Colleen' Cosmo' Murphy broadcast the 158th episode of Balearic Breakfast on her Mixcloud and Twitch TV socials on December 12th 2023. Introduction. – Tell me how you engage with Music, tell me how you listen to Sound, and I’ll tell you who you are. Music is a universe in itself, a universe you can only discover if you allow yourself to disconnect from anything else, the first thing being your conscience. You must listen without thinking about it. It’s like entering a trance... As these words start dying peacefully, and while sitting in a comfy chair or lying on your bed, you hear a sound coming from the depths, gently surrounding you, hugging you, and letting you disappear totally. Drawn into a world you never thought existed, your inner journey takes you deeper and deeper into the realm of your real existence. Music. Notes, musical ones; Words, intellectual ones, a flow, the never-ending river, the one created by artists, musicians, writers, creators, and... DJs... I'm just like you, you know, allowing myself to drift far away into worlds I never visited before. Aren't we all Little Princes deep down inside? Aren't we all searching for our own truths? And who can we rely upon? Who can guide us if not Artists, musicians, writers... DJs... You see me coming, don't you? Yes, I know you do... Trying to figure out how to celebrate this blog's first anniversary (on the 14th of December, it will be one year old...), I gave myself some time and listened to the great French Pianist Samson François. While reading Diapason's article, I was moved. When asked why he didn't respect the rhythm of the Music, Samson answered, "If I'm being irregular," he explains, "it's not at all out of caprice, or because of mood swings or even health issues; it's only because every time, every concert is an adventure." In another interview, he went on, "For me, each concert is a story. So each one is conceived, placed "in a specific light, a kind of symbol". I think this is essential. [...] For instance, in the second concert, I chose a very instinctive program, which I liked. It was a "nocturnal" concert: two Etudes by Debussy, the second of which [Pour les degrés chromatiques] is really like the gliding of a bat's wings. [...] Then there was Prokofiev's Sonata No. 7, which took on a dramatic, anguished allure that it doesn't have if you play it at the end of the program, where it's a brilliant piece; finally, four Nocturnes by Chopin, and I started with the first one, which sounds like bells in the distance. Well, it's amazing the reactions I got after this concert. People were downright distressed". This is when I stopped reading for a while, lost in my thoughts: it is something to feel things, to do things as I do here on the Balearic Breakfast blog. Yet, it is something else to find in Samson's approach towards Music, the same approach I try to have towards Colleen's body of work, and also Colleen's own approach towards the show... As Samson, I feel where Colleen tries to lead us; I think a lot of the members of the Balearic Breakfast Familly understand her choices. It seems obvious that each show is a Program having its own Soul, which she tries to bring upfront... Not so strangely enough, because I feel Life had a Master plan, I talked about this point, remotely of course, having it in my mind, indirectly, with Marcia Carr and DJ_Emma just a few days ago, telling them how much they, in their own way, helped in sharing Music's absolute essence, be it in their own creations or in the way they mixed songs during their sets, just like other friends from the Balearic Breakfast Familly do... A DJ is like a painter, like a writer, like a pianist (sidenote: Is, well, at least he should be, because we know not all DJs have that profound approach to Music, but yes, indeed, a DJ should transmit Music's Soul without touching it, without modifying it...). A DJ should play his Soul and let it meet and uphold Music in the purest way possible. I found myself whole in Samson's words and his Philosophy, and you know that I already shared with you some of these thoughts before, yet I didn't know Samson was so close to me... "I do not lie : I live my Imagination" Samson François About this show. – Just before playing her last gigs for this year, Colleen put up the request line on her socials, asking us what we would like to share on the next Balearic Breakfast show... Well... It seems obvious I was not the only one hearing The Calling... Did I say that, sometimes, Life had a Master plan? Listen back to the 157th edition of Balearic Breakfast: PLAYLIST Takashi Kokubo & Andrea Esperti – Whales of Sirius Julie Byrne – These Days Robert Wyatt – Maryan Cassandra Jenkins – Hard Drive Carolyn Franklin – I Want To Be With You Nev Cottee – The Sun Also Rises (Wonderfulsound Mix) Marti Caine – Love is Running Through Me Alessi Brothers – Seabird J.J. Cale – Durango (Balearic Jukebox Edit) Asha Puthli – Right Down Here (Psychemagik Remix) Young Gun Silver Fox – Moonshine Achab – White Lights in Summer Je' Couleur – Space Dancer Otherlover – Someone To Rely On Change – Hold Tight (Long Version) Pet Shop Boys – Being Boring Spirit – Spirit (Zaf & Phil Asher Edit) Tim Hutton – Colours (Freeform Five Mix) Jacob Gurevitsch – El Terreno THE LISTENING EXPERIENCE This 157th edition of Balearic Breakfast is a constant invitation. A friendly hand appearing as you walk towards a sky that doesn't want to share all of its secrets immediately with you, a voice calling you from somewhere, out in the void... This is perfectly represented in the show's opening track, Takashi Kokubo & Andrea Esperti – Whales of Sirius [2023-Bandcamp], which absolutely embodies this post's title. Reading an interview that Takashi gave a few years ago, I could not help but share this specific part of it: "I think music is a thing that adds flavor to the air in a space. What I often try to do with my sound environment design is add a seasoning of air that makes you breathe more slowly than usual. You can change the rhythm of space. If you can create an exciting rhythm, you can also create a rhythm that makes you feel relaxed and breathe slowly. You can control the physiological movements of people who gather in the space, such as pulse and breathing, to some extent. You can control concentration and relaxation. Branding is possible. Sound can create the identity of the space. With sound, you can also partition space, create defined areas within areas." This sentiment of being drawn into something is also present in the following track, Julie Byrne – These Days [2023 - Bandcamp], the artist not being a stranger in sharing her love for the great outdoors and open roads. Our musical discovery takes on a very pictural presentation with Robert Wyatt – Maryan [1997 - Discogs], which makes use of sounds enhancing the musical experience, enlarged by a surprisingly unorthodox musical structure and a Beautiful lyrical story. As I said to DJ_Emma, I love it when musicians and artists take chances while creating music... It's about the magic, the surprises, the Voyage... Coming back to the show, Colleen knows what she is doing and when to do it; she lets silence take its place just before the next track Cassandra Jenkins – Hard Drive [2021 - Bandcamp] starts, putting it on a nice pedestal that it deserves when you take conscience of its lyrics... Do you start seeing why this post is entitled "The Caling"?... As I said before, it is in these blissful musical moments that you feel our collective power. It can't get better than what you're just hearing here, really. The second part of the show starts with Carolyn Franklin – I Want To Be With You [1973 - Discogs], and this is where Samson's analysis about the place of a piece in a recital takes its whole meaning. Of course, the track has an objective drive that leads the listener, but it is here enhanced by the first tracks played during the show. Always keep in mind this: the best way to listen to Balearic Breakfast is to consider each episode as a musical entity of its own. The following song, Nev Cottee – The Sun Also Rises (Wonderfulsound Mix) [2013-Bandcamp], though having a slower start, shares with the previous one the same tense musical hope, the same friendly hand leading you in your journey. Oh how I love Colleen's Rhythmic precision as Marti Caine – Love is Running Through Me [1981 - Discogs] starts! There is another lesson to be learned here: reaching someone's soul when mixing tracks is not always done by keeping a steady rhythm. It is also, and very often, done by allowing you to drop it a little bit while being cautious as to when to start the next track! Colleen keeps on taking us into her Musical Journey with the next number, Alessi Brothers – Seabird [1976 - Discogs], followed by the incredible J.J. Cale – Durango (Balearic Jukebox Edit) [2023 - Bandcamp], reproducing a well known rhythmic pattern here and winning the first Wow Effect of the show! The Calling finds its absolute reality in this very part of the show, it is present both in the lyrics, in the atmosphere and, of course, in the music! Keeping Jim's Spirit alive and well, Colleen chose to play Asha Puthli – Right Down Here (Psychemagik Remix) [2023 - Bandcamp], which, both in its structure, in its rhythm and in its spacy imagery, embodies this post's title! I feel the next few tracks, because of their differences with the previous ones, belong in this third part of the show, showcasing how much cleverly blending musical styles might enhance the mental visuals one is able to create while listening to Balearic Breakfast! By mixing Young Gun Silver Fox – Moonshine [2022 - Bandcamp] with Achab – White Lights in Summer [1978 - Discogs], beautifully followed by Je' Couleur – Space Dancer [2014 - Discogs], Colleen really gave us all goosebumps! With its dreamy synths, Otherlover – Someone To Rely On [2017 - Bandcamp] is another song reaching out to you and ending in a crazy white noise, followed by Change – Hold Tight (Long Version) [1981 - Discogs], which really is an invitation to dance you can't refuse! We're reaching higher grounds now as Colleen takes us to the Pet Shop Boys – Being Boring [2001 - Discogs], keeping the rhythm absolutely steady; this is just crazy, right there! My personal, and second, Wow effect! Talking about musical unity, Colleen keeps the fire burning, and the musical calling stone immaculate with Spirit – Spirit (Zaf & Phil Asher Edit) [2019 - Discogs] and Tim Hutton – Colours (Freeform Five Mix) [2000 - Discogs], beautifully blended together! The music calls you to follow her never-ending dance with Jacob Gurevitsch – El Terreno [2023 - Bandcamp]; can you hear her while the last track plays on? BOOKS RECOMMENDATIONS Click on the pictures to find out more... Disco: Soundtrack of a Revolution Airing tomorrow night (Saturday) on BBC Two, the following Saturday will see the conclusion of the three-part series. From the sweaty dance floors of private parties and basement bars in 70’s New York to the glittering peak of the global charts, this is the story of how disco conquered the world - its origins, its triumphs, its fall, its comeback and its legacy. I haven’t yet seen the series, but from what I can see the series gives voice to communities that were at the heart but haven’t always enjoyed fair representation - LGBT, people of colour and women. I look forward to hearing their stories and am honoured to have been included, as well. Its a bit nerve-wracking having to wait to see the final product but from everything I have witnessed so far, it looks like this series was in good hands. Disco: Soundtrack of a revolution will be archived on BBC iPlayer so you have the chance to watch it over the holidays, and if you’re based in the USA, it will air on PBS during Pride Month in June, when the Stonewall Uprising is commemorated. Colleen, Instgr., 15/12/2023

Colleen Cosmo' Murphy broadcast the 157th episode of Balearic Breakfast on her Mixcloud and Twitch TV socials on December 05th 2023. About this show. – Balearic Breakfast is the place to be if you're curious about Music and feel like discovering artists and DJs you have never heard about before. In this 156th episode, just after Colleen took the con at the London Loft Party during a 7-hour long set (yes, you can have your Wow moment, laughs!) on Sunday, December 03rd, she introduced a lot of us to someone whom she's been following for years and whose inspiration could not be dismissed: Mark Barrott. The English DJ, record producer and label owner is a talented musician, and his moving interview with Colleen allowed us all to reconnect with our inner humanity. A Beautiful episode, with one heavenly ending... Listen back to the 156th episode of Balearic Breakfast: "I have long been a fan of the record label @internationalfeelibiza which was founded by Mark Barrott about 15 years ago and surprisingly many of the records are actually him under a different moniker: Young Gentlemen’s Adventure Society, Rocha, Boys from Patagonia and more. He also released an album called Johatsu as Mark Barrott earlier this year. He and I had a chat about International Feel, Johatsu and the new album he is currently recording and he also put together an exclusive mix for today’s Balearic Breakfast. Thank you Mark!" Colleen, instgr, 05/12/2023 THE PLAYLIST Jennifer Vanilla – Pastoral (Love Injection's Celestial Mix) Cocteau Twins – A Kissed Out Red Floatboat Kuniyuki, Soichi Terada & Sauce81 – Let Us In Ace – How Long (Charles Vaughan's Loving Mirrorball Edit) ----- Mark Barrott Interview & Mix ----- Mark Barrott – Bush Society Bepu N'Gali – I Travel To You Talamanca System – Balanzat Mark Barrott – Kyoto Mark Barrott – Shinrin-yoko Mark Barrott – Icarus Mark Barrott – One Friday in September Mark Barrott – Kamikakushi Miles Davis – In a Silent Way Japan – Cantonese Boy Talk Talk – I Believe In You Kate Bush – Hello Earth THE LISTENING EXPERIENCE After her 7-hour-long musical trip at the London Loft, Colleen prepared a beautiful and moving show for us. The first 4 tracks set the tone of what would be a memorable episode on all accounts. Today's show opener is Jennifer Vanilla – Pastoral (Love Injection's Celestial Mix) [2023 - Bandcamp], taken from the expanded edition of her "Castle in the Sky" album, which was originally issued on August, 5th 2022 (more about her here). Love Injection records, Paul Raffaele and Barbie Bertisch shared on their socials a few days ago the news about this very remix they worked on, saying, "Our remix of Jennifer Vanilla is out today via Sinderlyn, included in Castle In The Sky (Expanded Edition). Our thanks go to the duo and label for the opportunity and to Toribio for his keyboard contributions, as well as the legendary Dave Darlington for mixing it. We set out to strip down and rebuild our version of an ethereal world, Jennifer Pastoral as the track is named, resulting in two versions: Earthly and Celestial. More news on the Celestial Mix soon, but the Earthly Mix releases today. Turn it up and let loose." A big-sounding piece with a wonderful soundstage, this remix for sure is a Balearic Treat, followed by Cocteau Twins – A Kissed Out Red Floatboat [1988 - Discogs], a song without real lyrics as Colleen explained it to us on the chat: Liz Frazier doesn't sing in any known language, most of the time. Instead, she vocalizes some sort of secret language of her own (read this interview to discover more about Liz's musical and personal journey & head over to Classic Album Sundays to find out more about their album "Blue Bell Knoll"). The two aerial musical moments are followed by two other more uplifting tracks, the first one being Kuniyuki, Soichi Terada & Sauce81 – Let Us In [2022 - Bookmat]. It is indeed a classic that closes the first part of today's edition, as Ace – How Long (Charles Vaughan's Loving Mirrorball Edit) [2023 - Soundcloud] is a well-known song of all music lovers alike. Taken from Ace's first 1974 studio album 'Five-A-Side', this song is not your typical love-affair tune, laughs! Ace's bass player Terry Comer was working with other bands - he played briefly with The Sutherland Brothers and Quiver - and he didn't tell his bandmates, who felt cheated when they found out. Paul Carrack, Ace's lead singer, then wrote the song, one of his own first which remained a big hit. "How Long?" was released on the Anchor label in 1974, backed by "Sniffin' About" and produced by John Anthony for Neptune Productions. It has been recorded many times since. Terry Comer, the bass player a rival band were trying to "nick," returned in time to play on the original recording. Sadly, Ace disbanded in 1977. "How Long" has been a solid musical companion over the years; often, I would listen to the track on an endless repeat loop! I reached out to Charles, wanting to know how he worked on this gem, and he gladly shared his memories with me: "Basically, I discovered the track on social media and had it on repeat for a few days, but was driving myself insane that the original was just a few minutes. I wanted to make an edit similar to Todd Terje’s edit of "I Want Your Love" – simple, drawing all the best elements out, euphoric yet pulled back. I grabbed the stems from an AI software I use and did it all in 2-3 hours – just getting everything extended and rebalanced the way I wanted, plus add some extra layers to make it more spacey! Love the result – wanted to make something that would evoke a real loving energy on the dancefloor, a final embrace under a disco light!" Charles Vaughan, 05/12/2023 Mark's selections left the Balearic Breakfast family wowed. Both his interview, his thoughts, the way he changed over the years, his humility, the way he works with music today, trying to seize its pure moment and not overdoing things, and of course, the music he composes, left us all humbled, absolutely humbled and several members of the Balearic Breakfast Family shared on the chat how much the interview, and the show, moved them. Starting with "Bush Society" [2015 - Bandcamp], a track that came "from the desire to make timeless, exotic music, dripping in-depth, melody and atmosphere... Music that can be cherished in the present and discovered 20 years into the future with equal surprise and joy. Music for imagination. Music for people that know there's something more" and offering a visual universe like no other, blending music with sounds of nature, Mark then takes us to Africa with Bepu N'Gali – I Travel To You [2012 - Bandcamp]. The story behind this track is awesome, and I encourage you to read its description on Bandcamp! The "righteous summer jam" is then followed by the very Balearic tune that is Talamanca System – Balanzat [2015 - Bandcamp]. Mark then takes us on a small journey through his new album, J​ōhatsu. Following Mark's last few words about the failure of Globalization, and encouraging us, people, to get connected on a smaller and collective level, Colleen's musical choices for the end of today's show fit perfectly, allowing us all to slowly drift away into our own days... Starting with Miles Davis – In a Silent Way [1969 - Discogs] – an album that would be recorded during one three-hour single session with Miles Davis encouraging his musicians to capture the moment – Colleen then played Japan – Cantonese Boy [1981 - Discogs] – Japan's Keyboardist Richard Barbieri recalling that recording the album "was a very laborious process, but creatively satisfying(...) it was the first album where we actually produced something (...) completely original." – easing things down toTalk Talk – I Believe In You [1988 - Discogs] – whose haunting atmosphere led Mark Hollis in dealing with his Brother's heroin addiction – and, lastly, beautifully ending the trip with Kate Bush – Hello Earth [1985 - Discogs], which, according to Kate Bush is "a lullaby for the Earth. And it was the idea of turning the whole thing upside down and looking at it from completely above. You know, that image of if you were lying in water at night and you were looking up at the sky all the time, I wonder if you wouldn't get the sense of as the stars were reflected in the water, you know, a sense of like, you could be looking up at water that's reflecting the stars from the sky that you're in. And the idea of them looking down at the earth and seeing these storms forming over America and moving around the globe, and they have this like huge fantasticly overseeing view of everything, everything is in total perspective. And way, way down there somewhere there's this little dot in the ocean that is them." I can't help but think that Colleen, in these last tunes, wanted to musically expand Mark Barrott's message... All in all, what a way to end the show!

Colleen 'Cosmo' Murphy broadcast the 159th episode of Balearic Breakfast on her Mixcloud and Twitch TV socials on December 19th 2023. About this show. – With Christmas being just around the corner, Colleen invited us to share songs to what would be the last show of the year. We all gathered around her Christmas tree, our hearts filled with songs and emotions... Embarking on what will promise to be a proper and memorable tour in the early days of 2024 (Colleen will be touring Australia, New Zealand and Hong Kong, see below), our dear Captain did not let us down as she has worked with members of the Breakfast Family who will take the con musically while Colleen will be travelling. With these exciting times ahead of us and with the warm show Colleen prepared for us, both joyous and reflective, I thought it would be nice to have 18 thoughts for snow... Listen back to the 159th edition of Balearic Breakfast: "You can now listen to the last live Balearic Breakfast show of 2023 on my Mixcloud where its archived along with all of the other Balearic Breakfast shows. 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 BB contributors and 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. Colleen, Instgr., 19/12/2023". PLAYLIST Cat Power – Hey Mr. Tambourine Man Rachael Lavelle – Let Me Unlock Your Full Potential Yu Su – I Want An Earth Gaudi & Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan – Bethe Bethe Kese Kese Baalti – Kirpa Monyaka – Go Deh Yaka (Go to the Top) Paul Johnson – Better Than This (Dego & Kaidi 2000 Black Mix) Amp Fiddler – More Than Roundtree – Get On Up (Moplen Remix) DC La Rue – Cathedrals Spirit of Love – The Power of Your Love Inner City – Good Life (Magic Juan Mix) Amp Fiddler – Hope (YSE Mix) Mateo & Matos – New York Style Parbleu – Elios Azoto – San Salvador Kate Bush ft Stephen Fry – 50 Words for Snow Nat King Cole – The Christmas Song THE LISTENING EXPERIENCE Don't you know it's not just the Eskimo. Let me hear your 18 thoughts for snow... Sadness. – Christmas is a bittersweet holiday for me, too many people lost, I feel lonely, hence the request of Mr. Tambourine... I wish it would snow right now, you know Ana? Only Snow has the power to soothe this lingering pain we all have deep down inside as the end of the year shows its winterish moods (these are not tears in my eyes right now...), and I wish I could be closer to you to give you a hug, but I know someone who can do it right away, dear Lioncub, please... Sadness is here in this episode of Balearic Breakfast, as, with the end of the year, we think about the loved ones we lost (friends, members of our families or of our communities) and these few lines are dedicated to all of you who, in a silent tear, hope for sunnier tomorrows... Today's show opener, Cat Power – Hey Mr. Tambourine Man [2023 - Discogs], was recorded live in 2022 at the Royal Albert Hall by the American singer and songwriter; her show recreating Bob Dylan’s legendary 1966 show at the Royal Albert Hall in full. Her calm rendition gives the original song an aura one may not have found in Bob Dylan's version, giving the lyrics a beautiful setting. Yet, it must be said that Mr. Tambourine Man, made famous by The Byrds, who took it to #1 in both the US and UK, is not your happy song by any means; the lyrics display a man playing a tambourine, followed by a lonely man... The lyrics are ones of sadness and willingness to escape... Self-Empowerment. – Taken from her new album Big Dreams, Rachael Lavelle – Let Me Unlock Your Full Potential [2023 - Bandcamp], and as she explained it on her website, "The title is taken from an ad that found me as I searched for the answers to getting “unstuck”. At the time I wished for nothing more than someone to come along and show me the way, but this song reminds me of the need to trust oneself. It is a song about getting out of your own way, taking responsibility, setting the wheels in motion and unlocking your own potential". Faith. – This next song, Yu Su – I Want An Earth [2023 - Bandcamp] is powerful because of how it is able to share its musical faith into our own reality. It is a plea, but it holds in it Faith also, faith for a better future. It is the kind of song which really takes me back to the tracks composed by Davide Lovato or George Koutalieris, music holding visual capabilities... Voyage. – Keeping the trippy soul alive, Colleen then plays Gaudi & Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan – Bethe Bethe Kese Kese [2007 - Discogs]. If a track in this 158th edition should embody Voyage, I believe this one fits the bill pretty well! For those of you who want to know, the lyrics seem to be, "Oh what unthinkable pain my heart feels, You took someone else's name, And my eyes, Filled up, Oh what unthinkable pain my heart feels" The song was taken from Gaudi & Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan's 2007 album Dub Qawwali but can also be found on the Budha Bar X compilation. Mercy. – The next song, Baalti – Kirpa [2023 - Bandcamp] seems to deal with faith as, while searching on the web, I found out that the word Kirpa meant "Mercy". We're touching higher and unknown grounds here! Find out more about Baalti by following their Instagram! Unity. – With its punchy and positive lyrics, this song made me think about us, about the musical Family we really are. Monyaka – Go Deh Yaka (Go to the Top) [1984 - Discogs] is a song about friendship "We want you to know / That we won't ever let go / Rockers! / And you, you must understand / That we are here to lend a helping hand" This song, the album opener, was a n° 14 hit in the UK, with then-current bass player Paul 'Computer Paul' Henton. It hit n° 48 on the Billboard Dance Music/Club Play Singles. On a personal level, I absolutely love the first part of this 158th edition of Balearic Breakfast as it encapsulates a lot of the "sad" and "reflective" times we experience, holding in its hands some hope for the future. The musical unity is great, and these first six songs really help you to reach other grounds! Love. – For the next 6 songs, Colleen spreads a lot of joy among the members of the Balearic Breakfast Family. Starting with Paul Johnson – Better Than This (Dego & Kaidi 2000 Black Mix) [2015 - Bandcamp], it is obvious that Colleen won't let sad times set in for too long. Life is a trip; we must embark on it and hold our heads up high; love is the answer... Dream. – Paying tribute to the late Amp Fiddler throughout the show, Colleen plays a very dreamy track, Amp Fiddler – More Than [2002 - Discogs], from his 2002 EP, Basementality. Head over to the Classic Album Sundays website to read the interview Colleen did with Amp. This song can also be found on the 2021 album and embodies how we all feel when listening to Balearic Breakfast: a sentiment of joy, blended with ecstasy and that infinite sense of freedom! I think I just gave you an explanation about the howz and whyz of today's post title, laughs! Happiness. – Since we're having a laugh, let's go down the musical road with Roundtree – Get On Up (Moplen Remix) [2021 - Discogs]. This song is one of our favourites! We love its groove; it makes us Dance! Issued in 1978, just when Disco (from the word Discothèque – a French word, by the way, which meant, in 1928, a place where records were collected, but also, in the '60s, a place where people would dance together – if you didn't know!) started its short but tremendously successful journey, this track embodies everything we love about this musical style: the rhythmic section, the groove, the orchestra, the tightness of it all and the simple lyrics! Should you want to know more about the BBC2 Series that started a few days ago, just follow this link. Disco. – This next song is a beautiful example of what True Disco Sound was like back in the day: a long musical trip! With its strange and somewhat sad lyrics, DC La Rue – Cathedrals [1976 - Discogs] still has that Balearic Touch that makes your body move to the beat. Taken from the 1976 album of the same name, including the very lonely and funky piece "I don't want to lose you" with its whooping 14:14 minutes of windy wanderings, Cathedrals started... At the Loft! "It was three or four in the morning at the Loft, and I was standing on the sidelines with Steve D’Acquisto [the DJ and all-around disco insider who later went on to work with Arthur Russell]. David Mancuso didn’t mix songs together, and at one point, in the silence between the records, people were freaking out in anticipation of the next track – and when David put on the next record the crowd exploded. Steve goes, “Ahh, discos are the cathedrals of now!” I thought, “Ooh, that’s a good concept for a song.” Soul. – Balearic Breakfast is the place where anything, musically speaking, laughs!, can happen. This song, Spirit of Love – The Power of Your Love [1978 - Discogs], absolutely embodies the show's power, freedom and encompassing spirit. You have it all there: the disco/funky sound, the choir and the wonderful voices, not to mention the Balearic touch! The song has been reissued in 2016. Youth. – Inner City – Good Life (Magic Juan Mix) [1988 - Discogs] just brought us back to our younger years; a lot of the members of the Balearic Breakfast Family wish they were young again! Should you want to find out more about the original cut, head over here, the story is Great! Hope. – Keeping the rhythm steady throughout her speeches, Colleen embarks here on another musical trip with 4 songs that blew the Balearic Breakfast's ship apart, laughs! Amp Fiddler – Hope (YSE Mix) [2023 - Bandcamp] is taken from the 2006 track issued as an EP. "I am maintaining my faith as a creative person. I figure the creator must have a purpose for me, so I have to stay focused and keep my faith that everything is going to be alright. I’m always trying to be positive about the future of what is possible because I’ve got so much more to learn." RIP dear Amp... Groove. – While we were enjoying Amp's track, we were blown away by Colleen's mix. I mean, listen to that... At that point, the Balearic Breakfast Family was bouncing, dancing, laughing, you name us how you want, I think we just totally lost it, laughs! As I said on the chat, the Wow effect was on! My dear Friend Ana joined forces and said to Colleen how much we loved the mini mixes she creates for the show! Mateo & Matos – New York Style [1996 - Discogs] just brought that absolute groove to our dancefloor! The track can be also found on Joey Negro's 2015 compilation, 90's House & Garage Vol. 1. Cosmos. – For the second time in the show we here have a track blending several musical styles in one musical trip. After the disco/gospel trip, we here have a cosmo-balearidisco tune, laughs! That one must have been Colleen's favourite on today's edition, for sure! The song, with French lyrics, is about someone who was unable to find love on earth and leaving it for another dimension; the lyrics are fairly explicit: "Without love / nothing remains but a cold box / I'm sure of it / soon the sun will warm my soul / I see it / She's on the horizon / It's been years / I dream of this merger / Collision / I'm going for it / Su-per-no-va / My heart's already melting". Parbleu were already featured in Balearic Breakfast with "Dance cette Zik", in this new track, Parbleu – Elios [2023 - Discogs], the duo composed by Andres Balbucea and Andrea De Fazio went to meet the Greek mythology, nothing less, and with how much musical aplomb did they do that! Balearic. – The last track of that wonderful Balearic/disco mix is Azoto – San Salvador [1979 - Discogs], which has been reissued in 2022! Blizzard. – Whenever I listen to Kate Bush ft Stephen Fry – 50 Words for Snow [2011 - Discogs], I always picture a heavy Blizzard and a presence, somewhere... A man, a woman, who knows? Maybe some of us trying to figure out life's meanings? “Years ago I think I must have heard this idea that there were 50 words for snow [in the Inuit language]… And I just thought it was such a great idea to have so many words about one thing. It is a myth – although… it may hold true in a different language – but it was just a play on the idea, that if they had that many words for snow, did we? If you start actually thinking about snow in all of its forms, you can imagine that there are an awful lot of words about it. Just in our immediate language, we have words like ‘hail’, ‘slush’, ‘sleet’, ‘settling’… So this was a way to try and take it into a more imaginative world.” Peace. – With the show ending with an absolute classic, Nat King Cole – The Christmas Song [1962 - Discogs] (written in 1945 by Robert Wells and Mel Tormé, this stereo version of the song was recorded by Nat in 1961 and found on his 1962 album pictured here), we can't help but feel the bittersweet happiness lingering in our souls. What's this life about? It's all about doing our best while we're here, so let's enjoy ourselves while we can; tomorrow might never come... Whatever you do, please, remember, just be Balearic...

Colleen 'Cosmo' Murphy broadcast the 167th episode of Balearic Breakfast on her Mixcloud and Twitch TV socials on March 12th 2024. About this show. – At Last! After Colleen's travelling, after celebrating the Loft and International Women's Day, the Balearic Breakfast Family had its first free request line for itself and requested over 50 songs on Colleen's socials (Facebook and Instagram). Oh Incredible Joy!! When launching the request line, Colleen wrote: "Good morning! For the first time in 2024 the Balearic Breakfast Request Line is open to all suggestions as this week the show is not themed in any way. Please suggest the artist name and song title in the comments below and let your imagination run wild. I look forward to sharing some of your requests in this Tuesday’s program which streams live on my Mixcloud Live and Twitch TV." I love this show. Maybe I'm just too philosophical about it, sorry! But, once again, something hapenned. Lately, I spent some time thinking about what « reality » meant. Like, we know everything changes, "Everything must change" if we paraphrase the song, both things and people! This kind of thinking may be helpful if you’re very sensitive, like if you connect very quickly and "quite heavily" with people. Thinking about my past experiences, I remembered that we really never know anything, and we really know no one... Today's show had songs whose lyrics and tonalities brought that theme up. Life had a master plan (laughs!), but still, that was such a pleasant surprise! The main Idea I developed was that people change, and they change daily, by little steps we might not even perceive; some of them wear masks, and some make mistakes which unfold their nature to our surprised eyes and souls. The same goes for life; one day, anything goes, and the second day, you’re asking yourself if you made a mistake somewhere. For those of us who are very sensitive, these changes might confuse us and leave us stunned to the point where we no longer know how to behave. Seeing eyes without faces is disturbing, especially when places and life keep on changing! What are we living? The main question is here. Obviously, putting names, defining people, and trying to keep track of places we live in is not the best solution as we might always get lost to a certain degree. So, to me, we should acknowledge that we are living a kind of dream, a kind of parallel reality we’re a part of (I just realized something...). Now, with that being said, the other question is how to cope with that; well… here are my late-night thoughts about the subject: «Whatever happens, failure is just a word if you step back. Do things for yourself. Hold on to your own dreams, make them true, and live within them if it makes you feel good. Nothing counts but your peace of mind. Sail on… ». And Remember, Just Be Balearic... Listen Back to the 167th episode of Balearic Breakfast: PLAYLIST (1996) Bim Sherman – Bewildered (1997) Lhasa De Sela – El Desierto (1978) Deodato – Love Island (1987) Sananda Maitreya – Sign Your Name (Lee Scratch Perry Remix) (2010) Kings Go Forth – High on Your Love (2023) Rodrigo y Gabriela – The Eye that Catches the Dream (2024) Ronnie Lion – Hombre Peligroso (1999) Thievery Corporation – It Takes a Thief (1984) Robert Sandrini – Occhi Su Di Me (1974) Batsumi – Lishonile (1977) Bill Withers & Studio Rio – Lovely Day (1978) Eddy Grant – Walking on Sunshine (1979) Ivan Neville – Dance Your Blues Away (1977) Evelyn ‘Champagne’ King – I Don’t Know If It's Right (2022) Dave Lee & Omar – Starlight (1977) John Gibbs & The U.S. Steel Orchestra – Trinidad (1977) King Errisson – Well, Have A Nice Day (2003) Ernest St Laurent – Clumsy Lobster (1993) Brian Transeau – Relativity (Carl Craig's Urban Affair Dub) (1976) Bellamy Brothers – Let Your Love Flow THE LISTENING EXPERIENCE Before we delve into the listening experience, I wanted to stress that this show, maybe more than any of the previous ones, showed its soul philosophically and Musically. Philosophically because, as I'll show you, the first hour has that uncertain, impetuous, dynamic flow, showcasing the possibilities our Balearic World has to offer and how much you don't have to stay locked when difficulties arise or when you meet eyes without faces, because, somehow, your own dream should allow you to find a way out. Secondly, and musically, we clearly have the duality you're now aware of, the first part being more reflective and the second part being more danceable. All in all, it's a great, great episode! Starting the show with "Bewildered", a 1936 popular song composed by Teddy Powell and Leonard Whitcup, and sung by many artists such as James Brown, Mickey & Sylvia, The Ink Spots, and many others; the message, here covered by Bim Sherman, is straight and clear: I thought I reached happiness but now I'm confused. We keep this lingering feeling in the second track, "El Desierto" by Lhasa De Sela (the majority of the tracks from the album were composed by Yves Derosiers; more about this just here). By the way, this song should make you think of another tune, yes... the "Cheyenne" theme from "Once upon a Time in the West"! Same tonality, very close rhythm and that same lost feeling! When you take the time to read the lyrics, once again, the message is plain to see "I've come to the desert to laugh at your love / As the desert's more tender and the thorn kisses better. / I've come to this middle of nowhere to shout / That you never deserved what I wanted to give so badly. / I've come running, getting over you / Kiss me little bird, don't get frightened hummingbird / I've come on fire to the desert to burn / Because the soul is set alight when it stops loving". Pretty tough, huh? Yet, we're in for a ride, as I told you in the introduction of this post; the first part of the show is a question of possibilities. It shows how much you decide about your destiny, and the calm "Love Island" perfectly showcases that. Love Island sees the participation of members of "Earth Wind & Fire" and also of John Benson, if you didn't know! When this song was playing, the Balearic Breakfast Family was having a ball as Matt Raistrick and Kay McMahon celebrated their birthdays! The next song, "Sign Your Name (Lee Scratch Perry Remix)", made me see a river's flow, with all of its watering ramifications losing themselves, but ultimately joining back and plunging into the sea... This edit is stunning as it perfectly depicts the dream I was talking about in the intro, and, funnily enough, speaking about his song, Terence Trent once said... "It came from a dream where Sade asked me to write a song for her. It was inspired by a dream and seeing Sade perform at Live Aid in the mid-'80s." Another song, another break, going from worried minds to Happy places, Colleen played "High on your love", followed by another more calm piece in the name of "The Eye that Catches the Dream", also having its own rhythmical twists and sonic surprises ("We wanted to do something different. We wanted to bring a cinematic quality and lots of action to this music to make it as exciting as possible")! The feeling here is very strong as the listener is quite lost, with no unity; we're digging deep into all corners of the musical space, this kaleidoscope showcasing how everything changes, always, and how you should try to protect yourself from things, places, people that really, in the end, you don't know... Interestingly enough, Rodrigo and Gabriela explained in an interview: "We then realized that these nine titles told in exact order the story of our discovery of the precepts of Advaita. From that point on, we didn't change the basis of these songs anymore, and what you hear in the album is the music as we created it." Even more interestingly, Gabriela went on, saying: "Advaita Vedanta is a Hindu practice which, Quintero explains, “is mainly about this life being an illusion. There’s just one ultimate reality, and we can’t process that reality because it’s beyond the mind and the brain.” Its central tenet, ‘nondualism’, holds that the Self – the deepest part of us, our true nature – is our connection to that oneness, that ultimate reality. Everything else is a construct of the mind... A worried musical universe then opens its doors to us with Colleen playing "Hombre Peligroso" (meaning dangerous man in English), "It Takes a Thief", & "Occhi Su Di Me". If you didn't know, the original "Eyes without a Face" track is based on the 1959 French horror movie "Les Yeux Sans Visage" which tells the sad story of a plastic surgeon involved in a near-fatal auto accident which horribly disfigures the once beautiful face of his beloved daughter. Along with his assistant, he abducts young women so that he may surgically remove their facial features and graft their beauty onto that of his daughter's grotesque countenance... The song is quite philosophical, too, as it asks about both the reality of the loving and of the loved one... Well, isn’t the face a stage up on which the actor performs? Around which we build and or find ourselves on stage? Speech: “All the world’s a stage” by William Shakespeare Then, if you are just eyes, what are you? Just observers? Are they eyes truly the windows of the soul? Or are they prison window we peer from? A place we stay and watch our life spin around us? “When you look at some faces, you can see the turbulence of the infinite beginning to gather to the surface. This moment can open in a gaze from a stranger, or in a conversation with someone you know well. Suddenly, without their intending it or being conscious of it, their gaze lasts for only a second. In that slightest interim, something more than the person looks out.”― John O'Donohue, Anam Cara: A Book of Celtic Wisdom Pursuing the uncertain and worried road, and ending the first part of the show, Colleen then plays the incredible "Lishonile" (find out more about the album it is taken from here). The second part of this 166th episode of Balearic Breakfast is much more musically stable and much happier, letting the listener feel that doubtful times have ended! Eddy Grant's Walking on Sunshine is still, to this very day, a Loft Classic and was played by David Mancuso many times when he hosted parties – The 1981 live version is to die for... (Click here for more information about the forthcoming CAS event with Eddy Grant)! Keeping the rhythm steady throughout her presentation, Colleen first plays Ivan Neville's "Dance Your Blues Away", followed by "I Don’t Know If It's Right". Dave Lee & Omar's "Starlight", dedicated to a member of the Balearic Breakfast Family, brings an emotional moment. Then, John Gibbs & The U.S. Steel Orchestra's "Trinidad" (which has been featured earlier in the show) and King Errisson's "Well, Have A Nice Day" bring an emotional moment. Colleen is so perfect when she does our beloved "little mixes"; plunging into music with her is really something to experience... The very last part of the show starts with "Clumsy Lobster", followed by "Relativity (Carl Craig's Urban Affair Dub)", Colleen ending the show with the great "Let Your Love Flow".

Colleen 'Cosmo' Murphy broadcast the 168th episode of Balearic Breakfast on her Mixcloud and Twitch TV socials on March 19th 2024. About this show. – Balearic Breakfast is a musical celebration that never misses its goal of bringing to the forefront important moments of each year, and Springtime is one of them! On the 16th of March, Colleen posted the request line on her socials, sharing with us these few words: "Good morning! Here in the northern hemisphere spring is around the corner and a feeling of renewal in the suez. What would you like to hear this Tuesday on Balearic Breakfast to welcome in the new season? And for those south of the equator, please share the songs you’re feeling right now (...)". The Balearic Breakfast Family got together and requested songs about Season change, Spring (the vernal equinox happens on Wednesday morning – 20th – at 3:06 in the UK), hope, and happiness, including, of course, some Balearic gems! In the end, the show did not disappoint. It brought to our ears a delicate flow, with a specific sonic signature (especially identifiable in the first hour) helping us to picture Spring's awakening on a Beach! Listen back to the 168th episode of Balearic Breakfast: PLAYLIST (1986) Jun Fukamachi – Morning Glow (1988) Vernal Equinox – Sunrise (2024) Hermanos Gutierrez – Low Sun (2021) Dora Morelenbaum – Japao (1996) Boards of Canada – Roygbiv (1991) Saint Etienne – Spring (2024) Mike Salta & Mortale – Hey Moloko (Unknown) Dorothy Ashby – Little Sunflower (Danny Krivit Re-Edit) (1977) Dexter Wansel – First Light of the Morning (1977) Ramsey Lewis – Spring High (1980) I.C. Bell – Explosion (1983) High Resolution – Sweepin’ Off (Extended Mix) (2024) Kim Yaffa – Once Bitten (Nick The Record & Dan Tyler Re-Edit) (2023) Smashed Atoms and Backdoor Man – Hey Dreamer (2005) Matsubara – S.O.S. (Prins Thomas Rework) (2024) Viscardi & Il Duo Magnetico – Amore Mio (1998) Tom & Joyce – Vai Minha Tristeza (Bob’s Le Mix) (2000) Kevin Yost – Spring Again (1958) Blossom Dearie – They Say It's Spring (1959) Nina Simone – It Might as Well Be Spring THE LISTENING EXPERIENCE A rising sun gently illuminates an empty beach... Slowly, there, somewhere, silhouettes appear, one, two (of course, you can't separate these two...), three... hundreds, thousands of moving tiny stars, each one representing a spirit, a Soul, a member of... the Balearic Breakfast Family... Welcome to our Balearic World, dear reader; embrace the new sun and head over to new musical adventures. Our captain will show you the way, and we will hug you in a huge and friendly embrace. Jun Fukamachi's Morning Glow is a perfect example of how much a musical piece can allow you to travel. The album "Nicole (86 Spring And Summer Collection - Instrumental Images)" was never officially released, only made available to the people attending the 1986 fashion show for the Nicole brand’s "Spring and Summer collection" until "We Release Whatever The Fuck We Want Records" reissued it in 2017! Were we talking about a new start? Laughs! Speaking about that, the first 48 minutes of this show (yes, I'm very precise, laughs!) will help you to picture the dawn of a new season! Although Vernal Equinoxe's Sunrise Start, taken from their "New Find World" 1988 studio album, is slightly more preoccupied intellectually, it keeps the mental representation very alive! I'm sure you noticed that the first three musical pieces are all about the sun! To me, Hermanos Gutierrez's Low Sun is quite close to the opening track; we have the same sun-rising pictures awakening in our minds... With Japao, Dora Morelenbaum offers the listener an awakening "Brazilian song about Japan" (as Mixmaster Morris stated on the chat ^^)... In an interview, the singer explained: "Originally, I wanted to record new songs composed by my friends, including “Vento de Beirada.” I had a few songs of my own but I didn’t recognize them as ready to record yet. It was only when I began to face my own songs, so to speak, and imagine possible directions for them, that I began recording. “Japão” and “Avermelhar” came at the same time, and they both had this feeling of the start of something—the beginning of my first songs, you know? They worked well with the whole idea behind the phrase “vento de beirada,” which is a surrender, a leap of faith, or first step that is recording a debut EP." Clearly, the feeling of a new start is very well represented in today's 167th episode of Balearic Breakfast. Add to this Colleen's glowing jacket (green in reality 😉 – such a clever idea I must say!) and you have the whole picture of the Joy we all experienced while hearing Boards of Canada's light but solid, complex and psychedelic Roygbiv (an acronym for the colors of the rainbow – red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, violet). The following three songs (Saint Etienne's Spring, Mike Salta & Mortale's Hey Moloko & Danny Krivit's Re-Edit of Dorothy Ashby's Little Sunflower) have a quicker tempo, with a more upfront soul while retaining a gentle approach to the listener this feeling being present throughout today's episode! Something else needs to be mentioned here: all of these tracks have a solid but "neutral sounding" bass; the sound is very neutral, almost "dry"; it's not attacking the listener, it simply presents itself. I don't remember feeling that way to that extent before while listening to Balearic Breakfast! As Colleen is not forcing the mix, you can hear these details more than in a mix that imposes itself on the listener. I like it very much when Colleen gathers together songs sharing a common theme, a common musical structure, and a common spirit. You can easily feel that as Dexter Wansel's First Light of the Morning plays on. It is pretty close to Dorothy Asby's Little Sunflower! By the way, a member of the Family shared with us on the chat a mix he crafted using several versions of that Classic tune; listen to it just here! To me, the show's second hour starts with the great Spring High by Ramsey Lewis. By the way, if you're a fan of the all MIghty Cerrone, I'm sure you noticed that this track does have a close sound to the ones found on his "Back Track" album, issued in 1982! As very often, Colleen keeps the musical flow throughout her presentation, and she then takes us to the dancefloor with the next three songs (I.C. Bell's Explosion, High Resolution's Sweepin’ Off (Extended Mix) & Kim Yaffa's Once Bitten (Nick The Record & Dan Tyler Re-Edit), nicely put together! Balearic Breakfast is all about musical discoveries, and Smashed Atoms and Backdoor Man's Hey Dreamer is a perfect example of that. The track blends the sonic elements of disco, Balearic, and electronic music in a spacy, danceable tune; definitely the wow effect of that episode! Keeping the spacey approach very alive, Colleen then plays Matsubara – S.O.S. (Prins Thomas Rework) & Viscardi & Il Duo Magnetico's, Amore Mio not searching to mix these tunes together, as evoked earlier this gentle way of letting the music play enhancing today's theme strength! Keeping a light touch on the mix, Colleen then plays Tom & Joyce's Vai Minha Tristeza (Bob’s Le Mix) & Kevin Yost's Spring Again, two very Blearic tunes indeed! Till the very end, this show surprises the listener as we do not get one but two beautiful closing songs! The first one is Blossom Dearie's They Say It's Spring. Colleen then ends the 167th episode of Balearic Breakfast with Nina Simone's It Might as Well Be Spring. The slightly sad song, which captures the sense of anticipation we associate with the season, was performed by Jeanne Crain in the film State Fair, her voice being dubbed by Louanne Hogan. In his biography of Richard Rodgers, William G. Hyland explains: “The song originated while Hammerstein was musing about the uneasiness of the female lead. He told Rodgers that even though state fairs were never held in the spring, Margy’s mood was such that it might as well be spring. Rodgers immediately recognized a song title.” An American standard, “It Might As Well Be Spring” initially reached Billboard magazine’s Best Seller chart on November 8, 1945, lasted 12 weeks there, peaking at number 5 and has been covered by many artists since its release! Such a refreshing show... Don't you think? Let there be Spring!

Colleen 'Cosmo' Murphy broadcast the 169th episode of Balearic Breakfast on her Mixcloud and Twitch TV socials on March 26th 2024. About this show. – On March 23rd 2024, Colleen opened the request line for the 168th and forthcoming Balearic Breakfast show, sharing these few words with us "Good morning! What would you like to hear on this Tuesday’s Balearic Breakfast? This will be the last request show for the month as I’ll be hosting the show remotely for the next few weeks with some special guest mixes all lined up (more on that Tuesday). So now is your time! Get those requests in and I hope to see you on the live stream and chat on my Mixcloud Live and Twitch TV from 10am to 1pm BST on Tuesday morning. Please put artist and song title in the comments and thank you 🙂" Of course, the Balearic Breakfast Family answered as one, with requests including tracks by the great DJ Alfredo to support the recently launched GoFundMe campaign! The show in itself was really of the hook, with that light cosmic touch present in many of the tracks played by our captain, and with the promise of new mixes to be streamed in the coming weeks by members of the family, I decided to entitle this post: "Cosmic Family Affairs" (laughs)! After the show, Colleen shared these few words with us: "This week’s show is another mishmash of 80’s grooves, deep soul, Balearic biscuits and even the late Cockney Rebel makes an appearance. We are holding off on the requests for the next few weeks as I stream remotely with special guest mixes from our global Balearic Breakfast family and next week we have an interview with and a mix from DJ Paulette who has just published her first book ‘Welcome to the Club’. And once again, if you are a regular listener, please consider subscribing to my Mixcloud for £3 a month and a massive thank you to those who already subscribe. I appreciate your support." Listen back to the 169th episode of Balearic Breakfast: PLAYLIST (1977) ELO – The Whale (2024) Laurent Bardainne & Tigre d’Eau Douce – Eden (1985/2023) The NM Band – She Wants (2024) Jim – The Ballad of San Marino (Mang Dynasty Remix) (1978) Steve Harley – I Don’t Believe God is an Anarchist (2024) North Satellite – The Stars Are Ours (Conrado’s Vox Dub) (2023) Residentes Balearicos & DJ Alfredo – Sundown (2017) Odyssey ft Romina Johnson – Inside Out (Al Kent Remix) (1980) The S.O.S. Band – Take Your Time (2024) Lady Lois Snead – I Found Out (Divine Who Rework) (2024) Tuccillo – Magari (1999) Majesitka – Majestika (1979) Mascara ft Luther Vandross – See You in LA / Jet Plane Ride (1982) Carly Simon – Why (1980) Erasmus Hall – Just Me and You (2001) 4Hero ft Carina Andersson – Les Fleur (1981) Mike Post ft Larry Carlton – The Theme from Hill Street Blues THE LISTENING EXPERIENCE Did you know ELO will be touring North America for their farewell tour? Well, if you haven't had the chance to see them live, the time has come, folks! Starting the show with The Whale, taken from the 1977 Classic Album "Out of the Blue", an instrumental musical piece including, in its beginning, the end of "Mr Blue Sky" reversed, Colleen sets the tone of this 168th edition of Balearic Breakfast! Still, this track is not their most Balearic from that album, as "Jungle" wins the lottery! Laurent Bardainne's Eden takes us to a contemplative mood; there is a sense of anticipation, an indirect expectation, in this laid-back musical piece. The NM Band's She Wants has been reissued in 2023 and also brings that cool yet plunging feeling towards the sky, a feeling confirmed by The Ballad of San Marino (Mang Dynasty Remix)! This edition of Balearic Breakfast WOWED the Balearic Breakfast Family at least two times. The first Wow effect hapenned when we discovered Steve Harley's I Don’t Believe God is an Anarchist. Although the song is not a happy thing, as far as the lyrics are concerned, the lightweight, dynamic and realistic musical structure fits this Cosmic edition very well! Keeping the Cosmi Balearic approach alive and well, Colleen takes us to the sky with North Satellite's The Stars Are Ours. Speaking about the choices he made while selecting the tracks for a remixing project, Eugene stated: "It's a theme which I already introduced as an instrumental in 2020 ("A Rising Sign"). To do a vocal variation seemed like an interesting move while I'm being reintroduced to the public this year. I think it makes a statement musically and lyrically. Hopefully it can attract people to the album if they haven't heard it yet. I was also looking for a concept where I could introduce the Cosmic Freestyle version which had been recorded as a kind of reprise at the end of the album, but I'd decided to save it for another project." The following number, DJ Alfredo's latest musical project, "Sundown", keeps the same slightly worried mind with a Balearic mindset open towards the sky's infinity. I discovered the track whilst publishing the post about the GoFundMe campaign launched in support of DJ Alfredo and simply felt I had to request it! Inside Out was another hit for Odyssey back in 1982, and what is interesting is that this Al Kent Remix shows how open the song is to this new, more neutral and slightly more worried, Balearic Treatment! Romina Johnson's voice shines here! What a nice way to start the second hour of the show by mixing this beautiful rework with The S.O.S. Band's Take Your Time! Colleen was on fire, and Boy, how happy we were!! This was another WOW moment for all of us for sure! Reading about the song on "Songfacts", I stumbled across this sentence: "Disco didn't die in 1980, it just got funkier"... Our funky, Cosmico Balearic Journey was in full bloom as Collen played the Divine Who Rework of Lady Lois Snead's "I Found Out" (Lois is still making music today!), followed by Tucillo's bouncy cosmic number that is Magari! One of the most beautiful mixes Colleen ever did is just here as she blends Tucillo's track with Majestika! Produced by Albert Cabrera and guitarist Cool Daddy, this funky number dates back to 1999 (oh, the secret weapon of well-produced tracks!). The voyaging sensation is also very much present in the next song. With See You in LA / Jet Plane Ride, Mascara proposes a musical escape that can hardly be matched. When asked about the recording of the album, Chris Hill answered: "I produced it, along with Jurgen Korduletsch (one-time husband of Claudia Barry). We originally recorded in Munich with session players like Kieth Forsey, and then we took the tracks to New York to cut the vocals. I asked the studio “fixer” to find me the best session singers available, and he came up with Ulla, David Lasley, and to my total surprise, Luther whose voice was familiar to just about everybody! However, the next thing that happened really blew me away! Luther asked if I could put down guide vocals for him as I knew all the tracks. That I did, and to this day, on the multi-track, the vocals consist of Luther and myself, singing together!". The last part of today's Balearic Breakfast show starts with what we consider here a "Timeless Classic": produced by the legendary Bernard Edwards and Nile Rodgers of Chic and played everywhere from the early Ibiza parties to the Paradise Garage, Carly Simon's very successful Why was featured in the 1982 movie "Soup for One" soundtrack! Keeping the flow on the cool side, once again, Colleen did a Beautiful mix here...; our Balearic Captain played Erasmus Hall's (the band's name comes from the building located in Chicago) classic song: Just Me and You. The album was remastered in 2014; for the sound lovers around, simply click here to get your grooves on! Winding down the Balearic route, the Balearic Breakfast Family enjoyed 4Hero ft Carina Andersson's Les Fleur. Colleen ended the show by playing the 1981 beautiful yet slightly sad Theme from Hill Street Blues. With such a show, I asked myself: "Are there any stars left in our musical sky?"...

Worldwide FM broadcast the 31st episode of Balearic Breakfast on March 30th 2021. About this show. – The title of this episode came to me towards the end of the listening session. It didn't immediately occur to me, but when listening to the show again, it made perfect sense. A lot of the tracks played by Colleen have that direct (or indirect) reference to the waltz. Knowing that she was still catching on to some of our springtime requests, and listening to her introduction to the show, it all fell logically into place. Contrasting with the situation that a lot of countries were experiencing on the Covid front back then, this 30th episode of Balearic Breakfast is a relaxed one; it will allow you to ease out, fly away, and find your new life in a never-ending Waltz... Listen back to the 30th edition of Balearic Breakfast: THE PLAYLIST Mark Hollis – The Daily Planet Caoilfhionn Rose – Being Human Fontän – Early Morning (feat. Studio) The Style Council – The Lodgers (Or she was only a Shopkeeper's Daughter) The Blackbyrds – April Showers Arthur Russell – In the Light of the Miracle Silver Pozzoli – Around My Dreams Ned Doheny – To prove my love Oby Onyioha – Enjoy your life Joe Simon – Love Vibration Womack & Womack – Conscious of My Conscience (Ashley Beedle edit) Desmond and the Tutus – Kiss You on the Cheek (King of Town Remix) Dan Kye – Raro Mental Remedy – The Sun. The Moon. Our Souls (Sacred Rhythm Version) Cesaria Evora – Carnaval de Sao Vincete (Jazzy Carnaval mix by François Kevorkian & Joe Claussell) Seawind – Pra Vosé Roisin Murphy – Ancora Ancora Ancora Nitin Sawhney – Exile THE DETAILED PLAYLIST Starting the show with two beautiful slow jams allowing us to dive into the music (Mark Hollis – The Daily Planet / Caoilfhionn Rose – Being Human), Colleen sets the picture with a nice dose of delicacy. Mark Hollis' last album was issued in 1998 and it showcases how delicate he was, and, interestingly enough, had always been even in his "Talk Talk" years (this is a feeling... and it is there even in songs like "It's my life"). Mark told Dutch magazine Music Minded in April 1998 “I wanted to make a record where you can’t hear when it has been made. Two albums that I really like are Sketches Of Spain and Porgy And Bess, records that Miles Davis made with Gil Evans. They used arrangements and a loose manner of playing [their instruments] for a clear atmosphere and suggestiveness. I wanted to create that as well.” There is a nice page to visit that presents this last album. "Being Human" is a beautiful and calm track that can be found on Caoilfhionn Rose's latest album to date, Awaken. By the way, she has a beautiful website, head over there. I absolutely love how, following these two tracks, Colleen steadily "strengthens up" the pace with the third song (Fontän – Early Morning (feat. Studio)), which is slightly slower but thicker in its sonic structure, without leaving the two other songs' power behind. We're in springtime's arms, and the rhythm keeps on rising without losing a nice dose of fresh air (The Style Council – The Lodgers), (though this song really seems to be a protest one). Taken from their 1985 album "Our Favourite Shop", the song really is a scathing attack on the class system and the lies told to keep present society together. Through different settings, Weller attacks the central lie, which he saw as if you play along and toe the line, you would come out on top. Society requires you to sell your integrity for the chance. Dee C. Lee who is brilliant on the entire album really shines on this track, and there is a stellar jazz interlude that is not to be missed. The track is a brilliant juxtapostioning of the commonly offered doggerel and reality. “The Lodgers” is Weller begging for some kind of wake-up call and change (talking about spring?)... Talking about fresh air, the next act just feels at its place (The Blackbyrds – April Showers). Stylistically, this song is close to Johnny Mathis' musical universe, without a shadow of a doubt! Taken from the 1974 studio album "Flying Start", this song fits the show as a glove, both musically and spiritually! Do you feel how much all of the tracks share a somewhat light (Arthur Russell – In the Light of the Miracle) and resolutely positive (Silver Pozzoli – Around My Dreams) approach? Taken from his posthumous 1994 album, "Another Thought", "In the Light of the Miracle" seems to share a common spirit with its predecessor in the show, take the time to read the lyrics of these two songs, the idea of a "new life" after someone's death seems to be there... (for a nicely written review of the album, read here). And, since we're talking about starting a "new life", dreams seem to fully be a part of that, especially when you're in love! For your musical information, Silver Puzzoli's "Around my Dreams", was covered by the Belgian duo Kazino, comprised of Nicolas Finn & Pierre-Henri Steyt and was a hit in its own right (reaching the top 10 in Belgium and France)! Colleen's delicate touch makes wonders as she takes us to the next song (Ned Doheny – To Prove My Love) – which isn't as lyrically positive as its predecessors though musically it takes us to a beautiful field of flowers, of course, dancing! Taken from Ned's 1979 studio album Prone, released in the United Kingdom and Japan, featuring a vocal chorus that Ned had not originally intended on using, the song became an underground dance hit in the U.K., receiving a 12-inch disco single pressing. “[It] was a big dance record in England, and I had no idea about it. It would have never enjoyed what it enjoyed in England if that vocal had not been there. I know that”. Keeping things light, we fly to the two next two songs (Oby Onyioha – Enjoy Your Life / Joe Simon – Love Vibration) that really gave this show its absolute Wow Moment! Oh, how much we all love these "small mixes" Colleen does during Balearic Breakfast! There you have it, in all of its perfection: this small mix (comprised of 4 well-mixed songs, without anything being forced musically nor rhythmically), really gave us all the Joy we needed, and it explains why I had to create this blog! You discover tracks you don't know in a beautiful musical context and you just fly away from life's problems! For your information, Oby Onyioha's "Enjoy Your Life" was recently issued in the beautiful triple lp compilation, Doing It In Lagos. And, sadly, Joe was to pass away at the end of this year on December 13 2021. "Love Vibration" was, of course, issued as a Maxi back in 1979. We just started the second hour of the show, and no signs of slowing down our beautiful Springtime dance (Womack & Womack – Conscious of My Conscience (Ashley Beedle Edit)). Can you see yourself dancing with a beautiful Lady in a white dress as the following track arrives with its realistic clappings and its very Balearic nature (Desmond and the Tutus – Kiss You on the Cheek)? We're in for another great moment of this show as the music flows, and the small counterpoint in the mixing is just absolutely perfect and enhances the following track (Dan Kye – Raro). Music is silence, and Colleen never furiously blends tracks together at all costs, when needed, when lets them breathe, respecting each track's "soul"; this is exactly what happens here (Mental Remedy – The Sun. The Moon. Our Souls (Sacred Rhythm Version)). Once again, these beautiful musical moments are rarely heard on other shows! With the last part of the show arriving, you should, by now, feel this post's title in your soul... (Cesaria Evora – Carnaval de Sao Vincete (Jazzy Carnaval mix) / Seawind – Pra Vosé). Of course, we didn't hear a single True Waltz during the show, but, nonetheless, its freedom lingers upon this show (strengthened by the next two songs, Roisin Murphy – Ancora Ancora Ancora / Nitin Sawhney – Exile). For your information, "Ancora Ancora Ancora" was famously covered in France by the great Nicole Croisille, the original song only being issued as a single and not being part of any studio album, though Mina sang it live in 1978... In the times we were facing, this 30th episode of Balearic Breakfast was like a bottle of liberty, mixed with a much-needed dose of Fresh Air, far away from the depressing news... And believe us, it perfectly did what it had to do... Watch Nitin Sawhney's interview with Colleen here:

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

Colleen 'Cosmo' Murphy broadcast the 112nd episode of Balearic Breakfast on her Mixcloud and Twitch TV socials on November 8th 2022. About this episode. – Good morning! After a week’s break I feel rested and ready for the next era of Balearic Breakfast. I’ll be streaming on my Mixcloud Live and Twitch TV this coming Tuesday from 10 am to 12 noon GMT and then the show will be archived on my Mixcloud. Go on - tell me what you would like to hear 🍁🎶 Did you notice the slight change in the post's presentation line, going from "Worldwide FM broadcast..." to "Colleen 'Cosmo' Murphy broadcast..."? Well, times were changing since Worldwidefm had to reduce its activity. Still, there was no way for the Family to leave the Balearic Breakfast ship nor to wave goodbye to its Musical and oh-so-courageous Captain... So, when Colleen greeted us with a new request line offering to follow her in a new musical era of our beloved show, we answered all as one, making requests that showcased how we all felt about this fresh start. All I can say is that this 112th episode of Balearic Breakfast holds both hope and sadness in its musical soul, a "questioning sadness" (John Martyn – Bless the Weather), I would say, one that asks about what's ahead without entirely accepting its nature (Massive Attack – Weather Storm; Rhetta Hughes – Throwing It All Away)... There is a sense of discovery in that 112th episode (Cornelius – Tone Twilight Zone; Labi Siffre – Watch Me; Primal Scream – Higher than the Sun (The Orb Mix); John Lee & Gerry Bown – Celebration); the music has a somewhat "unexpected" nature (Gabriels – To the Moon and Back; Chez Damier – Close; Xavier – Love is on the One), and it is often slightly "mysterious" too (Quantic – The 5th Exotic). I love diving deep into the older shows; since I don't remember what was going on back then on the chat, I always try to find the hidden message from each of the shows and I thus consider them as real "albums", giving them several listens (up to 4/5), really taking the time to find the "right feeling" and to be sure I don't write too much stupid stuff ^^ All in all, It is one of these episodes that I absolutely love listening to again and again; it has depth, and it quickly became, rightfully, very successful! Wow - my first Balearic Breakfast stream/upload post Worldwide FM is now number one in the Mixcloud Balearic charts! Thanks to all of you who helped make this happen - I really appreciate your support. See you tomorrow (Tuesday) from 10am to 12 noon GMT on my Mixcloud Live for the next weekly helping of Balearic Breakfast. Listen back to the 113rd episode of Balearic Breakfast: The new era of Balearic Breakfast has begun! This morning we streamed on my Mixcloud Live and Twitch TV from 10 am to 12 noon and I would like to thank everyone who joined us - it was quite the turnout! And thanks for your requests, too. The show is now archived with a playlist on my Mixcloud. The Wow Effect. – The feeling of "strangeness" and "expectation" can be easily heard in the first part of the show, where we discovered real new gems like Gabriel's "To the Moon and Back". This track is not your ordinary Jazz beauty... Other tracks that wowed the Family included the absolutely beautiful Rhetta Hughes' "Throwing It All Away", which has that light sadness mixed with the anticipation of a new start! New Music. – This episode allowed us to discover the following new songs: Gabriels – To the Moon and Back (serendeepity.net) SAULT – Love Is All I Know (Bandcamp) PLAYLIST Cornelius – Tone Twilight Zone John Martyn – Bless the Weather Bob Dylan – The Times They Are A-Changin' Labi Siffre – Watch Me Gabriels – To the Moon and Back Primal Scream – Higher than the Sun (The Orb Mix) Massive Attack – Weather Storm Rhetta Hughes – Throwing It All Away Stevie Wonder – Love Light in Flight (DJ M remix) Quantic – The 5th Exotic Chez Damier – Close Xavier – Love is on the One Gary Toms Empire – Sexy Lady Bohannon – Let’s Start the Dance III (Francois Kevorkian Mix) John Lee & Gerry Bown – Celebration GALXTC – Life is a Mirror SAULT – Love Is All I Know Kerri Chandler & Roy Ayers – Good Vibrations Shaboom – Bessie The Return – New Day GALLERY & STORIES Click on the images to find out more...

Colleen 'Cosmo' Murphy broadcast the 180th episode of Balearic Breakfast on her Mixcloud and Twitch TV socials on June 18th 2024. About this show. – Once again, our dear Captain was very busy a few days before today's show! On Saturday afternoon, the 15th of June, Colleen celebrated the release of the "Balearic Breakfast Vol 3" vinyl compilation, including Zero7 (Sam Hardiker) and Flamingo Piers band members, and Balearic Breakfast Family's members (like Lee Zee, Mark Sanford, who came along with his son, or even our dear Bert François), and also John (@film2046 on Instagram). Bert and John Kindly shared beautiful pictures with me of the event that took place at the @ntloft. The weather was not very Balearic, but judging from the pictures and videos shared on Colleen's socials, it was a moment not to be missed, climaxing on a song we all know... Today's show was an absolutely stunning, coherent musical voyage, and I really don't think I will need to explain the post's title to you, as a majority of the songs played perfectly present its philosophical message... All right, all right, maybe a tiny touch then! 🦁 As always, let's hand the mic to our dear Captain...: "This morning’s Balearic Breakfast is now up on my Mixcloud and features tributes to two recently passed talents: Angela Bofill and Francoise Hardy. Also featured are my forthcoming Cosmodelica remix of @bryonyjarmanpinto (coming out on @tru_thoughts on the 11th July) and a host of soulful and Balearic sounds. Thank you for your requests this week and don’t forget next Tuesday will be our Balearic Breakfast Pride special. Please suggest songs by artists from the LBGT community when I post the request line on my socials this Saturday. And if you are in East Anglia, this weekend I’m playing two sets at @firstlightlowestoft in Lowestoft – a Saturday evening set from 7 to 8 pm and then a Balearic Breakfast sunrise set the following morning on Sunday from 5 to 6 am. Join us to be the first Brits to welcome the sun during the summer solstice weekend on the most eastern point of the UK. And if you aren’t headed to Glastonbury and are looking for a last minute escape, we are hosting our @lastnote_party Summer party on Saturday, the 29th June on an olive farm in the beautiful mountains of Umbria in central Italy. For more info please contact infolastnote@gmail.com Have a great week and thanks for listening." Note: Colleen will be featured in DJ Emma's "Boogie Boulevard" show this very Friday, on 1BTN! Listen back to the 180th edition of Balearic Breakfast: PLAYLIST (2019) Roseaux (feat. Olle Nyman) – Heart & Soul (1978) Angela Bofill – Summer Days (1978) Angela Bofill – Over the Moon and Under the Sky (1981) Angela Bofill – Tropical Love (2001) Soulstice – Wind (Fila Brazilia Mix) (1980) Rick James – Summer Love (1980) Starship Orchestra – New-York New-York (2024) Casinoboy – Searos (2024) Charlotte & Reinhard – Guardian of Sleep (2014) Deadbeat & Paul St Hilaire – Peace and Love (NOL) Copanema – Se Voce Disse Que Vem (1981) Teena Marie – Portuguese Love (1979) Southern Exposure – On Our Way (John Luongo Mix) (2024) Bryony Jarman-Pinto – Moving Forward (Cosmodelica Remix) (2023) Alfredo Linares – La Musica por Dentro (José Parla & Phenomenal Handclap Band Remix) (2024) Balearic Jukebox – Feel The Magic (Discoteca Dub) (1977) Norman Connors – Once I've Been There (1991) Urban Soul – Alright (Club Mix) (1988) Francoise Hardy – Partir Quand Même THE LISTENING EXPERIENCE This 179th episode of Balearic Breakfast is all about Love's strong (yet painful and somehow disillusioned) reality. Love can hurt, regardless of the people involved… Sometimes, Life makes it impossible for its wings to open in the wind’s inviting dance, and painful decisions must be taken... The opening song (by the French trio "Roseaux", or Reed in English) [Note 1] perfectly represents the yearning one feels when being in Love, the light pain, the Hope, the Need to be close to the loved one, the need to take care of the "Aura"... This feeling of belonging will stay present throughout the whole show, and is also greatly presented in Angella Bofill's songs [Note 2], the tonality really says it all here (and of course the lyrics)! Colleen takes a direct approach in her mix for Angella Boffil's second track [Note 3]. This song was, of course, already featured in the show in the past, and we also feel here the escapism that takes place when someone is in love! Keeping the Soulful vibe alive, Colleen then plays the very natural-sounding "Tropical Love" [Note 4], taking us to a musical embrace like no other... The Lush atmosphere is enhanced by the following song, Wind (Fila Brazilia Mix) [Note 5], which keeps the soulful vibe as vibrant as ever, even somewhat bringing the worried feeling felt in the previous songs to the forefront... Rick James' "Summer Love" [Note 6] shares a very close rhythm with the previous song. We still have all of the elements we already described here, with slightly more positivity in the air this time around, and we're really in for a lover's dancing moment with our dear Captain! In the next song, the very jazzy Starship Orchestra's "New-York New-York” [Note 7], the love groove is definitely lost, and strangely enough, the same feeling is present in Casinoboy's "Searos" [Note 8], which keeps the "walking" rhythm found in the previous track, vibrant. There’s something here, something driving the listener ahead no matter how bad the weather is... These two tracks go so well together when you think about it; listen back to the show, and you'll see what I mean... Colleen is always striving for musical unity when she works on her shows! The next song, Charlotte & Reinhard's "Guardian of Sleep" opens up the sky [Note 9]; although we still feel it's always quite low over our heads. This feeling does not change with the machine and dubby-like sounding number that is Deadbeat & Paul St Hilaire's "Peace and Love" [Note 10]. You should be able to picture the show's evolution by now; from a yearning, we moved to a closer part of the relationship, only to be thrown into a more worried reality. What a beautiful and pictural musical path! The second hour of the show starts with Copanema's "Se Voce Disse Que Vem" (you told me you'd be coming) [Note 11], which clearly is an invitation to the loved one! We really dig deep into the Lover's Soulful Truth, don't we?! Colleen really knows how to make the music flow. Listen to how beautifully she introduces Teena Marie's Portuguese Love [Note 12]. What's not to love in this mix?! She enhances Copanema's "Se Voce Disse Que Vem" with "Portugueses love's" dynamic introduction; well done, Colleen! Furthermore, the Soulful intention is so present here it reaches new heights! The "Drive" this 179th episode has is really something to experience; the road is so beautiful, full of twists and turns, with ups and downs. It is long, and you never know what is going to happen under that lover's sky! The loving car keeps on rolling on the mountain's road as Southern Exposure's "On Our Way (John Luongo Mix)" [Note 13] starts! Do you see what I hear Musically since the beginning of this second hour? I feel we never touched such "large visuals" before this episode, it's really a show we could turn into a comic! Starting the last half-hour of the show with her own remix of Bryony Jarman-Pinto's "Moving Forward" [Note 14], Colleen allows the listener to discover another emotion of the Lover's Soulful truth! As I wrote on the blog a few weeks ago (this song was featured on the last Balearic Brunch aired on NTS on June 1st 2024): "Even if it is being said that "Moving Forward" celebrates the deep sense of security and steadfastness Bryony cherishes with her partner while navigating parenthood together (read more about these changing times for Bryony here), this uplifting song has a broader meaning perfectly fitting today's show!". I still think the same about this song right now! While Colleens slightly changes up the pace here, "La Musica por Dentro" [Note 15] still very much showcases what's inside a lover's mind, the very Balearic tune perfectly embracing today's theme! And then, we're taken out of this world as Colleen blends the previous track with Balearic Jukebox's "Feel The Magic (Discoteca Dub)" [Note 16] in an absolutely Perfect Mix. I mean WOW!! Taking us to the ultimate level, Colleen plays two songs that nicely go together: the joyful Norman Connors' "Once I've Been There" [Note 17] followed by Urban Soul's "Alright (Club Mix)" [Note 18], beautifully ending the show with Françoise Hardy's moving song "Partir Quand Même" (Leaving Anyway) [Note 19] (a song about a woman who chooses her freedom over love's imprisoning grips...), fully closing today's "Lover's Soulful Truth" themed show... Footnotes: [Note 1] 'Heart and Soul' by French music project Roseau, featuring the vocals of Olle Nyman, who I believe is a Swedish singer-songwriter, has a couple of records out. And that is from Roseau's second album, Roseau II, released in 2019. [Note 2] Angela Bofill, sadly passed to the next realm last week. The singer songwriter was born and raised in the Bronx to Cuban and Puerto Rican parents. She studied music growing up, and she performed in New York City's All City Chorus, which featured the best singers from the city's high schools across the five boroughs. Angela Bofill got her break when Dave Grusin and Larry Rosen signed her to their GRP label, which was a smoking hot label in the late 70s and early 80s. They produced her debut album, Angie, which featured the single This Time I'll Be Sweeter, which was co-written by Gwen Guthrie. Her following album, Angel of the Night, had more success, and then she signed to Clive Davis's Arista label in the 1980s. She worked with Narada Michael Walden, The System, and George Duke and was one of the first visible Latina artists in the world of R&B. And what a voice she had, effortless, beautiful, a voice that has resonated with many of you. This is a song from Angela Bofill's debut album that welcomes in the solstice this week. Here she is with Summer Days. [Note 3] 'Over the Moon and Under the Sky' was reissued on Grooveline as a 12-inch with her version of People Get Ready, on the other side. [Note 4] Angela Bofill's 'Tropical Love' from her third album, 1981's Something About You. [Note 5] Soulstice's 'Wind' features the brother and sister duo of Gabriel and Gina Rene, along with Andy Caldwell and turntablist Mei-Lwun Yee. [Note 6] The very talented, yet very complex, late Rick James with 'Summer Love' from his fourth album, Garden of Love on Gordy Records, a subsidiary of Motown. And that was the label that enthralled the young Rick James who idolized Smokey Robinson and Marvin Gaye. It was James's following album, 1981's Street Songs, that brought him his greatest success with the massive Top 40 hit Super Freak. But Rick James' career and life were to spiral out of control in the following years. Still, he was a great musician, a great, great producer, and also a colleague and mentor to Teena Marie. [Note 7] 'New York, New York' by Starship Orchestra, featuring vocals by Joe Salter, produced by Norman Connors. In fact, some of the band members were frequent collaborators of Connors, playing on his albums. And also another group that Norman Connors put together called Aquarian Dream. [Note 8] London producer and DJ Toby Tobias wears many hats, including that of Breaks producer Alphonse. He also goes as Casinoboy with a more mellow, shall we say, Balearic style. 'Searos' is his first release as Casino Boy on the Rimini, Italy-based label Duca Bianco in over a decade. [Note 9] 'Guardian of Sleep' is the title track from the latest EP by Belgian duo Charlotte and Reinhard, now out on Music for Dreams. It's a taster from their forthcoming album. And these two are also members of one of my favorite modern European disco house collectives, Reinsand, also on Music for Dreams. [Note 10] 'Peace and Love' by Canadian-born Berlin-based producer, sound artist, and music technology educator Deadbeat, born Scott Monteith, with the vocals of Paul Saint-Hilaire. The Caribbean singer-songwriter also goes by the name Tiki Man but had to stop using that name about 20 years ago after doing a great album with Rhythm and Sound, which is basically the guys from Basic Channel. [Note 11] Copanema's 'Se Voce Disse Que Vem' was just sent over to me by the label head, Kenneth Bayer, and I'm really feeling it. It's one of his own projects, Copanema, fusing Danish artists like Trolls Hammer, along with Brazilian artists. So, Copa is for Copenhagen, and Nema is for Ipanema. Now, this outfit released one album in 2019, the double album Deixa A Música Tocar, and this one will be featured on their forthcoming album. [Note 12] The inimitable Teena Marie with 'Portuguese Love' from her fourth LP, 'It Must Be Magic', fully written and produced by Marie herself, who was nominated for Best Female R&B Performance at the 1982 Grammys for that one. [Note 13] Southern Exposure, a one-off Canadian disco project led by Willie Morrison and Ian Dunter, who are also behind THP Orchestra, or Three Hats Productions. You may remember THP's 'Two for Love'. They did four albums, actually. But this project, Southern Exposure, was a one-off, and they released one EP called Headin' South, and we just heard the lead single remixed by Boston native John Luongo. Grooveline Records put out a great double CD of his remixes called 'Can You Feel the Force', which is named after Luongo's remix for A Real Thing. There's also remixes for Dan Hartman, Jacksons, Patti LaBelle, Johnny Mathis, Marlena Shaw, Melba Moore, Santana. Truly a stellar catalogue of remixes. [Note 14] Bryony Jarman Pinto is a gifted singer, songwriter, and musician who was born in London and raised in Lancaster. Five years ago, she released her first album, Cage and Avery, on the Future Soul label, True Thoughts, a really great label. She has a gorgeous sound that seamlessly blends folk, jazz, and soul. So I was absolutely delighted when I was asked to remix a single from her latest and second album, 'Below Dawn'. It's an album that's a poignant reflection on pregnancy and motherhood. It's a really intimate album. I've remixed her forthcoming single, which will be released on the 11th of July. [Note 15] Alfredo Linares with 'La Musica Por Dentro', originally from his 1974 'Mi Nuevo Ritmo' studio album. The remix is by José Parlá and Phenomenal Handclap Band's Daniel Colas. Jose Parla is a Brooklyn-based painter who has a platform called Re-Latin. Alfredo Linares is a Peruvian-born Columbia-residing pianist and a bit of a cult figure in South America, who's also played with the Quantic Soul Orchestra. 'La Musica Por Dentro' came out on 7-inch on the Spanish label Mushroom Pillow last year. [Note 16] This is Balearic Jukebox, who are based in Brighton on the southern Riviera of England, with 'Feel the Magic', a very non-Balearic shingle beach. Balearic Jukebox just released this on Bandcamp, which has three different very good remixes. [Note 17] The multi-talented drummer, composer, songwriter, and producer Norman Connors grew up in Philly and once sat in for drummer Elvin Jones at a John Coltrane performance while he was still in middle school. He worked with Michael Henderson, Gene Karn, Phyllis Hyman, Dee Dee Bridgewater, and had so many projects of his own, as I mentioned earlier in the show. 'Once I've Been There' is a cut from his 1977 album 'Romantic Journey'. [Note 18] 'Alright (Club Mix)' is a 1991 single from Urban Soul, who is Roland Clark. Such a great catalog of music. He has soulful house sounds. The club mix was remixed by two guys I used to see all the time when I worked at the New York record shop 'Dance Tracks' back in the 90s. Freddie Sanon from Shelter Records and Manny Diaz from Polar Records. Had a lot of great stuff like 'The Black Rascals' and 'Casio Air'. [Note 19] The late French singer, songwriter, actress, and icon Françoise Hardy rose to fame early on with her song Tous les Garçons et les Filles, and then her career spanned for over half a century, during which she released 30 albums. She was also a muse to fashion designers like Yves Saint-Laurent and Paco Rabanne and not only that, but she developed a career as an astrologer, and she wrote both fiction and non-fiction books. She is a multi-talented woman who'll be very missed but who made the most out of her 80 years. Sadly, she succumbed to lymphatic cancer, which she'd struggled with for the last two decades of her life, and she recently passed away just a few days ago. 'Partir Quand Même', composed by Jacques Dutronc, is taken from her 1988 studio album 'Décalages'.

Colleen 'Cosmo' Murphy broadcast the 183rd episode of Balearic Breakfast on her Mixcloud and Twitch TV socials on July 9th 2024. About this episode. – Among the themes the Balearic Breakfast Familly loves the most, musically speaking, is the one of Change! We love it when Colleen offers us the opportunity to request songs dealing with change; there are so many possibilities and so many great songs to choose from! Lately, the winds of change have been blowing through Europe, with several Parliamentary elections happening in a close time frame. With these changing times, Colleen asked us on Saturday, June 6th, 2024, to request songs reflecting the era we're all going through: "Even the pillar boxes are getting in on the action The cuppa is a quintessential British rite and this morning as we drink our tea some of us are celebrating the end of 14 years of Tory rule. What the future has in store for us - who knows - we can only hope but at least there is change And yesterday was a new moon and that signifies new beginnings. So for this coming Tuesday’s Balearic Breakfast let’s spotlight songs about new beginnings and transformation. You always rise to the occasion when there is a musical theme and I look forward to your requests as always." Following our exchanges on Colleen's request line, today's show was unique. We're going to see together how this episode translates the changing times! "This morning’s Balearic Breakfast is now up on my Mixcloud at https://shorturl.at/ESTT1 and the theme is change, new beginnings and transformation as thankfully here in the UK many of us are celebrating the end of 14 years of Tory rule. Change is coming and fingers crossed. Today’s show spotlights some of our old favourites – songs that have been played on the show before but hey – Balearic Breakfast has been going for nearly 4 years now so there is a repeat license in play even if I seldom do it. In any case, it’s good to hear some of these songs sitting next to each other as they take on a different meaning. And of course, there are other tunes that have never been played as well. So for now, sit back and enjoy a hopefully transformative selection of songs." Listen back to the 183rd episode of Balearic Breakfast: PLAYLIST (2017) Phil France – Transition (2008) Low Motion Disco – Things Are Gonna Get Easier (1971) Nina Simone – New World Coming (1971) Gil Scott-Heron – I Think I'll Call It Morning (2022) Jasmine Myra – New Beginnings (1975) Lonnie Liston Smith – Visions of a New World (1992) Incognito – Change (1975) Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes – Wake Up Everybody (2020) Buju Banton – The World is Changing (2006) Dennis Bovell – Pickin’ Up The Pieces (1969) Chicago – Beginnings (1995) Vanessa Daou – Autumn Perspective (1987) Pet Shop Boys – A New Life (1983) Imagination – Changes (Larry Levan Remix) (1988) INXS – New Sensation (Nick's 12-inch Mix) (1992) Love Tempo – Change for the Better (Yvonne Turner Freestyle Mix) (1999) Groove Collective – Everything is Changing (2024) House of Spirits – Times are Changing (2018) Underground Resistance – Transition THE LISTENING EXPERIENCE (coming soon) Change is in the air, Politically but, more importantly... Musically. When you listen back to this very episode, take the time to listen to the structure of the songs, to the effects used, to their inner freedom. It's all crystal clear, and this structural unity is one of the strongest we ever had on the show. Even Colleen's mixes and the order she chose for the songs denote a never-felt originality; the show taking much more time to enter is transcendental atmosphere, shall I say. And it all starts with the opening song, which is Phil France's "Transition"! Sound effects, electronic sounds melting into a beautiful string section, waving dynamics, impeccable mixing and mastering... A mesmerising track to start the show, indeed! As Low Motion Disco's "Things Are Gonna Get Easier" starts, we clearly hear how well these two first songs go together! They're both very original, with a very close rhythm, and they have a close relationship sound-effect-wise! If you take the time to watch the waveform on SoundCloud, you'll also notice how they both gain Volume as time goes by! Clearly, there is an extension to higher grounds here, and despite Mixcloud's compressed audio spectrum, you can hear that rhythmic guitar's realism on the right! Colleen keeps the interesting flow intact by playing Nina Simone's "New World Coming", another song with an impeccable strange, unexpected evolving sonic and rhythmic structure! I love how Nina Simone's song "ends" Low Motion Disco's number... Being a DJ is not always about beatmatching, but also about making the song discuss to one another. Colleen really does that so perfectly, I never get tired of listening to her mixes when she lets her originality fly, it's always refreshing! Since we're flying high on the winds of change, there's no better moment than to play Gil Scott-Heron's "I Think I'll Call It Morning", one of the Wow moments of the show without a shadow of a doubt because we keep the freed musical structure the previous tracks all have but also I feel this track does a nice intellectual dialogue with Nina Simone's one. Yes, There's a nice conversation here, a leading conversation! Manchester-based composer, bassist, and producer Phil France was a key collaborator in the Cinematic Orchestra. Transition is taken from his album The Swimmer, first released on 26.2 Records and then reissued on Guantanamo Records in 2013. Five years later, he released the album Circle and, since then, he's done some film scoring. Transition, sonically captures the feeling of new birth and change. – Speaking of his album, Phil explained: "I’ve always been fascinated by water but had never been confident in it so I took some time and taught myself how to swim properly. It was at this point that I started to think what my album could be about, and I wrote the title track, The Swimmer. I was thinking about big blocks of sound, minimal and electronically influenced, that I could develop and shift through each of the compositions. So the reality of swimming - the focusing on breathing, the repetitive physical motion and the sense of improved well-being - were qualities I tried to capture in the music." The cover of the song 'Ooh Child' was made a hit in 1970 by the Five Stairsteps, known at the time as the first family of soul before passing that title on to the Jackson Five. Keni Burke of rising to the top fame was one of the siblings in the Five Stairsteps. So there's your trivia for the day. Things Are Gonna Get Easier is a cover version released on Eskimo Recordings back in 2008 by Swiss chill-out duo Low Motion Disco. And it was on their debut album, Keep It Low. – The band's name has a nice stoty to it: "...we have developed a way to dance while not moving. We do it standing at a bar, or sitting on a sofa, in a car, wherever. While doing this, we groove and shake like hell, it just doesn't show on the outside. This technique is the basis of all we do. We call it 'low motion disco.'" New World Coming is a song that expressed hope when there was despair, when it was written by husband and wife songwriting duo, Barry Mann and Cynthia Weil (sadly, she passed away in june 2023), who originally penned it for Mama Cass of the Mamas and Papas. It was a hit for her in 1970. Nina Simone recorded it for her covers album, Here Comes the Sun, released in 1971. Gil Scott Heron's "I think I'll call it Morning" is taken from his 1971 debut album, Pieces of a Man (more about his studio recordings here and a Biography there), with the wonderful Brian Jackson accompanying him on keys (Brian Jackson will be performing again at We Out Here this year). It's an optimistic song, one that asks us to be more self-aware. Why should we subscribe to the world's madness? Instead, let's take that piece of sunshine and paint it all over our skies. – “You can’t just start screaming at everybody. Everybody knows there are things wrong with this planet. But in order to make it through all the things that are going to happen to you in your life, you need to maintain humor. It’s the most important aspect of yourself.” – Gil Scott-Heron in an interview with Wax Poetics, Pieces of a Man, p. 76 Jasmine Myra's "New Beginnings" perfectly follows Scott-Heron's song. The rhythm is also very close yet less "direct". There's more groove on this side. In French, we'd say "c'est plus chaloupé" (it's more "choppy" if that makes any sense in English, laughs!). We still have these tiny rhythmic variations in how the instruments interact; what a beautiful sense of freedom Jasmine Myra's track has! Colleen perfectly respects that freedom by playing the very open-minded, "erected" Lonnie Liston Smith's "Visions of a New World"! This track is an ode to freedom and originality in all of their forms. Listen to the groovy part, how it starts building and see how the main theme slowly and indirectly reappears... Mesmerising... From London-based saxophonist, composer, and bandleader Jasmine Meara on Matthew Halsall's forward-thinking Gondwana label. Jasmine released her second album, Rising (written and composed in the midst of personnal rather sad times), in May, a follow-up to her 2022 debut, Horizons (written and composed during lockdown). And it has firmly placed her as one of the rising stars of the UK jazz scene. The title track to keyboardist Lonnie Liston Smith's album and his working band, The Cosmic Echoes. 1975's Visions of a New World is a gorgeous album in the meditative soul jazz vein. Lonnie Liston Smith released a record on the Jazz Is Dead label co-founded by a tribe called Quest Ali Shaheed Muhammad. Entering another section of the show, Colleen then plays the directly groovy number that Incognito's "Change" is, followed by our beloved Classic, Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes' "Wake Up Everybody", both tracks sharing a close tonality/rhythm, it's all in the groove 😉. The next song, Buju Banton's "The World is Changing" keeps that rhythmic unity (although its sonic structure is different, of course). Yet, the main ingredient, "the reaching out" if I can put it that way, is still present! Of course, the track's sonic and rhythmic structure is very original! Surprisingly, Colleen ends the first hour of the show with Dennis Bovell's "Pickin’ Up The Pieces", a rather classical reggae number that suits the show for obvious musical reasons... Change, a single from British soul-funk jazz band Incognito, from their third LP, 1992's Tribes, Vibes and Scribes. A great song from Bluey and Crew that still resonates today. Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes with Wake Up Everybody, the title track to their 1975 album, featuring lead vocals by none other than the late Teddy Pendergrass (it was composed by John Whitehead, Gene McFadden and Victor Carstarphen (!!)). And if you haven't seen the documentary about Pendergrass, if you don't know me, it is a must. It explores the rise of Pendergrass, who rose to fame in the 1970s and early 80s, until he had a life-changing accident, and then an incredible comeback against All Odds. – A new version has been recently recorded and issued with somewhat changed lyrics, listen to it here. Dancehall artist Buju Banton, a Grammy award winner, was unable to attend the ceremony to collect his award as he had just been convicted of drug smuggling and spent several years in a US prison before returning to his homeland of Jamaica and embarking upon his long walk to freedom tour in 2018. Two years later, he released his first album since his Grammy winning 2010 LP. It's called Upside Down 2020 and was released during the pandemic to critical acclaim. Picking Up the Pieces by British dub master Dennis Bovell originally came out on Bovell's album All Over the World, but it's also featured on the double vinyl retrospective compilation, The Dub Master. Bovell has more feathers to his cap than just dub, having produced punk group The Slits first LP, and he was a founding member of UK kingpin Matumbi, UK reggae kingpin band, I should say Matumbi. He's also the architect behind the uniquely British Jamaican genre of lovers rock as well. He has an incredible story. The second hour of the show starts with an upbeat number, nicely contrasting with the previous cool cat, Chicago's "Beginnings" (and a Happy Birthday to Carmen Estrada!), ending in a beautiful Balearic sonic bombamaganza, nicely followed by the strange kaleidoscope that is Vanessa Daou's Autumn Perspective perfectly blended into Pet Shop Boys's "A New Life", Colleen keeping this wonderful mini mix together with Larry Levan's "incredible Changes remix", ending it with the Rocky/Poppy bombamaganza number that is INXS' "New Sensation"! I Mean... W O W ! ! ! Wow, because of the rhythmic unity of the last five tracks but also because the Happy Bouncing moment took longer to arrive than it usually does in the show! Changes indeed!! Chicago's Beginnings from the Chicago Transit Authorities, eponymously titled debut album released in 1969. At first the single failed to chart, but then it became a hit like the album itself, which was a sleeper and didn't really make an impact until two years later when it reached the Billboard charts and then stayed on there for 171 weeks over three years. Chicago songwriter Robert Lamb said he was inspired to write Beginnings because of a Richie Havens performance. Vanessa Daou, the American singer, songwriter, dancer and visual artist whose solo debut album Ziplist released 30 years ago, put the words of Erika Jong to music. Jong wrote the feminist female sexuality novel Fear of Flying in 1973. Zipless was produced by Vanessa's former husband, Peter Daou, who many of you know as a keyboard player, who often collaborate with Danny Tanaglia. And the couple had collaborated as The Daou. Vanessa Daou's Zipless is set to be reissued. A New Life from the Pet Shop Boys, 1987 LP, Actually, which critiqued Martin Thatcher's government. Imagination with Changes, some British soul reimagined by a New Yorker. The original version is a single from their second album, In the Heat of the Night, which features another one of my favorites, Just an Illusion. Changes was given the Paradise Garage treatment and was then featured on their incredible remix album, Nightdubbing, which kind of followed in the footsteps of albums like Black Uhuru's Dub Factor, which featured remixes of past songs. The late Michael Hutchence and INXS with New Sensation, the hit single from the Australian band's sixth album Kick, was produced by Chris Thomas, a producer for the Beatles, Roxy Music, Pretenders, Sex Pistols and more. Kick was INXS' most commercially successful album, released a decade before Hutchence's tragic suicide. Today's second mini mix starts on the slower side with the very Balearic and clubby number Love Tempo's "Change for the Better" (The Yvonne Turner Freestyle Mix), followed by Groove Collective's "Everything is Changing", Colleen ending this simple yet effective mini mix by perfectly mixing in House of Spirits' "Times are Changing"! Ending the show with the speedy Transition by Underground Resistance, it seems obvious that Colleen took a speed train for Change, allowing her to have Visions of a New World... The 1992 single from Love Tempo, Change for the Better. Love Tempo was a duo of two friends of mine, Tommy Musto from Suburban Records who gave me my first production opportunity. He said he wanted to release my first record when I was working at Dance Tracks. And I actually sat beside him in the studio learning how to produce and produced my first song I ever wrote, actually, Ch'i, Mistaken, featuring Alison Crockett. The other part of this duo is another friend of mine, Yvonne Turner, another one of the originators of the house sound, who really never got her due at the time and is just now getting some recognition. I did an interview with her for the Love Injection fanzine. And also my friend Andy Beda wrote a great article about her for Pitchfork if you want to find out more. Another great live collective, Groove Collective with Everything Is Changing (the original album version) came out on Naked Music's 12 inch, but also some remixes by Swag and Jay Dennis. Groove Collective released some great records, including their debut album, which had What You Got with the Louis Vega remix. Out on Razor and Tape Reserve, Times Are Changing is a new one from Tom Noble, who is the owner of Superior Elevation Records in Brooklyn. He has a project called House of Spirits and has a new album coming out that collects the work of nearly 15 years of this modern retro soul that throws a nod to the Mizell brothers and Patrick Adams and bringing that into the future and recorded with all live instrumentation. Straight from Detroit, The Underground Resistance are put into light in Roland's Miny-Documentary. The Collective, which website is down but which Facebook is active with more than 1000 active members, remains a key figure of the Techno scene (click here to discover more).

Colleen 'Cosmo' Murphy broadcast the 185th episode of Balearic Breakfast on her Mixcloud and Twitch TV socials on July 23rd 2024. About this episode. – This 184th episode of Balearic Breakfast takes us to much higher ground than usual. The first part is very homogeneous, with many of the songs dealing directly or indirectly (musically and philosophically) with departure... The second half of the show sees the whole Family flying up there... Colleen posted the request line on her socials last Saturday morning, writing us: "Whenever I discovered a lady slipper in the forest as a child, it was a magical event. We were told to never touch these rarely spotted endangered orchids, so I was delighted to see so many on my last walk in the Middlesex Fells near Boston. And I’m looking forward to your musical contributions to the magical event we create together this coming Tuesday. Please let me know what you would like to hear on Balearic Breakfast on Tuesday from 10am to 12pm on my Mixcloud Live and Twitch TV." Some of the family members logically requested songs linked to flowers and nature, and we even laughed, as I didn't see that theme coming at all! But we eventually succeeded, as always, in proposing songs with a common theme: leaving Earth to experience new adventures! Listen back to the 185th episode of Balearic Breakfast: "This morning’s Balearic Breakfast is now up on my Mixcloud. Today's show features your requests along with new records and some old finds. The show also pays tribute to the late kora master Toumani Diabaté and celebrates the legacy of Larry Levan who would have turned 70 this past weekend. Thanks to all who joined on my Mixcloud Live for the stream and apologies to the Twitch TV users. As that platform didn’t sort out copyright clearances they are redirecting everyone over to Mixcloud and thanks to those that migrated over to join the family all in one happy place." PLAYLIST (1999) Toumani Diabate & Ballake Sissoko – Salaman (1963) Cal Tjader – Black Orchid (2024) Soul Revivers (ft Ash Walker) – Holding it Down (2006) The Black Seeds – The Answer (2011) Brian Protheroe – Pinball (Ashley Beedle Heavy Disco Edit) (1978) Townes Van Zandt – Brother Flower (2024) James Alexander Bright – Fall for You (NOL) Abba – Eagle (Pete Blaker Edit) (1986) Gwen Guthrie – 7th Heaven (Larry Levan Remix) (2024) Magic Words – Wabi Soba (2023) AC Symphony – Windy City Theme (2024) Odair José – Nunca Mais (Siree Re-Edit) (1975) CoalKitchen – Chained to the Train of Love (2020) Mogwaa – Dancing with the Herons (2024) Flamingo Pier – Mazunte (2024) Bernardo Pinheiro – Expresso Amor (2018) Di Melo – A.E.I.O.U. (1999) Armand Van Helden ft. Roland Clark – Flowerz (2022) Real Lies – Boss Trick THE LISTENING EXPERIENCE The first two tracks (Salaman and Black Orchid) are real "openers"; they invite to a new voyage, new discoveries, and foreign landscapes through the use of specific instruments, tonalities, and unorthodox soundstage depths and sonic colours. Two Malian Cora masters, Tumani Diabate and Ballaké Sissoko with Salaman from their 1998 LP New Ancient Strings, which was a tribute to the album that their fathers had recorded together in 1970, as both musicians came from a familial line of griots. Tumani Diabate passed to the next realm after a short illness on Friday at the age of 58. He was the undisputed master of the Kora, the stringed harp that is the most important classical musical instrument in West Africa. He came from a cast of traditional musicians and griots that he could trace back 71 generations. He was also known for mixing ancient traditions with the modern sounds of artists like Jimi Hendrix, Otis Redding, Pink Floyd. Diabate's 1989 debut album released on Joe Boyd's Hannibal label was the first ever solo Kora album. It also introduced him to an international audience and he collaborated with many musicians, including American banjo players to Iranian fiddle players. He did for the Kora what Ravi Shankar did for the Sitar. May Tumani Diabate rest in paradise. – The album (remastered in 2024) was recorded in one night session at the 'Palais des congrès' on September 22nd, 1997 - Mali's Independence Day - (more details here). Vibraphonist, percussionist, and pianist, Cal Tjader (who played along other greats such as pianist Dave Brubeck) had more of a Latin sound for the most part. But on his 1964 LP, Breeze from the East, he dipped into more quasi-Asian sounds. – The album "Brezze from the east" (with its cover presenting 'The Great Wave of Kanagawa', a woodblock print by Japanese ukiyo-e artist Hokusai, created in late 1831 during the Edo period of Japanese history) was recorded only 3 days following the assasination of John F. Kennedy (November 25th, 1963) and all of its tracks were arranged with bossa, go-go beats ornamented by Asian scales and percussion. Fun fact, this very album is one Tjader disliked as he shared in an interview with Harvey Siders which appeared in the September 8, 1966 edition of Downbeat: "Musically I'd have to say I've done some dumb albums. Like Breeze from the East. Creed would be the first to admit it didn't make it. He tried for a sound, and when I heard it, I went outside and vomited — figuratively, not literally." I love how Colleen "breaks" the relaxed vibe by playing the solid-sounding Holding it Down just before Black Orchid ends, then followed by The Answer in a tense rhythmic unity... Surprise is a critical element in a mix, and if you know how to use it, as Colleen said, you'll keep your listeners on their toes. These two raggae numbers are slow but open vibers! The Soul Revivers (which are Nick Manasseh, a DJ and also a record dealer as well and producer, and David Hill, who's also a producer, one of the owners of New Phonic Records), here evoking the spirit of Jackie Meitu with Holding it Down, featuring London keyboard maestro Ash Walker and singer Lynn Gerald. It's their latest 7-inch on the Acid Jazz label and follows their debut album, On the Grove. The Black Seeds have been releasing records for over two decades and had a hit with their Rocksteady song, One by One, when it was played on the TV series, Breaking Bad. Brett McKenzie from the Kiwi comedy duo, Flight of the Conchords, also used to be a band member of The Black Seeds. So there's another reason to listen to them. The very cosmic Pinball (Ashley Beedle Heavy Disco Edit) keeps the unexpected in front of our eyes, and though sonically we changed lands a bit, we still have a kinda reggae vibe in there, swiped by the next number in a gentle mix, allowing Brother Flower to really shine! Colleen, in today's show, is all about changing directions, emphasising the show's soul, bringing with Fall for You, a soulful element to the musical kaleidoscope, still keeping a somehow reggae presence. It's all about funkiness and openness, ending this incredible flying moment with an unexpected edit of Abba's Eeagles (the first WOW effect of today's episode!). Can you understand the musical core here while reading these lines? Brian Protheroe is currently known for narrating the Channel 4 reality show, First Dates. But in 1974, he had a hit single. Starting his career as both an actor and as a member of the early 60s folk group, Folk Blues Incorporated, otherwise known as FBI, he was, in 1973, playing the part of a pop singer in a play called Death On Demand, when a record exec heard that song that Prothero had penned for the show, Pinball. It became a summer hit, and Ashley Beedle did a great heavy disco edit. Brother Flower, from the late American singer-songwriter-guitarist Townes Van Zandt. Van Zandt had a troubled life, afflicted by mental health difficulties and addiction issues, but he was a renowned songwriter penning the song Poncho and Lefty that Willie Nelson and Merle Haggard made into a 1980s country hit. And the years between 1968 and 1973 were Townes Van Zandt's most prolific and impactful. He released six albums during that time, so it was his true classic era. James Alexander Bright has a new album coming out called Cool Cool (ed. he was on Gilles Peterson's Brownswood Basement on Juy 25th), on the Athens of the North record label, his third solo album, following Float. He's hosting a listening party, an audience chat tomorrow, and you can find out more on their Bandcamp. – Speaking about his song, "Fall for you", James shared: "You know when you've loved, to love is a magical thing. Whether it's an experience, an object, or a person; we've all loved and lost. The senses, vibration and elements have a wondrous strength and power. Love is the most powerful of all." Eagle by ABBA opens their 1977 self-titled album. Colleen wrote about it for the magazine, Crack, when they asked her and people like Jarvis Cocker, John Grant, and Smothers for their favorite tune by the Swedish Quartet. This song has a connection with Richard Bach's book, Jonathan Livingston's Seagull – speaking about the song, Björn said: "I was trying to capture the sense of freedom that I got from reading that book" – very, very 70s, and its soaring melodies. Pete Blaker saw Ask Goosh's request and promptly sent over a very special edit. The next section of the show keeps the unexpected funkiness alive with four songs like no other, beautifully blended by our Captain (although the first one is what I call "a risky mix"): 7th Heaven (Larry Levan Remix)/ Wabi Soba/Windy City Theme/Nunca Mais (Siree Re-Edit)). It still amazes me to hear and experience how Colleen is able to let the show's soul fly freely and reveal itself as it unwinds before our eyes! We're still flying high, aren't we?! And, today, she started the second part of the show earlier as this is the first mini mix of the show, of flying fun times indeed!! 🐦 This past Saturday would have been the 70th birthday of one of the most celebrated DJs of all time, Larry Levan of the Paradise Garage. He was born and raised in New York City and began making dresses for Harlem's long-standing LGBTQ ballroom scene. It was during this time that he met his future best friend, Frankie Knuckles. Levan was introduced to the downtown dance music scene through Colleen's friend and mentor, David Mancuso, and his weekly loft parties. Then both Levan and Knuckles were invited to replace gallery DJ Nicky Siano at the Continental Baths. But it was Levan's run as a resident DJ at the Paradise Garage, from its opening in 1977 to its closing a decade later, that would put Levan into the history books with his DJ technique, his attention to the sound system as mentored himself by David Mancuso, and also his tripped out and dubby remixes. LeVan had a golden ear, and influential radio DJ Frankie Crocker would pick up records that Levan was playing at the Garage, and he would make them into hits on WBLS. When Levan passed away in November 1992, the New York dance community was distraught, and I was hosting a radio show called Soul School at that time, and I had people phoning up with their requests and sharing their memories of the Paradise Garage, and I remember that it just brought tears to my eyes. It was really, really deep. And then David had a mammoth party at the loft, which lasted at least a day and a half. It went into Monday, and Francois K. brought down some reels, and it was just incredibly sentimental, but also very joyous. From the Brooklyn-based record label Razor and Tape, the new Wabi Soba by Magic Words (producer duo Eli Cohen and Peter Hargarten) already sounds like a Balearic classic with its Spanish guitar. Dave Lee's AC Orchestra proposing here a very true and respectful cover of the Windy City theme. The 1976 original was by Carl Davis and the Chi Sound Orchestra. Lee released the album Metamorphosis as AC Symphony last year on his own Zed Records imprint. He did a fine job. You can hear his love of the string-heavy disco-funk acts like MFSB, Love Unlimited Orchestra, South Soul Orchestra. – A member of the family (davstod) shared with us on the chat "Huge tune Colleen, totally iconic for every londoner who grew uo listening to Norman Jay's original Rare Groove show on Kiss when it was a pirate station. Dave Lee has done an incredible job on taking the best from Carl Davis and Rodney Franklin tunes - sounded amazing at BBE when he did the LP Launch..." A rework of Brazilian singer and musician Odair José's 1977 single Nunca Mais. The original was featured in his rock opera O Filho de José Maria, for which he was excommunicated from the Catholic Church. Colleen invites us to a free-flying party for the last 50 minutes of the show. Starting with a solid musical part, including Chained to the Train of Love, followed by Dancing with the Herons! CoalKitchen formed when the San Francisco-based band Devil's Kitchen broke up in the summer of 1970, and at just about the same time, the Carbondale, Illinois-based band Coal Dust was reforming after falling apart, so they got together to jam one day, and without much real planning, just merged the two groups into 'CoalKitchen'. They released one album in 1977 with the very snappy title Thirsty or Not, Choose Your Flavor, which features "Change the Train of Love" that was also released as a single. Mogwaa, a musician from Seoul, South Korea, has been releasing albums since 2018, including his latest, Translucent, which was released last year. Dancing with the Herons is taken from their 2020 album Turquoise. The party keeps on grooving with Flamingo PIer's Mazunte, Colleen perfectly mixing the following track, which is the infamous Expresso Amor, followed by the Balearic and slower A.E.I.O.U. What a splendid mix Colleen proposes here! Closing this long mini mix with Flowerz, it seems evident that Colleen plays it risky today!!! And it's fun!! New Zealand group Flamingo Pier have just touched down in the United States, embarking upon their summer tour, and they will be hitting British shores in August, here with their brand new single, Mazunte. Brazilian producer Bernardo Pinheiro with Expresso Amor, taken from Barefoot Beats 14, came out last month. Pinheiro is renowned for his great edits of Brazilian obscurities, and he really has great musical arrangements there. – Soundwise, this track is an absolute killer... A.E.I.O.U., the 2019 single by the legendary Brazilian singer Di Melo was released 40 years after his classic self-titled Samba Soul LP. It was produced by French production combo Cartonet, who were on tour in Brazil and had a few days off in Sao Paulo, so they made that collaboration, and it was released on the French label Favorite Recordings. Flowerz was released in April 1999 by Armand Van Helden and Roland Clark (on vocals). You can hear that Donald Bird Think Twice sample, and I love how Roland Clark just sounds like Romanthony, a really prince, on that breakdown. Closing the show with the also open Boss Trick, our Capitain leaves us breathless but absolutely happy and contemplative! Boss Trick is the 2020 single by the London Duo Real Lies who released two albums, 2015's Real Life and 2022's Lad Ash.