Having spent a considerable chunk of my time here immersed in Ibiza's nightlife, I was convinced I had experienced the island's full spectrum of revelry. From world-leading super-clubs to sun-soaked beach bars, I'd ticked just about every box on my Ibiza bucket list.
However, intrigued by whispers of a more sophisticated clubbing experience, away from the relentless energy of the main strips in San Antonio and Playa d'en Bossa, little did I know Akasha, a hidden gem in the islands north, awaited my discovery.
One of the greats of Progressive House music, John Digweed was back. With an opportunity like this too alluring to pass, the team and I assembled. Bound for Akasha, we made our way across the island to the quiet village of San Carlos, to catch a master craftsman in an intimate setting.
Discovering Akasha
Expecting a packed house, we arrived at Akasha for 01:00. To our pleasant surprise, entry was swift and seamless - a stark contrast to the usual queueing we frequently encounter elsewhere.
As evident on arrival, nothing was typical about the Akasha experience.
The cosy atmosphere coupled with a noticeably maturer and more musically literate clientele, created a real sense of dancefloor community - a condition perhaps not replicable at the main party hotspots, with tourists flying in and out on a weekly basis?
A quick comparison of drink prices also confirmed our initial impressions: Akasha offers a more wallet-friendly experience. Water, hierbas and beer are all comfortably priced well below €10 each. Even though Ibiza's often inflated prices are well documented, they're not a foregone conclusion.
Opening DJ and Akasha creative director, Igor Marijuan stood behind the decks in the middle of the Boiler Room style layout, playing a masterful blend of melodic electronic music. His set was the perfect warm-up, gently easing everyone into the night's musical escapade.
The music was amplified by Akasha's hexagonal top speakers and subwoofers, delivering a deep and rich audio output. While the club might be small, its sound system is anything but.
Adding to the experience, psychedelic wall projections transformed the space into a kaleidoscope of colour.
Shortly before Digweed's set, Igor dropped a series of euphoric tracks to ignite the crowd. Newcoming by Sydney-based artist mredrollo and Ungaya, a collaboration by Reza and Lawrence Friend, sent the energy levels soaring.
Despite its secluded location, miles away from Ibiza's main party hubs, the club rapidly filled as we dizzied towards Digweed's set.
At 02:00, John Digweed came on, taking over from Igor as the crowd whooped and cheered. Unleashing his opening track, the Bedrock boss commanded the decks with a magnetic presence. Notably, phone use was non-existent. Everyone was fully invested in the music.
Digweed started off slow, gradually building the energy with noticeable peaks and troughs throughout the set. The masterful DJ navigated a diverse musical landscape and the crowd's emotions followed.
One of several stand-out tracks included Fashion by Ohmme, which worked the crowd with its driving beat and high-energy percussion.
The tempo dropped briefly, with Digweed spinning the Sébastien Léger remix of Pinie by Parra for Cuva, another hypnotic groover that caused murmurs on the dancefloor.
The set was a thrilling journey through various strands of underground electronic music, blending Afro, Acid, Deep and Progressive House effortlessly.
After seeing Eric Prydz, Ben Böhmer and Ben Hemsley at some of Ibiza's larger, more famous clubs in the last month, tonight felt like a full circle moment. Witnessing one of the Progressive House originators in such a close-knit environment was a special way to end my summer.
The long journey home back to the south of the island was filled with an animated discussion about our night and Akasha in general. The consensus was unilateral: a return trip was a must.
Akasha has redefined our expectation of Ibiza's nightlife, proving exceptional experiences don't necessarily require massive crowds or flashy production. Instead, its balanced blend of music, atmosphere and size, coupled with its commitment to quality sound, puts it in a league of its own.
Dates with Sébastien Léger, Patrice Bäumel, Guy Mantzur, Dave Seaman, Matthias Meyer, Adam Ten and more are all still to come in Akasha's summer series. Tickets for all forthcoming parties are on sale now and available below.
WORDS | by Luke Botting
