs], is great evidence of that. Taking risks in changing rhythm is always a stressful moment for whoever tries to do it in a live set! Virginia does take that risk with a nice success here as Wink – Higher State of Consciousness (Album Version) [1995 - Discogs] takes us to a higher musical ground offering wider visuals. We can't help but think about David Mancuso here as this track is absolutely close to the Loft Classic that is the Orb's "Little Fluffy Clouds"! When this track ends, we clearly hear Virginia's adventurous side as Miyako Koda – Butter [1998 - Discogs] enters the scene, with its slower rhythm. Estranged by this change in rhythm, we quickly let ourselves dive deeply into this intoxicating musical phenomenon. The next track, The Grid – Crystal Clear (Clear Like an Unmuddied Lake Remix by The Orb) [1993 - Discogs], rides on perfect time and makes us think of some of Ace of Base's productions from the 90s. Nice musical unity here with the following and very funky, track (find more about it here) Samo – A Certain Ratio [2023 - Bandcamp] ! As Virginia's mix is reaching to its end, we strongly feel her Balearic Soul coming through The Daou – Surrender Yourself (Album Version) [1992 - Discogs]. I love the soundstage of that one so much, and there is an interesting interview right here. As Gala Drop – Overcoat Heat [2010 - Discogs] drops, we clearly see this was Virginia's "I'm flying" mix. Virginia ends her mix with The Phenomenal Handclap Band – You'll Disappear [2009 - Discogs]. Absolutely Balearically Approved Mix, Virginia!

Balearic Breakfast is "Our Thang". I had a chat with Virginia Tzioti who just reminded us, through this nice interview, the core of our Message... Enjoy! 1) Dear Virginia, thank you so much for being here with us on the Balearic Breakfast blog! How important is music in your everyday life? Music is my way of Life, Patti LaBelle 2) Working as a Jewellery designer, does Music influence you when crafting new models? When I am working, I always listen to music. I am not sure if it affects me directly, but it definitely influences me subconsciously. While creating new designs, I draw inspiration from various aspects of the art world. One aspect that is particularly important to me is cinema, which is also connected to some of the most iconic soundtracks. 3) What does Balearic Breakfast mean to you? I love Balearic Breakfast. I truly appreciate, respect, and admire Colleen as an artist and for all her great work on the show. It's brilliant how all these people, who don't know each other, gather every Tuesday and exchange musical information. Thanks to this amazing community, I have discovered many beautiful songs and artists. Without a doubt, it is my favourite show! 4) You were featured in the 159th episode of the series; congratulations! Can you tell us more about how you prepared your set and what you wanted to convey? I must admit, I was quite nervous about it. My initial thought was to present some of my favourite tracks that, as far as I remember, were not featured in any previous episode. I started with a first selection of about 30 records and listened to them in the order that felt right at that moment. Eventually, I managed to narrow it down to the final 12 tracks that I chose. 5) Can you share with us one moment of pure happiness you had while listening to the show (was it a show in particular you liked, a song that moved you, etc.)? I was incredibly thrilled with the recent 3rd birthday show. It was truly epic and served as a reminder of all the wonderful moments we have shared thus far. Each of us has specific songs that are deeply connected to memories, both sweet and bitter. I want to express my immense gratitude once again to Colleen and all the Balearicans for taking us on this incredible journey. Find out more about Virginia's musical tastes on her Mixcloud! Thank you once again Virginia!

When I launched the blog, I wanted to share the "Family Feeling" I felt on the Mixcloud chat. Bertrand Vraiment is a passionate member of the Family indeed! Let's meet him! To our French readers, we translated the interview below, enjoy! 1) Hello Bertrand! I am so happy to have you here on the Balearic Breakfast Blog! How did your musical journey start as a kid? What were your influences while growing up? Hi Artur, thank you very much for the invitation! My passion for music dates back to my youth, taking shape during my teenage period. At that time, my early party experiences coincided with the emergence of French house in the mid-90s, with Daft Punk leading the way, of course! It was a period of positive and joyful music, perfect for partying and bringing people together. This influence remains relevant to the music I dig and appreciate today. My true musical turning point occurred in 2001 when I moved to Paris for my studies. My radio was consistently tuned to Radio Nova and FG. I particularly remember the late-night show called 'Al-Loungez Vous', two hours of downtempo music hosted by selectors like Eric Rug, Gilb'R, Emmanuel S, and especially Chloé, whom I was a big fan of at the time. A style quite close to the Balearic spirit – Hazard ou Coincidence? Je ne crois pas! 😊 2) You invited me a couple of times to your live sets, and I must say I love how you mix! Can you tell us more about your passion for DJing? Ahah, thanks again, Artur! I enjoy preparing these live sessions with the Melomaniacs, alternating between the latest additions to my collection and tunes I've accumulated over the past twenty years! As in Balearic Breakfast, I like gradually building up the rhythm and exploring some curiosities before transitioning from disco to house, which is generally a winning formula! Regarding the technique, I quickly wanted to feel comfortable behind the turntables. During my studies, I actively organized parties and was part of the school bar team. Every Wednesday, we provided 4 hours of vinyl music for parties 200 to 300 students attended! Between these events, I would take the organization's MK2s and Ecler mixer to practice in my student apartment. Looking back, it reflects my significant motivation at the time. As a result, I completed my studies with a degree, a certain confidence behind the turntables, and a lasting addiction to records! 3) Do you believe being part of the Melomaniacs enhances your journey? Absolutely! The Melomaniacs have played a key role in my musical emancipation since I arrived in London in late 2021. This group of music enthusiasts formed through regular participation in the same radio shows, primarily Gilles Peterson and Worldwide. fm, where Balearic Breakfast started. The dedicated members of Colleen's Balearic Breakfast on Tuesday mornings include Pops, Mofonk, SwayOfTheVerses, JL, Curate, and Sean, to name just a few. We now have between 20 and 30 participants actively contributing to the Melomaniacs community, sharing our live or recorded mixtapes on our Mixcloud page, and performing in London. What is appreciable is the musical curiosity of each member, the bridges between musical genres, and mutual support for our musical projects and ambitions. These are wonderful people who have become friends! Personally, having worked abroad for about fifteen years, I remained a collector without really being able to share my passion. I discovered the Melomaniacs thanks to JL one Wednesday night at BBE Store, where Louie Vega was a guest. He then invited me to the monthly Melomaniacs show on RunDemRadio hosted by Charlie Dark. Since then, I've been doing live sessions for the Melomaniacs once a month from my home, which we've dubbed "Disco Towers," and it always brings a smile to my face. Thanks to the Melomaniacs, I became a more diligent collector, a more active DJ and, therefore, a happier man! 4) Lately, you launched the "Boogie Across Borders" YouTube channel! Congratulations! What is the reason fueling this new musical adventure? Thank you for asking about Boogie Across Borders Artur! This recently created YouTube channel is a natural progression of my musical journey. I share approximately one-hour mixes of 12* records every two weeks on YouTube. Boogie Across Borders allows me to organize and share my music collection in a targeted way. What I particularly appreciate at the moment is that I manage this project from A to Z, from selecting the records to video editing and then publishing and following it up via an Instagram page. However, I want to open the doors to other DJs to participate in this project. Two Melomaniacs have proposed interesting selections entirely in line with the spirit of Boogie Across Borders. They will soon come to spin at Disco Towers, and I am really excited to host them! I conceptualized Boogie Across Borders around two distinct axes. First, the idea is to share about a dozen songs from a particular country, exploring the period of the 80s when traditional music blended with disco sounds. I present tunes specific to the chosen country, often from the mid-70s, following the evolution throughout records. We discover catchy sounds with slapped bass that I particularly love. The second axis is dedicated to original disco music from the United States, shared year by year between 1977 and 1983. I like to alternate between iconic songs of the time and more obscure gems discovered over the years. This approach reveals interesting trends, ranging from original disco bands to the rise of divas, especially in 1979 in my selection, and the arrival of synthesizers in the 80s. In this adventure, my program is already planned until the summer of 2024, but I wonder about the future. Will I continue by sharing my passion for House music? Time will tell! 5) What makes Balearic Breakfast so special to you? Balearic Breakfast is special to me because Colleen offers us two hours of meticulously selected music every week that takes us through various styles and eras. While respecting the Balearic style and injecting her personality as a lover of the '70s/'80s, inspired by the Loft and the spirit of David Mancuso. It's exciting to see Colleen bring together a passionate community from many countries, such as Italy, France, Greece, Spain, England, and even the United States, with Bert François waking up at dawn to listen to the show live from New York! It was only natural for me to become a dedicated listener of Balearic Breakfast. Upon my arrival in London, I attended the exhibition by photographer Bill Bernstein, capturing moments in New York clubs in the late '70s and early '80s. Colleen interviewed him at Defected Records on that occasion. By the way, I am the proud owner of the iconic Larry Levan photograph at Paradise Garage, visible on almost all my Instagram posts, reminding everyone that the music I love originates from that spirit and era. A few months later, the first significant party I attended in London was Hacienda 51, where Colleen performed. It was the first time I saw her live. Shortly after, I attended a Loft party right next to my place in East London. There were too many coincidences not to be more interested in Colleen's musical world. Consequently, I became a regular listener, not only for the musical universe that Colleen "Cosmo" Murphy presents, which I fully endorse, but also to discover new tracks that I later play on vinyl 😊 Thank you so much Bertrand, Vraiment! 1) Salut Bertrand ! Je suis très heureux de t'avoir ici sure le Balearic Breakfast blog! Enfant, comment a commencé ton voyage musical ? Quelles étaient tes influences pendant ton adolescence? Salut Artur, merci beaucoup pour l’invitation ! Ma passion pour la musique remonte à ma jeunesse, prenant forme pendant mon adolescence. À cette époque, mes premières soirées ont coïncidé avec l’émergence de la French house au milieu des années 90, avec Daft Punk en tête, bien sûr ! Une musique positive et joyeuse, propice à la fête et au rassemblement, cette influence est toujours d'actualite a propos de la musique que je recherche et apprécie de nos jours. Mon véritable tournant musical a eu lieu en 2001, lorsque j’ai déménagé à Paris pour mes études. Ma radio était constamment réglée sur Radio Nova et FG. Je me souviens notamment de l’émission en deuxième partie de soirée appelée ‘Al-Loungez Vous’, deux heures de musique downtempo animées par des sélecteurs tels que Eric Rug, Gilb’R, Emmanuel S, et surtout Chloé, grand fan a l'epoque. Un style assez proche de l’esprit de Balearic Breakfast, hasard ou coïncidence ? Je ne crois pas ! 2) Tu m'as invité à plusieurs de tes sessions live sure Mixcloud et je dois dire queue j'adore ta façon de mixer! Peux-tu nous en dire plus sure ta passion pour le Djing? Eheh, merci encore Artur! J’aime préparer ces Live sessions avec les Melomaniacs, alternant entre les derniers arrivages dans ma collection et les morceaux que j’ai accumulés au fil des vingt dernières années ! À l’image de Balearic Breakfast, j’apprécie monter progressivement le rythme, explorant quelques curiosités avant de glisser de la disco vers la house, une formule généralement gagnante ! En ce qui concerne la technique, j’ai rapidement cherché à me sentir à l’aise derrière les platines vinyles. Durant mes études, j’ai été actif dans l’organisation des soirées et ai fait partie de l’équipe du bar de l’école. Chaque semaine, le mercredi, nous assurions 4 heures de musique vinyle lors de soirées rassemblant 200 à 300 étudiants ! Entre ces rendez-vous, je prenais les MK2 et la table de mixage Ecler de l’association pour m’entraîner dans mon appartement d’étudiant. Rétrospectivement, cela témoigne de ma grande motivation à l’époque ! Ainsi, j’ai terminé mes études avec un diplôme, une certaine assurance derrière les platines, et une addiction persistante pour les disques ! 3) Estimes-tu que faire partie des Melomaniacs enrichit ton voyage musical? Absolument ! Les Melomaniacs ont joué un rôle clé dans mon émancipation musicale suite a mon arrivée à Londres fin 2021. Ce groupe de passionnés s’est formé grâce à une participation régulière aux mêmes émissions de radio, en tête de file Gilles Peterson et Worldwide.fm, où Balearic Breakfast a débuté d'ailleurs. Les membres assidus de Balearic Breakfast animé par Colleen le mardi matin incluent Pops, Mofonk, SwayOfTheVerses, JL, Curate et Sean, pour n’en nommer que quelques-uns. Nous sommes maintenant entre 20 et 30 à participer à faire vivre le crew Melomaniacs, partageant nos mixtapes en direct ou enregistrées sur notre page Mixcloud, et effectuant des performances à Londres. Ce qui est appréciable, c’est la curiosité musicale de chacun, les passerelles de genres musicaux qui existent entre les membres, et le soutien mutuel dans nos projets et ambitions musicaux. Ce sont des personnes formidables qui sont devenues des amis! Personnellement, après avoir travaillé à l’étranger pendant une quinzaine d’années, je suis resté collectionneur sans vraiment pouvoir partager ma passion. J’ai découvert les Melomaniacs grâce à JL un mercredi soir chez BBE Store, où Louie Vega était l’invité. Il m’a ensuite invité au show mensuel des Melomaniacs sur RunDemRadio de Charlie Dark. Depuis lors, je réalise des lives pour les Melomaniacs une fois par mois depuis chez moi, que nous avons surnommé “Disco Towers”, ce qui me fait bien rire. Grâce aux Melomaniacs, je suis devenu un collectionneur plus assidu, un DJ plus actif et donc un homme plus heureux ! 4) Récemment tu as lancé la chaine Youtube "Boogie Across Borders"! Félicitations! Qu'est ce qui a motivé le commencement de cette nouvelle aventure? Merci de poser la question sur Boogie Across Borders 🙂 Cette chaîne YouTube récemment créée représente la suite naturelle de mon évolution musicale. J’y partage des mixes de 12 disques d’environ une heure que je publie toutes les deux semaines sur YouTube. Boogie Across Borders me permet d’organiser et de partager de manière ciblée ma collection musicale. Ce que j’apprécie particulièrement pour le moment, c’est que je gère ce projet de A à Z, de la sélection des disques, aux prises et montages vidéo, jusqu’à sa publication et son suivi via la page Instagram. Pour autant, je souhaite ouvrir les portes à d’autres DJs pour participer a ce projet. Deux Melomaniacs m’ont proposé des sélections intéressantes, respectant tout à fait l’esprit de Boogie Across Borders. Ils vont bientôt venir tourner à Disco Towers, et je suis vraiment excité de les recevoir ! J’ai conceptualisé Boogie Across Borders autour de deux axes distincts. D’abord, l’idée est de partager une douzaine de morceaux d’un pays particulier, explorant la période des années 80 où les musiques traditionnelles se sont entremêlées aux sonorités disco. Je propose ainsi des morceaux propres au pays choisi, souvent du milieu des années 70, en suivant l’évolution au fil des disques. On y découvre des sons entraînants avec des basses “slappées” que j’affectionne particulièrement. Le deuxième axe est consacré à la musique disco originelle des États-Unis, partagée année par année entre 1977 et 1983. J’aime alterner entre des morceaux emblématiques de l’époque et des pépites plus obscures découvertes au fil des années. Cette démarche révèle des tendances intéressantes, allant des disco bands à l’origine, à l’avènement des divas, surtout en 1979 dans ma selection, et à l’arrivée des synthétiseurs dans les années 80. Dans cette aventure, mon programme est déjà planifié jusqu’à l’été 2024, mais je m’interroge sur la suite. Partager dans de prochains épisodes ma passion pour la House music ? L’avenir le dira. 5) Qu'est ce qui fait que Balearic Breakfast est si spécial à tes yeux? Balearic Breakfast est particulier parce que Colleen nous offre chaque semaine deux heures de musique minutieusement sélectionnée qui nous transporte à travers les styles et les époques. Tout en respectant le style Balearic et en injectant sa personnalité d’amoureuse des années 70/80, inspirée du Loft et de l’esprit de David Mancuso. Il est enthousiasmant de constater que Colleen rassemble une communauté passionnée issue de nombreux pays tels que l’Italie, la France, la Grèce, l’Espagne, l’Angleterre et même les États-Unis, avec Bert François qui se lève aux aurores pour écouter le show en direct depuis New York ! En ce qui me concerne, c’est tout naturellement que je suis devenu un auditeur assidu de Balearic Breakfast. À mon arrivée à Londres, j’ai assisté à l’exposition du photographe Bill Bernstein sur ces moments capturés dans les clubs new-yorkais à la fin des années 70 et au début des années 80. Colleen l’avait interviewé chez Defected Records à cette occasion. Au passage, je suis l’heureux possesseur du cliché emblématique de Larry Levan au Paradise Garage, que l’on peut voir sur quasiment tous mes posts Instagram, histoire de rappeler que la musique que j’aime trouve ses racines dans cet esprit et cette époque. Quelques mois plus tard, la première grande fête à laquelle j’ai participé à Londres était Hacienda 51, où Colleen a eu une performance. C’était la première fois que je la voyais en direct. Dans la foulée, j’ai assisté à une soirée au Loft, qui était à côté de chez moi dans l’est de Londres. Il y avait trop de coïncidences pour ne pas m’intéresser plus largement à la musique de Colleen. Ainsi, je suis devenu un auditeur régulier, tant pour l’univers musical que propose Colleen “Cosmo” Murphy, auquel j’adhère pleinement, que pour découvrir de nouveaux morceaux que je convertis ensuite en vinyle 🙂 Merci Bertrand, Vraiment!