Skyrager - Coconut Dreams
Skyrager takes us on a trip to Coconut Dreams, a mythical tropical paradise, soundtracked by some of his most cherished records.
Words by Mark Limb • Aug 31, 2026
Danny McLewin will be well known to readers of The Electric Disco, both under his Skyrager alias and as one half of the production powerhouse Psychemagik.
A lifelong digger, DJ and tastemaker, Danny has spent decades building a collection that traverses folk, funk, soul and Balearica, alongside a treasure trove of leftfield cosmic obscurities.
His Magik Cyrkles, Sunrise and Sunset LPs and the more recent Traces of Illusion compilation offered a glimpse into that world, alongside his consistently stunning mixes and selections for sites such as Idle Cellars and Test Pressing.
Coconut Dreams is the latest trip into the Aladdin’s cave of Danny’s collection, where holy grails, dollar bin jams and everything in between are presented as an imagined soundtrack to a mythical tropical retreat.
The LP opens to the laid back sounds of The Carmets’ ‘Silver Moon Beach’, its gentle ocean wave intro smoothly setting the tone as the jazz melodies slowly build around delicate guitars and vibes, instantly transporting you to Danny's tropical paradise.
The selections drift seamlessly into the haunting jazz fusion of Ryo Kawasaki’s ‘You Are The Sunlight’, featuring the ethereal voice of Ilana Morillo, followed by the stunning vocals of Angela Bofill on ‘Under The Moon And Over The Sky’, which is one of the most infectious pieces of music I’ve heard in a long time. Not incredibly rare, but perfectly placed within this compilation and so joyously uplifting that it begs to be listened to repeatedly and has rapidly become a favourite in our house.
Danny has an ear for the obscure, but also a knack for picking out the kind of heartfelt and intimate records that truly stop you in your tracks, and there are a few here on Coconut Dreams.
‘I Am, I Am’ by O’Donel Levy in particular. Built around Levy's melancholy guitar playing and vocals, the track starts off as a heart wrenching folk lullaby before a gently shuffling beat kicks in alongside a wandering harmonica that weaves in and out of Levy’s mournful lament to the track’s end.
It wouldn’t be a true Skyrager compilation if it didn’t venture into wonky cosmic territory, and Keiko Nosaka & George Murasaki deliver in droves with ‘Oritatamu Umi’. Its Moroder esque bassline counters the electric guitars, synths and Nosaka’s wonderful koto melodies in a track that would have been right at home on a classic Baldelli playlist.
Stamp Heat Band’s ‘Drum Drops’ keeps the cosmic flag flying with a track straight out of the Sarcastic playbook of live drum breaks and whigged out synths.
The selections continue to twist and turn the further into the album you go. Fred Bryan & The All Stars’ hypnotic, downtempo reggae and disco protest song ‘Apartheid Must Go’, the ridiculously rare soulful folk of Joseph’s ‘Three O'Clock In The Morning’, and then the album finale, the stunning ambient mix of Yasuko Agawa’s ‘LA Night’, previously only available on a 90s CD compilation.
This is an incredible album from start to finish and it is obvious that an immense amount of time and love has been spent digging for and licensing every track featured here, so the chance to own them all on one compilation is a no brainer.
Coconut Dreams is available for preorder now from Mr Bongo and all other good record stores.
