Senza Estate by My Friend Dario

Stop what you're doing and give us your full attention because Hell Yeah mainstay My Friend Dario's new album Senza Estate is going to define the sound of summer 2024. It's an eclectic eight-track collection that has something for everyone and is inspired by dreamy Italian soundtrack composers Piero Piccioni and Umiliani.

Curveball Italian talent Dario is a real dance floor don who collides acid, nu-disco, breakbeat and electro. His take on Balearic is unique and always sends dance floors wild, as proven with his last outing Food For Woofers Vol 2 earlier in the year. His new album is the sound of life by the Mediterranean, Balearic audio pleasure for daytime dreaming and nighttime dancing with vocal tracks written and performed by the UK's Space Echo Records associate Darene Obika.

Dario hails from Catania on the island of Sicily and his inspiration for Senza Estate, which translates as 'without summer,' was an imaginary holiday, weekends at the seaside, car journeys in the sun, relaxing sunsets and late-night dancing. "For five years, I worked in a shop six days a week so despite living on a Mediterranean island I could never enjoy these things. Instead, I locked myself in the studio and jotted down the ideas, sensations, melodies and rhythms I had about another lost summer."

'Keep On Cruising' is a downtempo opener with innocent synths that are filled with hope and promise for the warm months ahead. 'Zingarella' is a wide open sea view with wispy pads, seductive flutes and jazzy melodies that bristle with life and the tropical title cut gets more dancey on shuffling broken beats and radiant synth glows. There's a seductive laid-back cool to the tumbling keys of 'Marittimo' and 'What You Need' is a horizontal groove with loved-up vocals, 'Falò' pairs sensual acoustic guitar with work with pillowy drums and 'Il Pianeta Proibito' layers up sci-fi synths and stuttering bass into a bubbly sound that leads to cosmic take-off. 'Acid Panorama' is the melancholic closer which hints that the summer sun is setting one final time after weeks of carefree fun.

But the good news is, you can repeat the joys of My Friend Dario's masterful Senza Estate over and over again.


"Il siciliano My Friend Dario organizza in “Senza estate” una rigogliosa parata di chiaroscuri, smooth disco vibes l’ordine del giorno, a celebrare luci e ombre della stagione calda." Christian Zingales (Blow Up)

GLENN UNDERGROUND/
This Shit Right Here Is: MASTERFUL.

SEAN JOHNSTON/ A LOVE FROM OUTER SPACE Brilliant.

ARDALAN This is very grrovy stuff.

MARC DAVID BARRITE/ DAVE AJU
Lovely set of fresh and classy cuts as always from Dario - perfect for the poolside jams incoming the next weeks <3.

KEVIN REYNOLDS/ TRANSMAT Absolutely dreamy, I love it!

FELIX DICKINSON/ CYNIC This is wicked, thank you.

LOVEBIRDS Intersting stuff in here, Fav is : II PIANETA PROIBITO

COLIN DALE/ A seriously fantastic collection of tracks which I really think has to be heard in it’s entirety. Great musicianship and production levels, delivering a sensual deep sound influenced by many genres. Unique and beautiful.

RICHARD DORFMEISTER/ KRUDER DORMEISTER Excellent summer album!

CHARLES WEBSTER/
Zingarella and falo very nice ...will play

TOSHIYA KAWASAKI/ MULE MUSIQ Such a very nice album!

JARED COHEN/ RAZOR-N-TAPE
Couldn’t be asking for a better place to listen to this than Corsica by the water! Gorgeous. Could you let me know who the vinyl distributor is? I’d love to get some for the shop.

MARK BROADBENT/ PIKES HOTEL IBIZA
“Love the label and love the artists so very happy to see this drop in my in box. Not disappointed on first listen too.... great so far, will be spot on the Standard roof terrace early doors”

TOM THORPE/ PBR STREETGANG
I really like this album - lush Balearic business. Will play on our next radio show.

BILL BREWSTER/ NTS RADIO
Nice variety of sounds on this one.

DICKY TRISCO/ OPENLAB IBIZA
Home is absolutely wonderful. Heart is full. Sounds super sweet music! Excited to listen more in the sunshine.

ELADO/ RAZOR-N-TAPE
Wow i love this balearic magic! taking me back to the sunsets at cafe del mar.

LEX /LENG
Great downtempo balearic vibes, exactly as expected!! thanks!!

DANIELLE MOORE/ CRAZY P
0h yea this is w0nderfuI! Very Iush and easy t0 vibe t0. Very much making the mid-summer sweeter! Beautiful.

DOM SERVINI/ SOHO RADIO
Wow. Sound of the summer! Yes please.

KENNETH BAGER/ MUSIC FOR DREAMS acid panorama is my fave.

FEEL FLY/ INTERNATIONAL FEEL
Full Mediterranean poetry, album of the summer ... Dario always manages to touch the deepest and most romantic chords. 5/5.

FRANCK ROGER/ REAL TONE RECORDS Very nice album.

TREVOR FUNG/ THE PROJECT Lovely Album.

JAYE WARD/ RINSE FM
What a beautiful thing indeed!! Big fan. Zingarella & falo are wonderful.

MARI HAYAKAWA/ HELL YEAH
Love this album. Very cool downtempo tunes that I've been looking for!

PAUL MORRISSEY/ BOZAK
Love the Balearic feel to this, definitely will support.

DAN COOK/ POTATO HEAD BALI
A lovely album full of Mediterranean sunset vibes. Setting the tone with 'keep on cruising' - a strong opening track. It's 'Senza Estate' that is the pick of the bunch for me.

MANU ARCHEO
Marvellous work for the Summer. Yesssss!

GARETH SOMMERVILLE/ ATHENS OF NORTH
Love this LP. It’s an audio postcard from the sunny climes of southern Europe.

SOUL DYNAMIC / DEFECTED.
Another cool work from this guy, indeed in some of these tracks we can listen the inspiration that came from artists of funk-jazz soundtracks of the 70’ like Piccioni and Umiliani that we love a lot also. Senza Estate and Zingarella are our fav tracks, but all the tracks are very nice. Well done bro and thanks for this fresh music. support!

STE HODGE/ CAT RECORDS
Lovely treat this. Really really wonderful from start to finish. First 3 tracks are absolutely killa especially feeling the opener Keep on Cruising which I pretty much cannot stop bloody playing. My Friend Dario doing it and doing it very well.

EVERYBODY LOVES TO BOOGIE
The sound of summer in an LP, YES PLEASE!

LEO MAS / AMNESIA Beautiful Album, Bravo!!!

MELON BOMB/ JUAN CORBI Really nice, will play these for sure

MAX P/ TANGRAM
What an intense journey. I love the psy-mediterranean approach, Full support !

BLAIR FRENCH/ RAZOR-N-TAPE Yes please.

BILLY SCURRY/ TEMPLE OF SOUND
Wow, vibes on this are stunning! So so good.

KEREM GOKMEN/ WYEP PITTSBURGH
It’s always a good day in my book when I come to the end of listening to numerous incredible releases you’ve shared over the last few days, and I would’ve easily been able to say this about both the Disco Express and African Shakedown promos, but wrapping up the listening with this new My Friend Dario album was the best possible scenario, I love that there are multiple vocal cuts, ones like the title track Senza Estate and What I Need were certain standouts, and the opener Keep on Cruising,
Zingarella and Il Pianeta Proibito my other favorites. Would love a copy for the show.

OLIVER KIRTHALIS /MOJO
Super relaxed sound soft as the touch of a summer breeze. Choose your drink and chase the clouds away.

ANDY WILSON/ SONICA IBIZA
Marco played a couple of tracks on my show 2 weeks ago and I love them.

FREDDY GARCIA/ SANCHO PANZA
Very good lp Balearica vibe, love it. Yes please will play on the radio for sure.

LUCA ROCCATAGLIATI/ DJ ROCCA
Really great album, definitely for summer.

BRADLEY LUCKE/ CUT N SHUT DISCO
Love a bit of M F D! Another solid release here / fav track Senza.... Yes Please.

DEAN SMITH/ ISOLATON STATION
Especially on an afternoon like today. Sun beaming through and its perfect! Think on first listen its Keep on Cruising. Reminds of those first del mar comps. Will sit well this summer for sure.

MARK FURTHER IN FUSION BERLIN
Super nice laid-back soundtrack for the summer!!! "Keep On Cruising" and "Senza Estate" are my favourite picks!!!

WILL NICOL/ TOTALLY WIRED RADIO
Wonderful, so good to have new material from the hugely talented Dario and one of our fav labels - Hell Yeah!

AURA SAFARI/ HELL YEAH
This is one of the OST of our summer. Each song represents an imaginary and all instruments communicate with each other perfectly. Great album!!

JERRY BOUTHIER/ CONTINENTAL RECORDS Nice, chilled, sunny album yay thx supporting!

LAROYE/ LOCAL TALK
A beautiful piece of music! Full support.

DAVID PICKERING/ SIX MILLION STEPS
Lovely album this, sounds like a proper band playing in a similar style to all those ace Claremont 56 albums. It works as an album from start to finish with a nice unexpected vocal track in the middle of it all.

MARCUS ROSARIO/ DARKER THAN WAX
This is a great release - really like how beachy it is. Definitely getting radio play.

MIKE SWELLS/ FREELANCER
The whole album is gorgeously conceived and executed. The standout for me is II PIANETA PROIBITO because I love gremlin shit and this is foreboding in all the right ways.

MASSIMILIANO PAGLIARA/ PANORAMA BAR Great stuff!

BALEARIC ULTRAS/ MUSIC FOR DREAMS
Up there with the best album of the year for me, outstanding piece of work.

KEN FAN/ CAFÉ DEL MAR IBIZA
Love there vibe always. Good job again.

SIMON SAUMAREZ/ POINT BLANK FM
Hell yeah, I got as far as the third track and thought this is just a great
selection already, full of soul warmth and light. Been a Dario fan fer awhile and this really is a treat for the ears and heart and soul. Will be listening through all the cuts with excitement!! As Colin Patterson commented on one of the tracks.

MIKEY BEE / VINYL DREAMS SAN FRANCISCO
Hey again! Best MFD release in some time, will be grooving on this throughout the summer! Lots of killer, no filler here and I love Sanza
Estate, Falo & Il Pianeta Prohibido! LOVE IT, full support and would love the DL please. Thanks again!

TOMMY CASTRO/ 1 BTN
Huge MFD fan here!!! My Friend Dario never disappoints. That bangin' ep of clubbier tunes (Food for Woofers..." last year caught me just right. This producer has a gift for dialing-in sounds to perfection. This is ace. Definite support. my fave and would love to play this on beach stage this week at LI.

JONATHAN JEFFERIES/ APERSONAL
Another gorgeous offering from Hell Yeah. A much more contemplative, cinematic and horizontal offering than usual from My Friend Dario. Fabulous!

ED MAHON/ COWBELL RADIO
Yes!! Big Hell Yeah fan and big My Friend Dario fan too, this is class!!! So many great tunes and an array of ace sounds but one MASSIVE highlight is Senza Estate, what a tune from the off! Definitely going straight into my setlist for Pikes this week, absolutely love it!

MARTIN LODGE/ MI SOUL FM That’s nice n chilled.

IAN PERRY/ POW BRIXTON
DREAMY!!! Ah im now sitting on a beach, cold beer in hand again .... oh no its rainy Croydon .... Do we get free sunshine with every download please??? This is lovely - yes please.

OLIVIER CAVALLER/ PLAYLISTER
Really nice Balearic record. Perfect for my dj set on the beach in Ibiza next week.

DAVE JARVIS/ MOTON RECORDS Sounding lush - really liking this spot on.

GINO GRASSO / BBE
Senza Estate is top ...for beach set in chill out vibe...Killer, Marco and his label Rulez.

ELBERT PHILLIPS/ CHICAGO LIFE
Each selection on this album works for me! From start to finish, it's a uniquely beautiful album!

DANNY DUBBED/ MOODY MANC
Wonderful sunshine sounds throughout! Lovely! Thanks!

JULIAN GARNETT/ POINT BLANK FM
A very sophisticated album. Chilled, relaxing and calming. A most enjoyable listen throughout. Perfect for those lazy days on the beach or just chillin' round the pool. Great work.

EDDY RAMICH/ SONAR KOLLEKTIV
Sounds to be a really cool listening Balearic lp. Like it.

My Friend Dario serves up beats that come from tropical landscapes, guitars that break on the sand like foaming little waves and majestic synths that shine like the sun. This is the sonic vision of My Friend Dario, a new freestyle project by Catania's very own DJ and producer Dario Aiello and one whose rarefied sounds are designed for chilling out and heating up a dance floor!