This season Defected's Hannah Thomas will be bringing you weekly updates direct from Ibiza.
A dance music extravaganza best describes my past week on what has to be the world’s ultimate party island. After all and festivals aside, there are very few places in the world where it’s possible in the space of 4 days, to listen to artists ranging from multi award winning dubstep/ garage songstress Katy B, to techno mastermind Richie Hawtin, to the Godfather of house music Frankie Knuckles at four top rated clubbing venues.
Tuesday night saw me back at Amnesia where over five thousand young English bass heads came to sweat ‘n’ jack it out to Katy B, Rudimental and Pendulum in the Main Room. I reckon the average age could have only been 23, so I have to say I did feel a bit long in the tooth, especially when it seemed like everyone in the club knew every single word to every one of Katy B’s songs apart from me . The only track that seemed to throw them was ‘What Love Is Made Of’, the first single from the second studio album she told me she was working on the very next day. Although her music is not my cup of tea, it’s quite clear the Peckham born n bread girl is massively talented.
At one stage, when Rudimental came on and dropped the second UK number one single of the night ‘Waiting All Night’, it did feel more like a pop concert than a clubbing experience, but once again I really couldn’t fault the over all vibe of Together. I was so chuffed I got to see Rudimental for the first time, especially after the rave reviews they received after their Glastonbury performance. Although it wasn’t the full band and just a DJ set from Piers and Leon (who coincidentally lives on the same street as me back in London!!), they did nothing to disappoint. Despite being, shall we say, a bit worse for ware after a boat party earlier on that day, their fun loving and cheeky energy behind the decks was infectious. Mashin’ up tracks as diverse as Shy FX’s ‘Bambatta’ and Biggie’s ‘Hypnotize’ pretty much summed up the flavour of their set for me; the crowd and me both gutted when their time was up.
My first visit to Richie Hawtin’s Enter on Thursday was equally as good a night and in fact my best night at Space so far this season. Maya Jane Coles true to form, played a different style of set to the last time I saw her, staying faithful to the title of one of her previous EPs’ Don’t Put Me in Your Box’. She played a decidedly upbeat party set whilst maintaining the musicality and bass driven vibes which define her signature sound. Unsurprisingly, Maceo Plex played yet another stonker, dropping unknown tracks; the names of which I’m still itching to find out. Even the last hour of Richie’s set was ace enough keeping the Italian and Spanish massive raving to the bitter end.
You would think that things couldn’t get much better but Carola proved me wrong once again. I really thought that the driving tech house sounds I arrived to would bore me quickly but come five in the morning, there was no way there was any other dance floor I would have rather been. He is a God amongst raving men. A titan of techno clashing down garage tracks. F**k me, I’ve rarely heard anything like it! Just listen to 'I’m Tired' by Bruni and Danielle really, really, really loud and this might, in some way, given you an indication of what was going down in the Terrace that morning. Forza Napoli!!!
Defected also came up trumps, on Saturday and Monday both. I have never seen Eden so busy in the 8 years I’ve been coming to the island, but I really wasn’t shocked after the crowds Disclosure pulled at Space a few weeks back. Simon Dunmore warmed the excitable crowd up with ease, impressing with his selection of deeper tracks from the Defected catalogue; the balcony and dance floor of the newly re-furbed venue bursting at the seams.
It goes without saying that the two young brothers dropped a handful of their hits but for me, what impressed most, was their inclusion of a couple of my all time favourite tracks, including Henrik Shwarz’s remix of Omar’s ‘Feeling You’, Eats Everything’s ‘Circles’ remix, Butch’s ‘No Worries’ (big up Liliaaan!) and last but definitely not least Sia’s ‘Little Man’. Bo selecta.
Defected’s first party on the roof terrace at Ushauia Tower was another banger but unfortunately for me I worked at street level and didn’t get to see listen to the God father Frankie Knuckles at work. I did however have a good old stare at Roberto Cavali and his entourage as he arrived for dance! A wee bit of a contrast in clientele to Saturday’s San An crowd me thinks…
All that raving meant I spent most of my daylight hours in bed or by the pool, but I promise some much needed tales away from the dance floor are coming your way next time.
Defected In The House is at Booom! Ibiza every Saturday while Defected at The Tower takes place every Monday throughout the season - click here for full line-up details
