Jose Padilla - El Sueno De Ibiza (Ibiza Dream)

Usually when I hear the words Ibiza and Chill out it seems to have the reverse the intended effect. It usually ends with the room in tatters and myself wondering what the hell is going on in the world where Ibiza is seen as the height of youth culture. It may seem like the ranting off a man clearly past it, but I came from the generation which saw the Hacienda as the pinnacle of the club scene - a club where there was no dress code and it was ultimately about the music. Nowadays clubbing is just another entertainment option sat next to Snow boarding or a night in front of Friends Vol. 666 with DVD extra's. It's with suspicion that I approach Jose Padilla's "El Sueno De Ibiza" which translates as Ibiza Dream for the uneducated - when I listen and it takes me over with lush soundscapes and does has it's intended effect of leaving me more chilled out than a cocktail of prozac and ovaltine I exclaim this is the best Ibiza album.....in true noughties style it would be churlish not to use the refrain of ever. So here were go......ever!!!!

What makes it even more remarkable is that it's Padilla behind those excruciatingly bad Cafe Del Mar mix series which you can't seem to escape in middle class student households. Faced with the prospect of composing a full soundtrack for the film of the same name has brought out the best of Padilla's work and enabled a piece of work which takes us through a journey of 3 childhood friends set on the magical island of Ibiza. Each signature tune bringing visual treats to the fore, even for people who have yet to see the Art house masterpiece. Staco's "What's Happening" soundtracking lazy sunday afternoons rolling in the grass with a loved one while problems are plaguing the back of your mind through to the hazy drug induced stupor as you walk into an unknown club on Zuell's "Neptune". Francisco Sotomayor "Mellah", the comedown theme, where you see you're life flashing before you as a series of forgettable nights while your girl walks into the sunset looking for something more than continual hedonism

In fact taken out of the context of the film Padilla has gone and put the heart and soul back into Ibiza. Showing the quiet side of the island before taking us over for an image of an island which the locals see as the work of us social tourists. In a chill out album which encourages you to positively switch on and get in tune with your emotions rather than being a slave to the sun bed. In short, it's just about the only album with the word "Ibiza" in the title you should be buying this year.

Alex McCann

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