Rarely does an album slide up to you and caress your ears with the warm Balearic sound of Ibiza. There are many albums that carry the branding, but few are authentic and born of Ibiza. The island’s unique sound is very distinct and like the real Ibiza, is hidden behind the loud exterior of the commercially driven 4×4 beat of techno and EDM. The real sound of Ibiza is found in the freestyle Balearic beat, a genre created on the island in the early eighties by pioneering DJ ́s like Giuseppe Nuzzo aka DJ Pippi. It has taken Pippi over 30 years to release his first album, Bocadillos Variados, but it was well worth the wait, as in my humble opinion, it is a musical masterpiece rich in Balearic soul.
This is pure Ibiza. It’s like the essence of the island seeping into the body and dancing with you. The first five tracks are sweet balearic bliss, smooth like the sip of a fresh mojito by the beach. Dangerous, with the vocals of JL, is an Ibicenco version of Sade and one of my favourite tracks. The pace of the album is set to the precision of a swiss watchmaker, as La Serenata featuring Kenneth Badger, ups the tempo away from the beach and into the night. Calas Encantalas moves with the charm of a Latin chica, weaving her body as she seduces with tempting brown eyes. I listened to it twice before moving on to the smoky and soulful voice of Barbara Tucker and Beautiful. This is quality production.
There is an eighties, funky feel to Joy and Pain but with a relaxed Ibicenco vibe combined with an electric guitar, which makes it so much more interesting. Then we move on to the reggae influenced Mr P, or does it have a slow touch of Ska? Thats one of the many pleasures of this album, its mix of styles and effects, so Ibicenco and Balearic. Spanish, Arabic, French and Mediterranean, the cultures of Ibiza are all featured here. No true Ibiza album would be complete without the inclusion of a saxophone, its mellow and sultry sound caught on a summer breeze and finishing Bocadillos Variados like a good hierbas after a Michelin starred meal.
Bocadillos Variados is DJ Pippi ́s finest hour. I have no doubt that it will be up there with some of the best albums ever produced in Ibiza. For the electronic generation, I would venture to say thats its the finest album Ibiza has ever produced, as it reflects the island in her true light and spirit of freedom. The production borders on the artistic and Bocadillos Variados is a loving tribute to the islands musical identity created in the shadow of Dalt Villa. If you want to experience the beauty of a golden era of musical expression in Ibiza, then Bocadillos Variados will bring you there. Take a bow Giuseppe. Bocadillos Variados is available to Download on I Tunes now and is a jewel in the crown of any Ibiza music collection.
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