Feliz Cumpleaños Loco Dice! Although the Dusseldorf-based house and techno master's actual birthday was August 8th, he expertly chose a Sunday, and naturally We Love... at Space to host his birthday bash of colossal proportions entitled August X.
Playing not once, but twice, his double-whammy performance slightly softened the blow he delivered when he decided that this would be his one and only appearance on Isla Blanca this year (or will it.......!) 2013 was a restless season for the Tunisian techno lord after he split from Amnesia's Monday gem Cocoon in 2012. His management compared the departure to the fragmentation of a relationship; Dice had broken up with his girlfriend and was friskily about to try new things. Whilst still playing frequently at parties across the island, Dice went on to become last year's techno-driven resident at Playa d'en Bossa's alfresco diamond Ushuaïa, a venue which is now flirting with the mainstream by contracting EDM royalty such as Aviici and Hardwell for its evening action.
Party politics aside, the fifteen hour celebration marked the next chapter in his love affair with Ibiza.
Fellow Desolat boss and partner in crime Martin Buttrich began his fresh and futuristic set at eight o'clock when the Balearic sun was still in the sky and the air was deliciously warm. As the Sunset Terrace was the only room open, the confined, techno-induced bassline rippled through the ever-expanding crowd before bouncing off the walls like a ping pong ball. It was rare moments like these that the Sunset Terrace (the clue is in the name there, guys) could be appreciated in all its glory; a venue with a netted ceiling where planes fly overhead and ravers are treated to a unique clubbing experience as the sun sets.
Next, step up the special guest - Revolutionary figure-head and Space's darling Carl Cox. Although this exclusive invitee should come as no surprise to house enthusiasts, there is something refreshingly exciting about the unification of two dispirate styles between Cox and Dice. Harder hitting grooves and a heavy step set signalled Señor Cox had arrived. What else is there to say about the Tuesday tyrant that hasn't already been said time and time again? As the thumping rhythm pounded on, it was obvious Cox enjoys playing music just as much as we enjoy his music. By half nine the Sunset Terrace was brimming….cue the laser lights! The British DJ supplied the clubbers with instrumentally-loaded tracks like Deee-lite's Groove Is in the Heart and Dennis Ferrer's Hey Hey before going back to back with Birthday Boy Dice just after ten. The duo merged Cox's perky rhythms with Dice's darker, solid beats which still have a tinge of the hip hop; his early sonic inspiration in the mid to late 90s.
Speaking of harking back to his roots, Dice heralded his humble hip hop beginnings by calling on the skills of turntablist George Evelyn, otherwise known as Nightmares on Wax. From one in the morning, the Leeds DJ captivated the crowd in the Hiphop Premier Etage with his psychedelic blend of hip hop, rnb, funk and reggae. The exotic beats of La Murga Skank by Whiskey Barons was a highlight of his sunny, down tempo set which provided a fresh alternative to the house mixes playing on the floors below.
Downstairs label-mate tINI delivered some of that slinky, unique Desolat mystique in the Terrace while the Discoteca was teaming with ravers turning out to see, hear and experience American techno and acid extraordinaire, Josh Wink. Following on from techy luminary tINI was another from the Desolat family, Guti's grooving tech house providing a stark contrast to the muscular techno pulverising through the speakers back in Space's main room, thanks to German techno fiend and CLR boss, Chris Liebing. Rounding off the birthday celebrations with his physical grooves and low-slung beats, house and techno kung-fu master Loco Dice took to the decks for the second time in the night, pulling out all the stops to create an unmissable live set in the Terraza. Clubbers were packed to the exits which indicated this was the highlight of the night for many.
It was the party that lasted longer than my iPhone battery and although I was defeated after an amateur ten and a half hours, it was clear August X was the bash with the X factor.
WORDS | Francesca Evans PHOTOGRAPHY | James Chapman
