Real Ibiza 4
March 25th, 2002 by freddie96
REAL IBIZA 4
Compiled by Phil Mison
(React)
Recently I decided that I’d had it with chill out compilations. Having enjoyed the first few years’ worth of ‘Cafe del Mar’ this and ‘Real Ibiza’ that, I have found most of the follow-ups and cash-ins a/ too numerous and b/ too predictable to be worth bothering with. So even though I loved and played to death ‘Real Ibiza’, ‘Real Ibiza 2′ (a real corker) and ‘Real Ibiza 3′, I hardened my heart when I saw the latest installment sitting pretty in my local record store.
But then the kind people at React sent me a review copy, so I did the decent thing and gave it a listen. And whaddaya know? It’s an entirely worthy addition to this series which once again seems pretty glued to my stereo. The cynic in me was expecting React to have gone for the money – as the Ibiza industry in general seems to have done – but for all the undeniable smoothness and sophistication of most of the tracks included here, this does not seem to be the case overall. Put simply, the two halves of this double CD work just too well for this to be considered anything other than a ‘proper compilation’. (There is also a single, mixed CD version but having heard all the variants in this series it is clear that the double version is invariably the more interesting.)
What works best about ‘Real Ibiza 4′ is its pacing. The first CD is the more upbeat one, but it follows an agreeably mellow path of slow-fast-fast-slow which means that you aren’t so tempted to hit the skip button, even though it does contain three tracks I consider overplayed: Bent’s ‘I Love My Man’ (Lazyboy Remix), Doctor Rockit’s ‘Cafe de Flore’, and Oversoul’s ‘The Universal Unfolding’ (these last two both appeared on Big Chill compilations last year). Balancing these are tracks by Kevin Yost, Uman, A:XUS, Dan K., Mystic Diversions and Seven Ways that all seem to strike exactly the right note in context. It is a genuinely relaxing, easy-going sequence of tracks that has the confidence to play itself out slowly.
The second CD, unsurprisingly, is the more mellow one. If anything, it is all the more enjoyable for being even slower. It too contains a number of tracks which we have probably all encountered a few too many times of late – Bonobo’s ‘Terrapin’, Sub Sub’s ‘Past’ and A Reminscent Drive’s ‘Ambrosia’ – but once again you have to concede they work in context; and none of the other tracks really feels like filler either. There is John Beltran, Ibizarre, Cantoma, Infernal, Cool Blu, Jam & Spoon’s wonderful ‘Hispanos In Space’, Grassskirt… all of it well-produced, unashamedly emotional music. Don’t for a second think this might suit you if you prefer your music to come with rough edges – there are absolutely none of those here at all.
Although Phil Mison has had a busy few years doing these compilations, I’d wager this could well be his best yet. Clearly there is plenty of life in Mediterranean chill out – when it is treated with respect and given room to breathe. Clocking in at around two and a half hours, ‘Real Ibiza 4′ does just that. FB
