Daydream Utopia: a soundtrack for inner and outer space

Daydream Utopia is the 2024 album Chris Coco describes as "atmospheric downtempo electronica made to be played in two sessions on an old fashioned vinyl disc." He files it under electronica, beyond-balearic, IDM, downtempo and "cosmic home listening".

Two sides, one daydream

The title says what it is for: in his words, "a soundtrack for a day dream or maybe an inner or outer space exploration." In his own notes on the record, Chris calls the idea behind it "a vague idea of a better way of being", hard to put into words, which is why it became a set of tracks rather than an essay.

Old machines, new software

The sound is warm and analogue, at once futuristic and nostalgic. It was made with old machines and new software, mixed digitally, and released on what he calls an outdated music carrier: vinyl.

The tracks, as he frames them

• Tokyo Ame is a conversation between two lovers, one in Tokyo and one in the Light House studio in London, where the track was made.
• Leap Year was made with jazz musician Yoshiharu Takeda, another link to Japan.
• Interstellar is the long, building piece. Chris asks whether it is a journey out to the stars or into your mind.
• Synesthesia, For The People and Serenity Test are left as open questions in his notes.

Why it matters for Balearic heads

It sits at the far, cosmic edge of the Balearic map he has drawn since the late 80s: less sunset terrace, more headphones at 3am. If you came here for a sunset set, keep this one for the walk home.