So the time finally came to say goodbye to one of my favourite parties on the island. Cocoon you are already missed, and I will be waiting open arms for your return next year.
After a hefty closing-sized queue, I made it in and headed directly to the Terrace, where I got bombarded by hugs and high fives from my Spotlight colleagues and partners in crime of the summer. Front left by the booth - my standard position since I first joined the Cocoon clan in 2005 and best spot for my favourite past time of shmoozing, dancing and listening to some of the best music the island has on offer, because lets not kid ourselves here, Cocoon really has always been one of the most cutting edge parties on the island when it comes to no bullshit cutthroat techno.
It was Sonja Moonear on the wheels of steel and although I wasn't her biggest fan when she played alongside Villalobos a few Cocoons prior, I was glad she redeemed herself on the epic date that marked the Cocoon closing. The club was just hitting heaving o'clock with throngs of people pushing forward to get closer to the action, when Henrik Schwarz once again took us on a wonderful journey through the darker throws of music, mixing in several of his own delicious tracks.
Now if I thought it was heaving before, it was when Papa Sven came on that the real mayhem began. And although the music was going strong, I could almost hear a moment of silence in tribute to the face and founder of Cocoon when he came on stage and completely rocked our worlds. It was at this point when I tore myself away from the Terrace to the Main Room where Adam Beyer was dropping techno bombs left right and centre.
Strong, heavy, dark and full of bass - the dance floor marched in absolute unison like an army of crazies which you could do nothing but join, when I got completely taken in by the twisted sounds of Gregor Tresher's Goliath played by Mr. Beyer who closed the Main Room in style.
When I headed back to the Terrace a multitude of things seemed to be going on at the same time: on the one hand I was enjoying Sven play one of his tracks of the summer Sandbar by Todd Terje, on the other I was focusing on what was going down on the dancers podium where the likes of Seth Troxler and some Cocoon regulars were wrapping toilet paper turbans around their head as the leading man in front took a leap of faith into the crowd in full superman stance, turban tied to head, and made like an arrow straight into the arms of Papa Sven as the loo roll trailed along behind him. Legend.
The last few hours of Cocoon were absolutely relentless, with pure epicness bleeding out of the speakers until way past closing time. That moment when you look around Amnesia, daylight streaming through the windows and the sense of community is enough to make a grown man cry - especially when Sven sends forth emotional numbers like Konstantin Sibold remix of No One Gets Left Behind by DJ Yellow, Flowers and Sea Creatures and Ricardo Tobar's Brittle (see video). Banger after banger came on as Sven teased us till the very end at 11am, when I heard something that brought a huge smile to my face. Two words – Electrica Salsa.
PHOTO | Mini Mouse loves the techno
WORDS | Maya Dupont PHOTOGRAPHY | James Chapman + phrank.net
