Graham Newby returns with an 11-track journey through ambient electronics, dub and downtempo sounds, arriving on double vinyl this November.
There’s something rather special about music that seems to capture a particular moment in time. The last few minutes before sunrise, the warmth of an Ibiza evening, or that quiet space when the music becomes part of the landscape rather than simply accompanying it.
It’s a feeling that runs throughout the forthcoming Alba Ámbar, the third album from Tambores En Benirras, the recording project of Graham Newby, better known to many as DJ Gripper.
Set for release on 13 November through NuNorthern Soul, the 11-track album takes its name from the Spanish for ‘amber dawn’, offering a slow-burning journey through ambient electronics, dub, acid and downtempo sounds.
We’ve been fortunate enough to receive an advance five-track sampler from the label, and if these early selections are anything to go by, there’s plenty to look forward to.
The title track, ‘Alba Ámbar’, is a deeply emotive piece of downtempo music. Rich, warm pads and ethereal keys drift through the arrangement, creating an almost celestial atmosphere. There’s something wonderfully peaceful about it, as though the music is gently announcing the arrival of a new day.
‘Bucanero Ácido’ offers an intriguing contrast. Opening with heavenly keys and delicate, glass-like electronic sounds, it gradually introduces a more abrasive, saw-like bass tone. The shift in texture is striking, bringing to mind that first sudden burst of sunlight breaking across the horizon.
Perhaps the most beautiful moment of the sampler arrives with ‘Aquí Me Dejo’. Evolving strings, distant reverberating beats and deep, cavernous electronic textures combine with a delicate female vocal to create something that feels closely connected to the natural world. There’s a timeless quality here, reminiscent of those wonderful ambient selections that once helped define the sound of Café del Mar.
The mood lifts with ‘El Mar Llama’, a more optimistic and gently propulsive piece. Plunging bass notes, restless little keyboard patterns and evolving pads give it a lovely sense of movement. We can easily imagine this one finding its way onto an Ibiza terrace as the afternoon begins to give way to evening.
Finally, ‘San Vicente, Despacio’ brings another wonderfully cinematic moment. Echoing trumpet phrases drift across layers of atmospheric electronics, while the surrounding textures have something of a Blade Runner quality. It’s expansive, reflective and beautifully suited to watching the last orange glow of the sun disappear into the Mediterranean.
What comes through from these five selections is a strong sense of place. Not necessarily Ibiza in its more familiar, sun-drenched clubbing guise, but the quieter island, where the changing light, the sea and the surrounding landscape become just as important as the music itself.
It’s an approach that feels entirely at home on NuNorthern Soul, a label whose catalogue has long embraced the more contemplative corners of Balearic and electronic music.
We’re looking forward to hearing how the remaining six tracks complete the journey.
Tambores En Benirras – Alba Ámbar arrives on 13 November 2026, courtesy of NuNorthern Soul, available as a double-vinyl album, digital download and across streaming platforms. Pre order here.
For those who appreciate the gentler, more atmospheric side of electronic music, this is one to keep an ear out for.