Right about now, in any other year, we'd be bracing ourselves for the peak of summer. The weekend ahead is the busiest of all summer. You might otherwise know it as Radio 1 weekend.
The demographic of tourists gets noticeably younger, the party calendar is overflowing and getting a table at a restaurant without prior booking is wishful thinking.
2020 has been eerily different.
Under normal circumstances, by now, we'd be more than familiar with the dozen or so big tracks that define the season. Many of those artists would be in town over the next few days, riding the wave of their release. It's one of many things missing from Ibiza 2020.
Despite that, no matter what, the music does not stop. Whist this year is somewhat subdued, we can say one thing for sure: the lockdown brought out the best work from grounded performers who rediscovered their strengths as creators of music.
Inner City | Your Love On Me | Armada | 17 July
Ever since Detroit hero Kevin Saunderson dusted off his Inner City project, we'd been holding out on a full LP. It's been a staggering three decades since the last one. Much has changed in that time. The line-up now includes his son Dantiez and singer Steffanie Christ'ian.
For our money, Your Love On Me is the classic sound of this seminal outfit. Those opening bars are unmistakably Inner City. If you really want the hairs on your neck to stand on end, listen to Idris Elba's opening monologue for We All Move Together. Tingling stuff. Inner City are back.
AJ Tracey feat Mabel | West Ten | Independent | 2 July
Following the heat of 2019's Ladbroke Grove, grime ambassador AJ Tracey makes a welcome return to garage with West Ten. AJ's bars are complemented by the sweet vocals of Ibiza Rocks' favourite Mabel. This one calls for windows down and volume turned up.
Edu Imbernon & Nico Casal | Luma | Siamese | 10 July
Although originally from mainland Spain, Edu Imbernon is widely regarded as one of Ibiza's own. We always jump at the chance to support the music of fellow islanders, but especially when it hits as sweet as this track.
Out on Adriatique's Siamese label, Luma sees Edu get in the studio with score composer Nico Casal. The result is cinematic in execution.
Weiss & Harry Romero | Where Do We Go? | Island Records | 3 July
Weiss knows a thing or two about producing catchy summer anthems. Feel My Needs (2018) and Let Me Love You (2019) dominated the airwaves in their respective seasons. Well the sample king is only back with his effort for 2020.
Linking up with veteran East Coast DJ, Harry “Choo Choo” Romero, Weiss again displays his deft touch in the studio. You should recognise the vocal, it samples 1950s progressive rockers The Alan Parsons Project.
Love Regenerator & Steve Lacy | Live Without Your Love | Defected | 17 July
“I'd be doing myself a huge disservice, if I didn't draw on influences from ‘90s house music.”
- Calvin Harris.
After we featured Boys Noize's contribution in June's chart, Calvin Harris, or rather Love Regenerator, is the next A-lister to make his debut on Defected Records. It's been a long time coming - see Simon Dunmore's encouraging rejection letter circa 1999 below.
A track 20 years in the making, Adam Wiles (Calvin Harris' real name) proves to all young aspiring producers that you should never stop chasing your dream.
Alewya | Sweating (Honey Dijon Remix) | Because London Records | 10 July
HONEYFUCKINGDIJON in the house! On the eve of her new album, Black Girl Magic, the sultry Honey Dijon drops a remix to whet our appetite even more. The Trans star stamps her usual brand of sass into Alewya's sexually-charged original. Enough said. Bring on the LP.
Alan Dixon | Acid Drop | Running Back | 24 July
Some tracks are worth waiting on. We've been craving this stick of Running Back dynamite ever since label boss Gerd Janson dropped it at Printworks London. Pianos, acid and a baseline that never quits, Alan Dixon's long awaited record is a certified body mover.
Ron Mexico & Hobbs | Good Times | Reptile Dysfunction | 31 July
What can we say? We love Doorly's Reptile Dysfunction imprint and the man with some of the best ears in the business has done it again by signing this track. Already finding favour with Radio 1's MistaJam, Good Times is the piece of soul-infused, filter house you need in your life.
Michael Bibi | Lemonade | SG Raw | 6 July
Another man who was set to have a high-flying summer on the white isle was Michael Bibi. Hangin' Tree, Magic Carpet, Otto's Chant, the London producer is a hit machine. This time Bibi is back on Solid Grooves sub-label, Raw with a zesty party track. When life gives you lemons...
Kieren Lythgow | Reach (2020) | Erase Records | 17 July
As if a global health crisis isn't bad enough, we've sometimes found it depressing to navigate the glut of misinformation and conspiracy theories. Step forward white knight Kieren Lythgow, a Bioinformatics scientist with a PhD and glowing resume.
The calm voice of reason has been a beacon of integrity amid the white noise, quick to challenge mistruths and educate the ill-informed. Perhaps surprisingly, the scholar also has a successful career as a DJ, producer and A&R man. Here's his latest production.
Reach for the truth.
Dua Lipa | Hallucinate | Warner Music | 17 July
Some pop songs grab ahold of you and refuse to let go. Hallucinate is definitely up there in the superior tier of made-for-radio hits. SG Lewis is the producer behind the scenes, which accounts for some of its infectiousness.
Meanwhile, the video features an Anime-inspired Dua Lipa avatar, who's up there with Betty Boop and Jessica Rabbit in a list of cartoons we shouldn't find attractive, but do. The full trippy video can be seen and appreciated above.
Remixes from Mr Fingers, Paul Woolford and Tensnake are worth checking out, before The Blessed Madonna mixed Club Future Nostalgia drops later in the month.
We'll be back at the start of September with our highlights from this month.
