Our 2025 Nominees for the True Balearic DJs of Ibiza, no trophies, just recognition for being the faces behind countless blissful sunset moments.
Each summer, countless ‘DJ Awards’ celebrate the island’s global club culture, the main rooms, the laser shows, the headline bookings. But somewhere beyond the strobes and smoke, on cliffsides and terraces where the sun bleeds into the sea, another story unfolds. It’s the story of selectors who don’t chase chart spots or pyrotechnics, the true Balearic DJs.
Their dancefloors are sunsets. Their tools are texture, mood, and emotional connection. They spin everything from cosmic soul to deep ambient, from forgotten disco to dubbed-out jazz, but always with that invisible thread that ties back to the island’s spirit: freedom, warmth, and open-mindedness.
So, in the wake of this year’s season, and in the spirit of setting the record straight, we present our own list. Ten selectors who, in our view, truly represent the essence of Balearic Ibiza right now. No winners. No hierarchy. Just genuine love and respect for those keeping the island’s sound alive.
🌴 Ken Fan
(Resident DJ & Music Director – Café del Mar, Ibiza)
Ken Fan is, quite literally, the sound of the sunset. As resident DJ and music curator at Café del Mar, he shapes the musical identity of Ibiza’s most iconic Balearic setting. Blending warm downtempo grooves, organic percussion, and dreamlike atmospheres, Ken’s sets feel like postcards from the horizon.
Born in the UK and now an integral part of the island’s musical fabric, he has spent nearly two decades in Ibiza, curating the mood for countless sunsets and chill moments. Beyond the decks, he’s also guiding the next generation of selectors, keeping the Café del Mar legacy both reverent and alive.
🌞 Andy Wilson
(Ibiza Sonica / Music For Dreams)
If Ibiza had a sonic chronicler, it would be Andy Wilson. Co-founder of Ibiza Sonica Radio, long-time host of the beloved Balearia show, and resident curator of countless sunsets and deep listening moments, Wilson has been broadcasting the island’s soul to the world for over two decades.
His sets are a masterclass in selection: one moment cosmic jazz, the next a slow-burning deep house groove, then a lost disco treasure. Wilson is proof that true Balearic DJs don’t follow trends, they write them, one record at a time.
🌺 Jaime Fiorito
(DJ / Curator / Son of DJ Alfredo)
Carrying the legacy of his father, the late, great DJ Alfredo, Jaime Fiorito embodies the evolution of Balearic culture. Yet he’s not content to live in nostalgia. His sets move fluidly through genres from cosmic Afro rhythms to deep, slow house honouring his heritage while pushing the sound forward.
Beyond the booth, Jaime curates spaces like Urusai, a vinyl-only, high-fidelity listening bar that’s become a haven for true music heads. In a world of quick mixes and playlists, Fiorito reminds us that listening is still an art form.
🌅 Chris Coco
(DJ / Producer / Radio Host)
A veteran of the chillout and downtempo world, Chris Coco remains one of the genre’s most respected selectors. His work from Melodica Radio Show to his releases on Music For Dreams blends ambient electronics, acoustic warmth, and world influences.
In Ibiza, Coco’s sets often accompany the dying light of day, giving listeners that rarest of gifts: stillness. His influence stretches from the early Café del Mar compilations to the modern renaissance of ambient Balearica.
🌴 Phat Phil Cooper
(DJ / Curator – NuNorthern Soul)
With his NuNorthern Soul imprint, Phat Phil Cooper has built one of the most consistent and heartfelt Balearic labels of the past decade. His approach is soulful, vinyl-driven, and unpretentious drawing from deep disco, world rhythms, and smooth, sunlit house.
Phil’s long-time connection to Ibiza runs deep; he’s one of those names whispered by insiders who know where the realsunsets are happening. A trusted selector who never rushes the vibe, he’s proof that Balearic isn’t nostalgia, it’s an ongoing conversation.
🌊 George Solar
(DJ / Producer / Collaborator)
A subtle but vital presence, George Solar bridges the roles of producer, collaborator, and DJ. A member of the NuNorthern family and regular selector at Hostal La Torre, Kumharas and Laylah, he’s helped shape a number of the recent Balearic-tinged releases floating across the airwaves.
Solar’s productions mix dub atmospherics, gentle percussion, and a warmth that feels unmistakably Ibizan. His sound lives in the small moments, a deep inhale before night falls.
☀️ S/A/M
(DJ / Selector)
A burgeoning force on the island, S/A/M represents the new vanguard of Balearic selectors, DJs who play for love, not limelight. S/A/M’s approach is tactile, slow-burning, and always emotional earning her residencies at Café Del Mar and Pikes as well as a weekly show on Music For Dreams.
Her sets are the kind of slow-motion journeys that remind listeners why they fell in love with Ibiza in the first place.
🌤️ DJ Gripper
(DJ / Vinyl Selector)
If you know, you know. DJ Gripper is one of Ibiza’s underground stalwarts, a vinyl digger’s DJ whose sets might unfold on the Pikes terrace or a sun-kissed afternoon at the WOM cafe.
Balearic to the bone, Gripper’s selections are unpredictable but always tasteful, often drawing from obscure world records, leftfield soul, and lush ambient house. He’s a reminder that authenticity still thrives just outside the main spotlight.
🌇 Pete Gooding
(DJ / Producer / Curator – Hostal La Torre, International Feel)
Few names are as synonymous with Ibiza’s musical identity as Pete Gooding. As the long-standing resident and musical director at Hostal La Torre, he’s helped define the modern sound of the sunset.
Through collaborations with Mark Barrott (International Feel) and decades of experience, Gooding has crafted a sonic signature that’s equal parts warmth, depth, and horizon. His work is both homage and evolution, proving the Balearic tradition is alive and ever-changing.
🌞 Jason Bye
(DJ / Ibiza OG)
A long-time Ibiza name with roots entwined with the famous Café Mambo, Jason Bye is a connector. He’s played it all, from early Space sessions to the famous Amnesia terrace, considered by many as the G.O.A.T of the ‘Sunset Strip’ since the early 90’s alongside José Padilla.
His versatility is key: Bye can hold a dancefloor deep into the night or soundtrack a sunset with equal grace. He’s one of those rare DJs who truly feels the island’s rhythm, not just its beat.
🌅 Closing Thoughts
This isn’t an award, it’s a nod of respect. These DJs and their is so many more on the island and further, in their own quiet or cosmic ways, hold the keys to the island’s emotional heart. They remind us that Ibiza isn’t just about the clubs; it’s about connection, community, and the moments between day and night when music and nature become one.
The Balearic spirit lives on, and thanks to these selectors, it’s as warm and alive as ever. 🌴
