Celebrating a decade as a sanctuary for Balearic music, Hostal La Torre has released La Torre Ibiza Volumen Cinco, curated by residents Pete Gooding and Mark Barrott. Out June 27 on CD and vinyl, the 15-track compilation captures the venue’s free-flowing spirit — where soundtracks drift from ambient to orchestral to Detroit techno, tracing the arc of the sun as it sinks into the sea.
Photo credit: La Torre Ibiza – Official
Since 2015, La Torre has become a pillar of Ibiza’s musical culture, rooted in storytelling rather than genre, and honoring the legacy of pioneers like José Padilla. Volume Five includes music by Nina Simone, Mazzy Star, Talk Talk, Boards of Canada, Eden Burns, and YMO’s Yukihiro Takahashi, with a tribute to Padilla via Software’s ‘Present Voice’.
To mark the release, here is a list of ten deeply influential tracks that never made it onto a compilation—either due to licensing issues or because they simply didn’t fit the final flow. Together, they offer a glimpse into the broader sonic DNA of La Torre.
1. Grace Jones – The Crossing (Ooh the Action)
“Such a delicate nuanced track — quite beautiful. Trevor Horn and his team at their best, Miss Jones perfect as ever. Very Ibiza.”
2. Jeff Majors – Yasmeen
“Phil Mison (Cantoma) introduced me to this track and we wanted to license it for every comp, but they’ve always said no. It’s one to just drift away on.”
3. Fila Brazillia – Soft Music Under Stars
“This nearly went on Volume 5! Wonderful track — at La Torre I always use it to transition from the earlier quiet period into a more energetic vibe pre-sunset.”
4. Leon Vynehall – Midnight on Rainbow Road
“We couldn’t license this. I remember playing it with Harvey peeking over my shoulder asking what it was and stealing my spare memory stick to get hold of it!”
5. Mark Barrott – Saviours or Savages?
“Gotta include one of your own! I use it to come back down after the energy of Leon V and maybe Global Communication ‘5:23’, into the pre-sunset period.”
6. Aphex Twin – Analogue Bubblebath
“Mr James goes Balearic without realising it — beautiful.”
7. William Orbit – Water from a Vine Leaf (Underworld Remix)
“Hypnotic — the perfect soundtrack to stare out to sea and forget that the world is run by idiots.”
8. Stars of the Lid – The Evil That Never Arrived
“A little curveball for sunset — totally f***ing beautiful. The sense of melody and atmosphere these guys have is unparalleled.”
9. The Blue Nile – Tinseltown in the Rain
“Genius at work — that oh so Balearic alt 80’s pop direct from Glasgow to Ibiza.”
10. Eurythmics – This City Never Sleeps
“A classic, but it always seemed a little obvious to include on one of the comps. I did, however, play it most weeks after sunset at La Torre. One week, a very rich looking German lady came up to me and started telling me how important this song was for her — as it was from the masturbation scene in Nine and a Half Weeks. She then turned around and walked off, only to turn back and calmly ask me if she could piss on me! Only in Ibiza.”
‘La Torre Ibiza Volumen Cinco’ is out now on Hostal La Torre. Stream and download here.
