Monday's Long Song

 

Regular visitors to this site probably know that I have a soft spot for Nottingham's Coyote. Timm Sure and Richard Hampson, the DJ's and producers behind this project, have been consistently releasing new takes on the Balearic sound for years. They recently released another six-track EP titled The Higher The Sky, The Deeper The Ocean. On this EP, they expand their signature sound with psychedelic elements, celebrating an almost meditative downbeat sound and ambient house. On this EP, they expand their signature sound with psychedelic elements, celebrating an almost meditative downbeat vibe, dubby bass lines, and ambient house. There are few artists today who create music as relaxed and beautiful as these two.

Nag Champa

 

Nottingham's DJ's/producers Timm Sure and Richard Hampson aka Coyote returns with a couple of new songs to disappear only to disappear back into the realm of dub. Nag Champa is a classic Indian incense scent prized for its calming, balancing, and purifying effects on the body and mind. I don’t know how many incense sticks they burned before these songs were finished, but the result is impressive. On Nag Champa they celebrate a sound that evokes the best days of Lee Perry yet remains distinct in its own right. A song destined for the year-end charts.

New Song On Sunday

 

I've to admit that I am a huge fan of Coyote, a long time running project by Nottingham DJ's and producers Timm Sure and Richard Hampson since I bought their album The Mystery Light back in 2021. Since then they released several albums, singles and remixes all refined with their own Balearic vibes.

Now they released a new song inspired by Peaking Lights, an American couple releasing dub inspired songs since more than a decade. Coyote thought that it would be a nice idea to combine their Balearic sounds with dub and some reggae borrowings. And this experiment works well. Some dubbed synths, spoken words over a steady flowing rhythm should be the soundtrack for a sunny Sunday. 

New Song On Sunday

 

A few months ago I became aware of an album by Warriors of the Dystotheque, a long time running project by Johnny Mac a DJ from Derry, Ireland. It's A Beautiful Thing is an album which was probably created in the spirit of Balearic, had some good moments and is quite calm and meditative. Apart from the last song of the album, Looking Through Balearic ES, no other song has stuck in my mind.

So I was all the more surprised that Nottingham's Coyote released a remix of this song this week. As usual, they manage to turn a good song into a very good one. The rather restrained rhythm and warm synths of the original are replaced by a hand-drummed beat and subtle guitars. The song could well appear on Café Del Mar's next sampler.

Ride A Cloud

 

Since The Woodentops released their latest album Fruits Of The Deep I listened a lot to this. I have to admit that I was a huge fan to them since I first saw them live in the mid 80's because their music was so different to many others in this era. During the last years Rolo McGinty only released several songs or reworked others. All these releases are stamped by massive Balearic beats and mood. A few days ago I discovered Ride A Cloud a song from last year remixed by Nottingham's DJ/producer Coyote. Another example for McGinty's ability of writing fantastic songs. A superb song with reduced rhythm, an acoustic guitar and a flow that could take you to a faraway beach somewhere.

 

2023 - Short

 

In addition to my year-end list, here are a few songs that didn't appear on it but should not go unmentioned. The list does not contain a rating of the songs.

Marijuana

 

Nottingham's Dj's and producers are back with a new song, a one that I never expected in this way. They still riding the Balearic sound but now Rolo McGinty joined them. McGinty is well known for his work with The Woodentops in the 80's and probably one of the first ones that opened his sounds for electronic music. And this collaboration works well because Rolo McGinty's deep voice and acoustic framework fits perfect to Coyote's slo-mo beats. 

Grown From Seed

 

You notice how quickly time flies when it's Easter again. The year has barely begun and is already a quarter over. So it's time to pause, calm down and get back to the basics. And that is exactly what I have planned for the next few days. To get out into nature and take several walks to visit places I haven't been to in far too long. A soundtrack for this walks will be the latest release by Coyote. Nottingham's DJ's and producers Timm Sure and Richard Hampson payed tribute to their favorite sound and added dub and reggae to their Balearic beats. The result are two songs with a relaxed mood and a beautiful flow. 

Vijnana

 

Adam over at Bagging Area featured a song by the latest compilation of Higher Love records on Monday. I thought about featuring this song during this week but he was faster than me. But this doesn't detain me to feature this album at this little place in the internet again. Higher Love records is one of these labels featuring Balearic sounds during the last years. And this compilation shows once again how many artists are able to create a smooth and interesting sound of laid back and relaxed sounds for recreating yourself after a hard days work. As far as I know Vijnana is a remix by Coyote that gave me the most relaxing sounds during the last years. Softly flowing sounds over a floor of rhythmic beats made this one outstanding of many other songs released this year so far.

Monday's Long Song

 

Nottingham based DJ's and producers Timm Sure and Richard Hampson made under their stage name Coyote a few albums during the last years that impressed me very much. Now they released a new EP Everything Moves, Nothing Rests filled with six trippy balearic influenced songs. Each of them is far over this years average and the album will surely appear in my years end list. So if you don't know them by now - give them a chance.

2021 Long 2/2

 

Part two of my personal review of albums that impressed me much this year. When I look at the list it seems that my taste in music reduced speed and turned into more ambient. But this is not the truth. It is only because less complete albums made me feel to listen completely for several times. Anyway, a list I can agree and I hope there were some inspirations for you all.

Liminanas / Laurent Garnier - Le Pelicula

Saint Etienne - I've Been Trying To Tell You

The Vendetta Suite - The Kempe Stone Portal

Richard Norris - Hypnotic Response

Daniel Avery - Together In Static

The Grid / Robert Fripp - Leviathan

Tindersticks - Distractions

Late Night Tales - Version Excursion with Don Letts

Coyote - The Mystery Light

Arab Strap - As Days Get Dark

Monday's Long Song

 

Last week Swiss Adam featured Coyote a Nottingham based duo riding the Balearic way in a very high class way. Their album Mystery Light is the perfect soundtrack for a relaxed evening when you allow your mind drifting into other spheres. I will enjoy this sound until I find myself at the beach in near future.