Podcast 862: John Beltran

More than three decades have passed since John Beltran—an iconic American DJ-producer from Ann Arbor, Michigan—released “Aquatic” on Carl Craig’s Retroactive Records. With it, Beltran capsulized his musical interests and influences of the moment—Carl Craig, the futuristic jazz tracks of Larry Heard, and Logic—and earned the praise of the global house and techno community. Through the ’90s, he capitalized on this by releasing two albums, Earth & Nightfall on R&S Records and Ten Days of Blue on Peacefrog Records, on which he harnessed ambient electronica into a release that retains its legendary status. In the years since, Beltran has shared dozens of EPs and albums, under his own name but also as Placid Angles and Sol Set, a collection of composers, musicians, and vocalists, exploring stirring techno, jazz, stirring ambient, Balearic, and even Brazilian influences for labels including Blue Arts Music in Japan and Delsin, where he released Everything At Once, a collection of 17 tracks which fuse ’90s Detroit techno with post-rock and ambient with downtempo. Last year, Beltran debuted on Turkish label Oath with Serendipia, a collection of sun-drenched Balearic tracks, and a remix package featuring Danilo Plessow (a.k.a Motor City Drum Ensemble) and Session Victim will land next month. For this week’s XLR8R podcast, Beltran has provided a mix full of his own sultry Balearic originals.

01. What have you been up to recently?
I recently moved to downtown Detroit. So basically just spinning tunes and enjoying the summer with family and friends. I stepped away from a few projects that are in the works till autumn. One is a new Placid Angles as well as a new Sol Set record. I needed a break from production for a bit. I’ll get back into those projects with a fresh new energy soon!

02. What have you been listening to?
It’s been a Cortex kinda summer. Also chillin’ to the new Khruangbin LP. Arthur Verocai, Rare Silk, Gareth Donkin. ’70s soft rock is a nostalgic summer thing that I love to spin on patios as well. Goes right with the Balearic stuff I love to play!

03. Where and when did you record this mix?
I did it just for you in my studio!

04. What setup did you use?
My controller into Pro Tools.

05. How did you choose the tracks you’ve included in it?
It’s all my material and/or recent remixes I’ve done. I wanted to promote my new stuff which I’m usually terrible at. Promoting myself that is.

06. Where do you imagine it being listened to?
It’s classic Balearic stuff yeah? It’s kind of the space I’ve been musically in for a bit now. So beaches, patios, on the boat. Anywhere the sun is shining!

07. How does it compare to what we might hear you play out live?
Yeah this is pretty much a summer set from me! These songs are all me in one way or another as I play other artists in my sets. It’s actually a nice mix. I put it on in my home and I don’t generally just put the needle onto my records in my free time!

08. What’s next on your horizon?
Yeah. With summer approaching its end, I will be preparing to hunker down in my studio. Watching Michigan football with my 13-year-old boy and coaching his soccer team. The new Placid Angles album will be out on Oath in 2025 and we’ll hopefully be dropping the new Sol Set EP on All Good Music this fall. I’m also mapping out how I want to approach the next John Beltran full-length. So I have to get to work!

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Tracklisting

01. John Beltran” Just Beyond the Sun” (Motor City Wine)
02. John Beltran” Cachaça” (Oath)
03. John Beltran “As the Sunsets” (Motor City Wine)
04. Chris Coco & George Solar “Guaguancoco” (Beltran’s Mix) (Dust Down Records)
05. John Beltran “Aşk Anları” (Session Victim Remix) (Oath)
06. Gratts “Sun Circles” (Beltran Remix) (Be Strong Be Free)
07. John Beltran “Nuyorico” (People of Earth)
08. John Beltran “Suena Soleados” (Melodiesfonie Remix) (Oath)
09. John Beltran “Amemos” (Peacefrog)
10. Pahua “Flor De Jazmin” feat. Paz Court (John Beltran Remix) (Razor N Tape)

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