:: Various Artists - Café Del Mar: Volumen Once

Various Artists

The stunning sunsets of Cafe Del Mar, located on the island of Ibiza, has been one of the reasons for the gorgeous set of compilations over the past fifteen years. The Cafe Del Mar series has proven a class of its own over the years. Essentially it's a ‘chill out’ compilation. The long drawn-out nature of this CD should be absorbed at the right moment. Cafe Del Mar Volume Once is a very smooth and melodious collection of tunes. All the tracks are rich with tranquillity and serenity. It is most probably marketed for a mature listener who might be yearning for that laidback, relaxed vibe. The ears prick up with several tracks, particularly “Under the Sea” from Digby Jones, which was one of the standout tracks. Piano keys seam together with organic flute sounds, which are extremely lush. It is layered over a subtle baseline with chilled beats. “Waters in Motion” relies on an emotional piano melody to keep the track moving, rather than any percussion at all. Ludvig & Stelar’s “Signal” stands out with its big band opening that quickly ignites a slow-burning fire of sultry vocals. Trip hop beats also figure occasionally, though with the edges smoothed out in the best Cafe Del Mar tradition. The cover art adds flavour to Cafe Del Mar Volume Once. A picture of Buddha that is hand drawn by a Japanese man who came to live in Ibiza hundreds of years ago. The story is explained nicely in the insert and is a good read. All up, it's a very pleasant experience and is probably the strongest release among the albums curated by resident DJ Bruno since founder Jose Padilla departed after Volume 6.