Electronic music exploded here in the '80s, with modern club culture traced back to the hedonistic summers of Ibiza 1986 and 1987 and the rippling effect they had on the scene in the UK and throughout Europe thereafter. They were simpler, more innocent times.
It would be ignorant, however, to think that Ibiza's musical heritage started then. It couldn't be further from the case.
Since 1954, Las Dalias has been the epicentre of live music on Ibiza. It became a venue that showcased, not only native Spanish musicians, but imported experimental music from all over the world. For decades, it was one of the few places you could listen to these exotic sounds in the whole of Spain.
This summer, Las Dalias marked sixty glorious years of existence. While it might not have the profile of some of its southern counterparts, it remains a year-round hub for music on the island.
Heading into the cool season, things naturally quieten down a little as the tourist numbers decrease. Yet Las Dalias keeps the fire burning deep into winter. Next weekend is a great example of the entertainment you can find still happening outside of the tourist season.
Satori: an enigmatic artist
Translating as "spontaneous enlightenment" in Buddhism, Satori is the stage name of Dutch-born, Balkan-blooded musician Djordje Petrovic. Multi-disciplined across a variety of instruments, Satori is equally adept as a "one-man band" or as a virtuoso frontman.
On Saturday, 2 November starting at 19:00, we have the pleasure of seeing both sides of his musical persona.
"I love to do a 04:00 live set where people close their eyes and move. But I also love to have a performance where people watch and look towards the performance without feeling the need to react. With the band I can touch a lot of ground that I can't solo, but here's no preferred option."
Armed with his laptop, numerous MIDI controllers, keys, a microphone (for occasional bouts of singing!), and just wait until he gets his flute out, Satori takes the dancefloor on a really hypnotic journey.
With no two performances the same, speculation is redundant. Satori is a performer who keeps you on the edge of your seat.
FOR FURTHER INSIGHT INTO SATORI READ OUR 2018 INTERVIEW
The dual experience
What makes this date even more interesting is that Satori will perform twice. First, outside in Las Dalias garden under starlight. Later, a lucky 300 of us will move inside to intimate Akasha for a club show. So how will these two performances differ?
The first part of the night will be an ensemble piece, where Satori is joined on stage by The Band From Space. Much more like a concert, this follows in the footsteps of Las Dalias' popular Back To Live series, which has recently been graced by Macau, Lia Kali and Alex Serra.
The second half sees Satori taking centre stage as he goes solo. This is when the tempo will increase, the freedom for improvisation will open up and we'll be treated to more club-orientated music.
It's a rare opportunity to experience two contrasting types of set on the same night.
The heritage of Las Dalias
Culturally, the importance of Las Dalias cannot be overstated. An outlier for so long, it epitomised Ibiza's multiculturalism and prevailing carefree attitude.
In the modern day, Las Dalias serves as a counter-weight to the big business, bright lights and social media dominance of Ibiza's world-famous club scene. When thinking of electronic music, DJing springs immediately to mind, but the art of selecting and mixing records is limited.
On an island where the DJ is perceived to be king, you should be careful not to worship false idols.
Iban Mendoza and Medusa Odyssey are two names that can be caught playing live at Las Dalias on an almost weekly basis. These artists blur their performance, stretching their capabilities with a combination of mixing alongside the use of software, hardware and live instrumentation.
If you've been fortunate enough to catch past bookings such as Oceanvs Orientalis, Kora or dOP, then you'll understand how mesmerising and unpredictable such acts can be. Don't miss the opportunity to catch another maverick in action.
Satori will have you redefining your expectations of what a live electronic music performance can be.
If you want to be part of this special night of music, you know what you need to do: scroll below and pick up your tickets. In addition to Satori, you will find the majority of other dates listed in Akasha's autumn series. For the complete programme, please visit our party calendar.
