Jose Padilla: Artist You Should Know

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Before “Ibiza,” “Balearic,” “Chill-out,” and before even “DJ” meant anything even remotely representative of what they mean now, a young Spaniard named Jose Padilla gained a reputation on the White Island for playing eclectic, relaxed sets long after the sun had gone down, sometimes even as the sun was rising.

In the process, he created the template for music for revelers in need of cool, pleasant vibes after a night of raging.

As the legend of Padilla’s sets expanded, he began recording his sets on cassette and selling them to tourists and locals who wanted to take home a piece of the night.

At a certain point, Padilla’s tapes were so in demand he was selling up to 500 cassettes a night.

*PROTIP: With a little rooting around, you too, intrepid seeker can possibly obtain and enjoy these highly fetishized objects thanks to the internet.

Throughout the 90s, Padilla DJed at the legendary Cafe Del Mar and as his sound began influencing club culture (and by virtue popular music.)

He eventually released a handful of (very necessary) compilations that represented the Cafe Del Mar sound. He also released a couple of solo albums in the early 2000s which went as far as earning him a Latin Instrumental Grammy.

Padilla even put together a Beach Classics compilation that was released on Blue Note a few years back.

But after almost a decade of mostly quiet years, Padilla has stepped out of the shadows for well deserved acknowledgment via a 12″ on arguably the most Balearic of new music labels International Feel.

Solito is definitive Balearic, a triumph of warm, ambient, beachy vibes and features remixes from Bubble Club and Wolf Muller. Set to drop in early July right in time to become a permanent sundown staple, “Solito is also merely a teaser for a full length set for a Spring 2015 release.

Catch the sun. Get into it.