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The Illusions presents Find Your Way LP Released 18th June
Juju Mello – Single Released 4th June
Album Premiere EartH Hackney, 19th June
Get Tickets HERE
Ibiza’s 7-piece jazz-funk collective The Illusions bring you their incredible debut album Find Your Way, out on 18th June. An eclectic mix of funk, jazz soul and afro-influenced rhythms, Find Your Way has been heavily influenced by the band’s own love of electronica and hip hop and live improvisation formed into a sound shaped on the island, but with a reach far beyond it. The album launch will be followed by a London show supporting Nathan Haines, at EartH Hackney on Friday 19th June.
The Illusions were born at the famous WOM Radio Café in Santa Eularia, Ibiza, five years ago when Antonio Blakstad (Vocals, Keys) and Pere Navarro (Trumpets, Keys) performed as a duo. WOM founder Harry Charles recognised their potential and asked if they could channel the same energy into a whole live band. The duo enlisted some of the very best musicians on the island, who through a shared love of music were already their friends and jam session partners.
Antonio Prosper (Bass), Katanna McKenzie (Percussion) and Arturo Garcia (Drums) are a rhythm section tour de force. Toni Mari (Guitar) and Franco Botto (Sax) complete the exceptional septet. The Illusions are accomplished as a live band and this travels through to the recorded album. Nathan Haines mixed and produced the entire album, his legacy and production skills bringing further credibility and depth to the project. The result is Find Your Way – a body of work which bridges live performance energy with the band’s own Balearic upbringing.
Find Your Way features a collection of original compositions that reflect the band’s musical diversity and identity, including tracks such as Juju Mellow, The Stream, and Slow It Down. The project captures the essence of Ibiza beyond its global club image, presenting a richer, more human story of the island’s musical culture.
Juju Mellow, available as a single on 4th June, is sublime. Rolling percussion and the slickest bassline start the track. The Illusions’ tight rhythm section is a beauty to behold – bass, drums and percussion working in unison. Vocals join, sounding intoxicated by the hypnotic rhythms laid down. Perhaps the most joyous moment of this amazing track is where the horns break in, timed to the millisecond, adding even more colour to the rainbow.
The London album launch at EartH Hackney on 19th June will mark the band’s UK debut, presented as a special double bill with Nathan Haines and his band, alongside a DJ set from Giles Smith. The show is positioned as a key cultural moment, bringing together live jazz, dancefloor energy, and a new wave of energy from Ibiza. Expect live instrumentation, extended grooves and a dancefloor energy built from musicianship.
Find Your Way marks a pivotal moment for the island and a critical sea change for the independent cultural scene. The band are also part of a broader movement through the Balearic Legacy Association, a cultural initiative focused on preserving and evolving the musical identity of Ibiza, creating new pathways for artists to operate independently. The project challenges traditional industry models by prioritising real connection, live performance and a value-driven exchange.
Antonio Blakstad from the band tells us more: “This project has grown organically from the island, from playing together, learning from each other, and finding a shared sound. The album is a reflection of that journey, and we’re excited to bring it to London.”
Manager and Creative Director Harry Charles adds: “This isn’t just an album release, it’s the beginning of a new model for how artists can build, connect and sustain themselves. The Illusions represent something real coming out of Ibiza, and this show is about bringing that energy to London in its purest form.”
If you can’t make the London launch of Find Your Way, and should you visit Ibiza this summer, make sure you see The Illusions perform to see just how incredible this live ensemble are.
