CHRIS COCO
My own private IBIZA
LAGASTA’s ongoing series “My own private city” is an inner journey into the cities of our favourite artists and producers around the world. More a personal affair than a typical city guide, the series offers a rare glimpse into a city through the eyes of an artist/producer.
From rooftops and studios to street corners and hidden gems, and from parks and neighbourhoods to favourite personal spots, we take an intimate trip to different places through memories, stories and photos. And it’s nothing short of an unforgettable experience.
Next in line is the prolific London-based Chris Coco, a tastemaker, DJ, label boss, broadcaster, producer, music curator, musician and journalist. Whether he’s spinning a club set of classic and future house; getting weird in a back room or poolside with dub disco and Balearic; or masterfully soundtracking an Ibiza sunset, Chris Coco is the DJ with the music to make something beautiful happen. In recent years he has become a sunset specialist spending the summers soundtracking sunsets in Ibiza and Italy; as well as keeping his many Mixcloud and international radio listeners hooked to his weekly, eclectic Melodica radio show. There are few DJs who have his breadth of musical knowledge and obsession with finding the perfect track to make every moment feel special.
Chris Coco takes us for a Balearic ride into the heavenly Balearic Island of Ibiza, a “dream of a place”, by sharing his favourite places and faces and some gorgeous photos.
This is Chris Coco’s own private Ibiza.
“Ibiza in the summer is a dream of a place, it’s so in the moment, when you are on the island, you feel like nowhere else exists, as soon as you leave, it’s hard to believe you were ever there.
This place has been an inspiration for artists for, well, pretty much since the beginning of human civilisation, and there are now thousands of tunes that we call Balearic, because they are about the island, or the idea of the island, or just because they sound just right when you play them here.
But Ibiza has never just been about the big clubs or the obvious locations, it’s really about moments of joy with people you love. So, here are a few of my favourite places, some are real and you can find them, others are moments that shine bright even though I will never see them again.”
Sunsets and Shadows
Playing music for sunsets is some sort of spiritual experience, it’s a connection to something much bigger than being human, it’s emotional and beautiful. There are quite a few special places to watch the sun go down on the island, I think my favourite is Cala Escondida, but it doesn’t’ really matter where you go, as long as you give it the time it needs to happen.
Festival, in the hills above San Josep.
This is the ruin of a club that was only open for a year or two in the early 70s. They had a stage for bands, and an area for bulls too. You can still see the stepped concrete seating and tables, once filled with beautiful people enjoying the hot summer nights in the hills. Now it’s overgrown and covered in graffiti, but the spirit of the party is still in there.
On the rocks or on a boat
Some people say that if you lay on the rocks for too long, you turn the same shade as the stone, then become part of the island forever. So, don’t forget to hydrate, cover your head and keep moving, you may even end up finding a most brilliant dream of a fish restaurant like Salvadó down at Pou Des Lleo.
Luca’s place or George’s place
You won’t find these on a map but they are two of the best places to stay, because the people who live there are some of the best of the best. George Solar and Luca Averna are two wonderful producers who I collaborate with to make real Balearic tunes.
San Jordi market
A coffee or a caña at San Jordi market before a search for some discarded treasure is a fine way to spend a morning.
Pike’s Hotel
The legendary hotel and venue has vibes coming out of the walls, endless inspiration can be found late at night in Freddie’s, the micro club at the back.
On the beach
Naturally, preferably in September, on sister island Formentera, with friends.
Balearic Classics Volume 1
Chris Coco recently dropped the 5-track “Balearic Classics Volume 1”, a collection of magic Balearic musical moments, some are brand new, some have spent their time in the sun and improved with age. First up is “For Our Friends In Other Places”, featuring Antonio Prosper’s heartfelt keyboard solo, a new, mellow jam built for staring out to sea and remembering the ones we love. Next is “Mare”, a tune that’s become a bit of a poolside classic on the island, which features the distinctive guitar figures of Micko Roche, and a remix of an old track by Chris Coco’s band Coco Steel & Lovebomb that still sounds lovely. That’s followed by another collaboration with Luca Averna, one half of production outfit Residentes Balearicos, and a long sunset track that came out of remix session then grew into it’s own beautiful elongated self.
