Rui Da Silva may be a common name on summer line-ups in Ibiza but the house DJ spent his formative years performing with one turntable at parties in Portugal, where he helped kick-start the country's dance music scene.
For our summer sessions series, the Kismet Records founder put together a selection of tunes that take him back to his home country, with a mix that focuses on his time living and working in the Portuguese sun.
The mix kicks off with a soft acoustic version of his hit Touch Me, sung by Abigail Bailey. "This is a very special version," he explains. "It shows how great a song is when you can move it between genres and it still holds its appeal. Every time I hear this version it reminds me of when I played it with the sun going down in a beautiful place called Casita Verde."
The mix also includes tracks by Prince andErotic City, which Rui associates with growing up in Lisbon, while the song Don't Turn It Off by 40 Thieves, "reminds me of a wedding I went to last year in Madeira."
And, of course, there are also tracks for hanging out by the sea: "Sunburst by Lisbon Kid is the perfect soundtrack for summer in the Algarve, sipping ice-cold cerveja and eating gambas," says Rui.
Rui Da Silva's new single, Love is the Leader featuring Penny F ,will be released on August 4 , djruidasilva.com
