This is the digitised version of side 1 of a mixtape made on cassette by Jose Padilla and sold at the Cafe Del Mar in the early 1990’s. It was played with a video from that era in Edition 12 of The Chill Out Tent in March 2021. It’s a seminal collection, Jose’s Balearic blue print of ambient, electronics, classical, new-age, film scores and rock all going into the mix…
Now’s the season for the return of the fleeting beauty of the cherry blossom or Sakura. Enjoyed in Japan through the tradition of Hanami or ‘flower viewing’ and engaged from a philosophical view point of ‘Mono No Aware’ that celebrates the beauty of transience and impermanence. You may not be able to see much blossom depending on your location or season, if so then enjoy the film below, one hour of stunning drone footage and delicate ambience. As featured in our monthly newsletter.
Obay Alsharani is a Syrian migrant now settled in Sweden, and Sandbox is his debut album. Obay started producing music back in 2013 in his homeland of Syria. His lo-fi productions fused dusty samples of Arabic music with crunchy hip-hop beats, and he gained a dedicated following on Soundcloud after he started releasing his productions under the name Khan El Rouh; “…it was great for escapism from all the horror that was happening outside when we watched what we started as peaceful protests for social equality and freedom of expression descend into a ravaging civil war between a brutal regime and the Islamists who took over the revolution”
As the situation in Damascus worsened, Obay fled Syria eventually being offered a scholarship in Sweden, which led to an extended period in refugee accommodation in the far north of the country while he awaited the result of his residence application. Here he resumed his beat-making, and also sought refuge in the world-building game Minecraft, a place where he could momentarily forget the chaos and destruction in his homeland and the upheaval and uncertainty of his situation in Sweden, and concentrate on creation.
After his residency was granted, Obay found a home and a job but became dissatisfied with his music production. So, inspired by the beauty of the Swedish landscape, the shifting colours of the Northern Lights, and the ambient sounds that had brought him comfort during this turbulent time, particularly C418’s Minecraft soundtrack, the music of Boards of Canada and Colleen, Obay embarked on the production of the deeply personal, calming and sheltering music that became Sandbox.
We are honoured and excited to say that Rob da Bank invited us to do a guest mix for his new Worldwide FM radio show. The festival promoting, record label running, yoga doing legend has a new show that goes out at 7pm every Sunday evening. Playing his signature mix of ‘ambient soundscapes, leftfield rarities, global oddities and vintage cuts from Rob’s dusty library’. We put together a 45 minute mix to give Rob’s listeners a flavour of our signature Chill Out Tent sound, have a listen via the Mixcloud link below.
Come Down Dawn was released on the 4th of February 2021.
Come Down Dawn is a Drive by The Justified Ancients of Mu Mu.
A Drive is a journey in the head.
The Drive took them from the Reverend Doctor Wade’s tabernacle in Brooklyn, New York to the Mesoamerican Pyramids near Mexico City.
The Drive lasted just over a period of 43 hours.
The Drive ended as dawn began to break on Sunday the 4th of February 1990
Come Down Dawn by The Justified Ancients of Mu Mu is also a pre-mix of Chill Out released by The KLF on the 5th of February 1990.
Come Down Dawn was released the day before Chill Out, but 31 years later.
Come Down Dawn contains the following tracks.
Brooklyn to Atlantic City
Atlantic City to Philadelphia
Philadelphia to Baltimore
Baltimore to Fair Play
Fair Play to North Druid Hills
North Druid Hills to Atlanta
Atlanta to Mobile
Mobile to Houston
Houston to Laredo
Laredo to El Prado
El Prado to San Rafael
San Rafael to Mexico City
All tracks were recorded live at Trancentral in late 1989 by The Justified Ancients of Mu Mu, featured guests include Evil Graham Lee on the pedal steel guitar, the Unknown Tuvan Shepherd on throat singing and the Reverend Doctor Wade on spiritual guidance.
The sheep 🐑 are back this Sunday 31/1/21 for Edition #10 of the Chill Out Tent, when Sheepwatch takes to the clouds ☁️ with a soundtrack of the cosmic festival variety from our man Chris Coco, beautiful music and bucolic ovine visuals make this a session not to miss. Check the recording of Sheepwatch Vol I from Edition #1 at the bottom of this page, it’s one of our favourites…
Edit – 6/2/21 – Here’s the audio of Sheepwatch II from Edition #10
As part of our ‘12 days of chillout‘ event over the holiday season we were really happy to be able to screen the amazing visuals and music from our friends at Baliaric FM. Originally broadcast as part of our ‘Solstice Around the World’ event in June 2020 it really showcased the unique landscape and music of Bali, here’s the stunning audio from that session for you to enjoy…
‘I love my houseplants. They witness so much but exist in a completely different version of Time to us. I’ve had the Aloe Vera in the film for 18 years and he’s an ugly old brute, but last year he made a flower for the very first time. His silhouette changes, but barely perceptibly. In the 30 min film and DJ mix (live stream goes out via @thechillouttent on Sunday 27/12/20), I wanted to show that apparent stillness as human Time rushes past, and because light is how we measure duration I tried to capture their changing shadows, as day becomes night becomes day.
I chose music by artists like Tortoise and weird European experimental electronic and ambient music because it seems clever, inscrutable and a little bit freaky, like my plants. They know things. Some have names – Victor, Donna, Gilles – and some are just ‘big fella’ or ‘missy’. They don’t always love me back and a couple of them are very high maintenance – I tend to think of those plants as being French 😂, hence the French music in the mix.
It was a lovely creative brief so thanks to @thechillouttent for inviting me to do it. I enjoyed thinking and making something about my plants. They mean a lot to me. ‘
Our curator in chief and super chilled DJ Chris Coco played an ambient, pre sunset set, up the hill, under a tree for the La Casella stream on The Chill Out Tent. He was sporting a fine, cosmic shirt and trouser combo too, it has to be said. Here is that very spacey mix.
The Chill Out Tent 