Eric Prydz goes infrared on Mondays at Hï Ibiza with [CELL]

Like all good showmen, Eric Prydz accentuates the delivery of his of his audio-visual shows by cloaking them in mystery beforehand. He has played that hand especially well when it comes to his latest project. Aside from a brief teaser video, little was known about [CELL] - custom-built for Hï Ibiza.

Unlike 2023's HOLO, which was scaled down to fit inside the club, [CELL] has been designed exclusively for it.

Curious to find out more, Ibiza Spotlight went mob-handed to week two of [CELL]. Did Prydz still have the capacity to surprise? And how would it compare to his earlier projects - if at all?

No one-trick pony

by Stephen Hunt, clubbing editor

With this latest A/V project, Prydz has flipped the script, almost abandoning the hologram techniques used last year.

For anybody who came to Hï Ibiza in 2023 or saw HOLO anywhere else in the world, that means you’re in for a totally different experience with [CELL]. It also proves Prydz's is no one-trick pony and is continuously looking to broaden the scope of his performance.

For the first half hour of the show, Prydz's uses almost exclusively red and white light against black, only later introducing blues and greens. As the debate against mobile phone use on the dancefloor picks up pace, Prydz should be given credit.

While the technology used for [CELL] is very effective in flesh, it doesn't look nearly as refined recorded through a lens. That should encourage at least a percentage of the dancefloor to keep their phone in their pocket and enjoy the spectacle in the moment.

If you're of the disposition that visuals are little more than a distraction, then fortunately Prydz has a back-catalogue of music to match the theatrics. Most of what he plays is taken from his own impressive archive.

Amongst the surprises, there's also the reassuringly predictable. Then again, if I had written a piece of music as perfect as Opus, I think I’d be inclined to end every show with it as well!

A glitch in the matrix

by Jo Dargie, freelance contributor

With no previous experience of HOLO and, therefore, no frame of reference, I entered the vortex of [CELL] handing all preconceptions to Progressive House master Eric Prydz. My mind was a blank canvas ready to be wowed - and that I was.

First, let’s address the obvious. Phones on the dancefloor is a hot topic. In all honesty, the glitching matrix overhead was deserving of a snap or two to send to your mates back home. That said, it didn't stop me dancing.

As the night unravelled, dark dance music powered the crowd to a higher state. It soon struck me that the lowered ceiling production rig created an unsuspecting intimate vibe in Hï Ibiza's vast Theatre. 

In the enormity of it all, we kept in eyeshot of Prydz himself who dove into his catalogue of music from Pryda to Cirez D. There was the odd curveball too, such Electro Pop flame Sweet Dreams by Eurythmics.

A noteworthy mention should also go to everything else going on. Patrick Topping commanded the Club Room, while the Wild Corner toilet rave with Yung Omz (one-third of Mason Collective) and his unannounced guests Jammer from Boy Better Know and HoneyLuv absolutely sent it.

Channelling Tron

by Luke Botting, freelance contributor

Eric Prydz's new [CELL] concept takes cutting-edge visuals to new heights, creating yet another immersive experience.

The centrepiece is three rows of LED screens, stretching from front to back of Hï Ibiza's Theatre. On their own, they would be limited, but together they create a continuous sequence for the visual display, visible from every corner.

Flashes of strobe light punctuate the performance, adding bursts of energy and excitement while geometric patterns dance from one of the LED canvas to the other, perfectly in sync with the rhythm of the music.

At times, the screens transformed into a nebula of stars, mirroring the atmospheric quality of particular tracks. In other parts, Prydz's neon blue filter had me drawing similarities to the science-fiction movie franchise Tron.

[CELL] solidifies Eric Prydz's place at the forefront of visual performance. In a field where he was already a leader, the artist has excelled himself.

Whether you are a fan of Prydz’s productions across all his musical identities or simply seek a memorable night on Ibiza that it isn’t possible to get anywhere else in the world, [CELL] ticks both boxes. Tickets for the remaining ten shows are on sale now and can be bought below.

WORDS | by Stephen Hunt, Jo Dargie and Luke Botting