Speculation surrounding Maceo Plex's first Ibiza residency at Pacha has been rife, with islanders fervently expressing delight that the veteran producer has finally been locked in for a 20-week summer 2016 stint on the White Isle. And last night all the anticipation came to a shuddering climax when the Ellum Audio boss made his debut at the famous club with a Mosaic by Maceo pre-party.
As well as being an opportunity to take the glamorous clubbers of Pacha on a journey to a deeper, darker dimension, the night also served as an Ellum label showcase, with support coming from Dino Lenny and Shall Ocin. The duo played to an already full to capacity crowd and wasted no time in delivering a slew of the sci-fi-esque sounds and groaning beats that have become so synonymous with the label - building suspense on the dance floor to dizzying levels.
Maceo Plex himself was out to prove that Mosaic does exactly what it says on the tin - brings a colourful collection of musical influences, mashes them all up and creates something unique to add to the island's established soundscape. It's unusual to hear cuts laced with such colossal bass and soulful undertones at Pacha, but Maceo Plex delivered a masterclass and successfully encouraged us all to delve deeper into the realms of our expectations.
From the DJ booth on the dance floor, he weaved an hypnotic set that traversed everything from melancholic to spine-tingling. Moments of extreme intensity were laced together with futuristic feel-good sounds, characterised perfectly by ‘Spreading Life' by Astyplatz. The crescendo inevitably came in the form of his big-hitting ‘Solitary Daze', in all its epic, grinding glory - its scintillating synths embodying the juxtaposition of feeling both mournful and euphoric all at once.
Maceo Plex was a man who looked in his element at Pacha, clearly at ease in his new home. And as the season unfolds and his musical vision unravels, we should expect his hold over our senses to reach maximum levels. Much like the rattling beats that permeate your brain during his sets, we'll be feeling the reverberations of this new residency for a long time to come.
WORDS | Abby Lowe PHOTOGRPAHY | Pacha
