One tiny gripe I have with Ibiza is that time seems to fly by. This is because there's none of this trawling through work, inching towards the weekend, because out here every day IS the weekend. Even if you're out for the entire season, job and all - the daily grind just isn't so grinding when you've got the beach on your doorstep and some of the best clubs in the world just a bus ride away. And this is why, as much as it pains me to say it, we are just a mere matter of days away from August, and half way done with Ibiza 2014. One way I know this (other than the date staring at me from my laptop...) is that there is a LOT going on. Just last night we had crowd favourite MK over at Booom!, Coxy celebrating the big 5-2 at Space, and last but not least, my personal choice for the night, FUSE Meets Next Wave at Sankeys.
I was particularly excited about the techno party joining weekly residents FUSE this week as they were bringing with them the Chilean master of minimal usually found within the confinements of Cocoon, Ricardo Villalobos. He was in full swing when we arrived so we headed straight to the LAB, Next Wave's home for the night, to see the master at work. Villalobos threw us straight in the deep end, the thudding bass of Ruthit's Soaked pumping hard and fast out of the speakers, before settling down into the duller bass and sugary vocals of Maik Yells' Sweetheart Ticha. A marvel to watch, Villalobos would dart between the decks - where so fluid in his motions he seems almost a part of them - to suddenly turning his attentions to the people around him, hugging, chatting, exuding the sort of confidence you want in a DJ, so sure of his abilities to entertain the crowd that he can entertain himself too.
The LAB itself, usually a stark contrast from the rest of Sankeys, with its high ceilings and island retreats, had last night been taking styling advice from its cave-like neighbour. All dark lighting and murky visuals, the crowd clamoured to fall into step with the stomping bass. Far from the chill-out vibe usually found here, we instead had another full pelt rave on our hands, one giving the Basement a run for its money at that. Of course saying that, you wouldn't expect - or want - anything less from a party with Villalobos and Romanian youngster Raresh. A personal highlight of Villalobos' set was when he took us West with a taste of Latino, with Rubén Blades' GDBD, getting every pair of feet in the room moving. Salsa at Sankeys - has a ring to it don't you think?
Over in the Basement we caught the last of Julien Perez who was working the sound system to the full with the clattering drums in Sons of the Dragon's Themotorcitymatrix. Coming from the LAB into the Basement, the first thing you notice is the industrial strength air con. The cold is a welcome change after Villalobos' full on, sweat filled set, and despite the chill in the air there was still an unmistakable warmth in the room, perhaps down to the red lighting dancing around one of the friendliest crowds I've encountered in Ibiza. Manoeuvring ourselves to the front to find friends was a surprisingly easy task despite the packed room; no pushing, shoving or annoyed tutting here I'm happy to report. Following Perez we had another nod to all things jazz and Latin, with house producer Guti with his live set. He eased himself in with some slow dubby numbers, his harmonic Latin American style sitting pretty within FUSE's sound. The warmth and emotion of his music sucked the whole of the Basement in as the red lights flickered in and out.
Back in the LAB, Ricardo and Raresh were behind the decks playing b2b, the sweat dripping off the ceiling, the music bouncing off the walls. Sharp acidic chords stabbed in and out of the thudding bass, the room's cave-like makeover now seeping into the sounds rushing out of the speakers too. The screens, all greens and greys, showed an ominous figure spinning round and round, as eery, choir like vocals crept in, all but adding to the sinister feel. Playing long into the night, the pair later moved onto a funkier sound, from the high hats in Cloud City's T.H.C to the tinny jingle that kicks off St. Germain's Alabama Blues.
With the crowd showing no sign of thinning out at 6am, we had to admit defeat and head to the exit to catch the last disco bus. On route we caught a snippet of Enzo in the Basement, who was showcasing a dubby sound with the chunky bass of Gavin Rochford's Patience, the 4x4 beat dropping as we headed into the night. It's not hard to see why Sankeys paired these two promoters up. Their sounds, fans and atmospheres make them the perfect match.
WORDS | Joanna Wright PHOTOGRAPHY | Justin Gardner
