Ibiza has a funny way of blurring the memories, yet at the same time making moments so vivid they stay ingrained in your frontal lobe for a lifetime. Much of that is down to the music and each year offers a unique sonic fingerprint. Here's our snapshot of the last six months.
You don't have to agree with us - music is subjective. Although influenced by our collective tastes, on the balance of things, this is a pretty fair reflection of Ibiza 2023 across the board.
Several other tracks came close to being included, but we've capped the list at a nice round ten as the definitive sound of summer.
No matter whether you were out here for a few days or the entire summer, we're confident at least a few of these will be familiar to you. Reminisce and enjoy!
01. Max Dean | Killerz | Box Red
This one comes from self-taught DJ and producer Max Dean.
A year removed since his breakthrough track Future Looks Bright placed him firmly on the map, Max has rubber-stamped his arrival. He's released banger after banger on some of the underground's most coveted labels in the last twelve months.
Released only last month on Box Red, Killerz has been played at pretty much every Ibiza super-club over the past few months, as well as plenty of villa parties. Its catchy vocal and hard-hitting baseline have stuck in my head and it has his signature sound all over it.
This summer, Max has found himself on line-ups to parties he could only have dreamed of just a few years ago.
02. &Me and Black Coffee | The Rapture (Part III) | keinemusik
Co-produced by &Me and Black Coffee, The Rapture (Part III) will forever remind me of summer 2023. This track encompasses gentle build-ups, spine-tingling chords and tender piano lines that flow with overwhelming emotion.
I've heard this track being played all over the island this summer, from Solomun at Pacha, Franky Wah presents SHÈN at Club Chinois, on the terrace in DC10 and by keinemusik themselves, wherever they've shown up. This melodic Afro House sound just keeps growing and growing.
03. CAMELPHAT feat Ali Love | Compute | When Stars Align
Straight from CAMELPHAT's brand new album Spiritual Milk, Compute samples Kraftwerk classic It's More Fun to Compute, delivering not only a sonic gem but a floor-thumping anthem.
The track marries Ali Love's raspy vocals with CAMELPHAT's flair for crafting infectious beats, falling between the sweet spot between House and Techno. A worthy homage to the godfathers of electronic music, by the modern day kingpins.
After a 2022 that dipped below their high expectations, CAMELPHAT regained ground in 2023 thanks to their slammed new Pacha residency, headlining IMS Grand Finale in Dalt Vila and an album launch at Destino.
04. FISHER feat Aatig | Take It Off | Catch & Release
Released this year via FISHER's own label Catch & Release, you'll be no stranger to this catchy, feel-good anthem that's taken over dancefloors worldwide. I loved Aatig's vocals from the moment I first heard it. The lyrics are so simple but delivered to devastating effect. SUCCESS!
It even got a surprise play at underground hangout Akasha courtesy of Sharam, much to the shock of the clubbing team.
Giving this track a whole new lease of life, I heard the most incredible Tech House remix during a set from The Martinez Brothers at the end of summer. Currently unreleased, this potent rework is now the subject of a personal research campaign I find myself knee-deep in to identify.
05. Robbie Doherty | Dream Of Me | Shall Not Fade
First heard at Destino back in July, the track's euphoric vocal made my jaw hit the floor as soon as it kicked in.
I immediately got my phone out to Shazam and Robbie Doherty's name popped up. He is an artist very much on the brink of stardom and has broken into the Ibiza scene this year with gigs at Prunk's PIV party at Cova Santa.
The track takes on a deeper, more hypnotic sound to his previous bouncy Minimal releases. His 2022 track It's My Beat also continued doing the rounds on the Ibiza club circuit this season. Expect to see him out here a lot more next summer.
06. Rex The Dog | Change This Pain For Ecstasy | Kompakt
Rex The Dog returned with his first single for Kompakt in three years.
Change This Pain For Ecstasy was a pulsating, multi-layered anthem with sweeping chords and unique vocal that sings out a psychedelic raver's urge for liberation: "take away my sorrow and this pain."
This one's been played out from the very beginning of summer. It's safe to say that it's had the whole Ibiza Spotlight team in a trance ever since. We love it so much and yet it had the added benefit of not being overplayed, making it a joy on the occasions we got treated to it.
07. Samm | Does It Matter (Ajna Remix) | Magnifik
Another cut heavily supported by the keinemusik camp, underlining just what an all-imposing Ibiza 2023 the collective had. This one sounded great from the garden of DC10 to the sands of Cala Gracioneta. No doubt, this will continue doing the business in Tulum and afar this winter.
08. FISHER feat Kita Alexander | Atmosphere | Catch & Release
Scandalous though it may seem, we're including a second entry from the cultural phenomenon that is FISHER. Testament to his unflagging popularity, Atmosphere was yet another hit from the party animal from down under.
Much more floaty than the club smashes his repertoire is usually known for, Atmosphere proved to be a much-loved track all the same.
09. Calvin Harris feat Ellie Goulding | Miracle | Sony
A commercial miracle! This track by Scottish DJ and producer Calvin Harris featuring English singer-songwriter sensation Ellie Goulding was a hit from the off. The duo have previously worked together creating summer anthems I Need Your Love and Outside.
When they get into the studio together, it guarantees a smash every time.
Released as a single in March via Sony, the anthem inspired by Eurodance and Trance has become a radio hit, festival banger and sure-fire dancefloor-erupter. I regret not being at Ushuaïa when he brought out Ellie for a live rendition. I would have gone mental!
10. Peggy Gou | (It Goes Like) Nanana | XL Recordings
Whether you love it or hate it, this track has rightfully secured its place in the top ten ranking of this summer. It was simply rinsed everywhere, from O Beach to Ushuaïa. Peggy Gou left the world awe-inspired with this ode to a bygone time.
Earning her first Billboard chart entry, (It Goes Like) Nanana borrowed massively from ATB's Trance era (9PM) Till I Come. Released on XL Recordings, Nanana deployed bendy synths and Peggy's own vocal throughout a mouth-watering slice of piano House.
It didn't seem to matter whether they market themselves as mainstream or underground, lots of DJs had this one loaded for play. Even CAMELPHAT utilised a pitched-down edit.
That's a wrap! Ibiza is over and out for summer 2023. In some ways, it flashed before our eyes, but in others, it has felt like the longest season ever - mainly due to the fact that it was!
Clubland retracts now, but it doesn't go away completely. Club Chinois and Es Paradis continue for the time being and Akasha will again be our stronghold over winter.
Consult our party calendar to get a feel for what's going on or dip into our newsfeed for the latest happenings.
ADDITIONAL WORDS | by Stephen Hunt
