There is a perception of Ibiza by the general masses that falls into one of two categories: that of glossy mainstream clubbing attended by the enviously fashionable, and that of lobster Brits unshackled from the confines of civilised behaviours. What is often forgotten about is the more sedate Balearic side of the island, most notably represented by the Cafe Del Mar, with sunsets soundtracked by music as tranquil as the waves that lap nearby.
Mark Barrott's International Feel is staking a claim as the new home of the Balearic, perhaps picking the most opportune moment to do so with musical appreciation being much broader than in recent times. This is a statement that is lent credence by the rousing of both Jose Padilla and Harvey from extended production hiatus, the former working now in tandem with Barrott for some upcoming works which include, amongst other things, a brand new artist album.
Before we get too excited by that, there is the matter of Sketched From An Island to attend to, a collation of Barrott's highly sought after pair of EP's, themselves inspired by the iconic Padilla's original Café Del Mar mixtapes. As a result, the album has a distinctly different feel to its two halves, with the volumes playing one after another.
The first four tracks run in to around the five minute mark each, talking in a whistle-stop tour of the exotic. From the British Sunday morning tea, toast and marmalade easy listening groove of Baby Come Home, then begins an excursion around the exotic through Orient and Indian climates before a stop off in Arabic waters in the guitar led Essene.
Taking over at this point, the second EP allows itself to become much more expressive thanks to a slightly more electronic edge. Formentera Headspace Blues (Pt's. 1 & 2) borders on the globally inspired ambient house vibe that Banco De Gaia crafted with aplomb through out the nineties, albeit with a touch more restraint. The second part of Formentera Headspace Blues turns to beatless ambience and gentle guitar licks, which then aptly drifts into Deep Water like the gentle lap of waves on a sun drenched beach. Island Life provides the most electronic moment in the entire collection with Sakamoto-esque textures married with tropical hues. Then, on the crest of breaking waves, Back To The Sea manages to fuse the sounds of Vangelis and Hawaii into an unlikely and complimentary partnership.
Closing the collection in brave fashion, the breathy piano reprise of Sacred Islands is bookended with a lengthy stretch of bird song. If listened to in the context of a gruelling commute through urban concrete landscapes, it is beautiful, captivating and demonstrates the power of nature's own soundtrack.
With a population of downtempo producers being lured towards a more progressive minded house crowd, leftfield sounds have become increasingly associated with chilling terminology such as hauntology, witch house and post-punk. Pushing towards the abstract and the challenging is always to be admired and encouraged, yet Sketches From An Island serves not only as a reminder of simpler ambient times gone by, but also as a statement of Balearic's validity in today's climate.
| Artist: Mark Barrott Title: Sketches From An Island LP Label: International Feel Tracklist 01. Baby Come Home02. Dr Nimm's Garden of Intrigue & Delight03. Go Berri be Happy04. Essene05. Formentera Headspace Blues (Pts. 1 & 2)06. Deep Water07. Island Life08. Back to the Sea09. Sacred Islands Our rating: 8.5/10 |  |
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