Clint Lee - Ibiza Global Radio 22_08_24

The Clint Lee sound channels generations of collective energy from the soil of every place he’s set foot. Born in South Africa and based in Ibiza, he curates unforgettable moments where the ancient past and distant future meet as one.

This is no accident. Clint treats music as a practice, setting his intention before each studio session or DJ set. His worldly rhythms have captivated audiences on White Isle dance floors such as Ushuaïa, Privilege, Heart, Club Chinois, Beachouse Ibiza, and Blue Marlin Ibiza. In truth, though, he’s a global citizen. Common ground manifests anyplace his path may lead.

Clint Lee’s penchant for organic percussion is rooted in the East Coast of South Africa, where he came up and learned to play records. When he turned 20, he moved to the UK to work closely alongside his brother, who was also a DJ. Performing at historic London clubs like The End, Turnmills, The Cross and Canvas steered his early sound in a hard and hedonistic direction.

That all changed when he first visited Ibiza in 2006. Clint was instantly drawn to the White Isle’s simple way of life as it struck a chord with his South African upbringing. He set out to capture this familiar warmth and bring it back with him to London. These efforts materialized as partnerships on UK events with Ibiza institutions such as Luciano & Friends, Cadenza, Amnesia and Circoloco.

By 2008, Clint Lee started splitting his time between Ibiza and London. Each visit to the island propelled him further on an inward journey that helped him shed the excesses of clubland and return to his source. This also signaled a shift in his music. In true Balearic fashion, his DJ sets began to marry rich instrumentals and folk music from many cultures. The resulting sound was a borderless sonic melting pot further ignited by visits to clubs throughout Asia, South America, and Europe.

Ibiza welcomed Clint Lee with open arms once he obtained his Spanish residency in 2017, and perhaps even more so lately. Over the course of two summers he performed regularly at the Saga parties headlined by Bedouin along with a decorated roster of special guests.

2022 saw him perform quite often at the newly opened Club Chinois, notably for Ida Engberg’s Una gatherings, Themba’s Colours series, and as the closer for Satori’s A Starry Night events. As a grand finale, he played alongside Luciano at two season closing parties: one at Chinois and the other at Beachouse Ibiza.

As 2023 lineups dropped, Clint’s name grew even more ubiquitous on the White Isle. Not only did longtime progressive house staple Renaissance tap him for shows at Club Chinois, but Ritual has included him for NIIWA, their first in-house nights at the club in which classic Chinese decor meets with futuristic themes. Akasha at Las Dalias has also played host to his signature fusion of organic and electronic sounds.

Clint Lee has doubled down on music production in recent years. His eclectic yet cohesive style of dance music borrows not only from his African roots, but also the hand drums of the Amazon, Middle Eastern harmonic scales, and even the rustic twang of North American deserts. All throughout, the message is the same. His dance floor is a place of unity, one where people from all walks can come together.

The boom of a warm and welcoming bass line beckons as you make your way through the crowd. Clint smiles knowingly on the opposite side of the decks — he’s as lost in the moment as everyone else. It goes deeper than the songs he selects, or even their drumlines and melodies and how they’re arranged. What resonates in the frequencies radiating outward from where he stands is universal. It’s undeniable.

Everything has led up to this point for DJ and producer Clint Lee. What comes next is untold. As far as he’s concerned, the present is all that exists.

Photographer / Retoucher - Avid house and techno fan. Spend a lot of time editing, so will always have a mix on. Safe.