They might be fresh but not one of these rave mercenaries could be described as inexperienced. Dan Ghenacia, Paul Woolford and Jaime Fiorito have each served years-long apprenticeships. But why are they hitting the spotlight now?
Perhaps it's because of the current appetite for innovative electronic music. Commercial enterprises are healthy, as always, but those with a more forward-thinking philosophy are also doing well. In Ibiza the six month regeneration/ degeneration cycle has always meant each successive year has different musical characteristics to the next. But now also productions that raison d'être is to air music that has had little if any public exposition up to that point are also really packed - nights like Circo Loco and Timo Maas at Dc10, Cocoon at Amnesia, We Love and La Comunidad at Space, some aspects of the Manumission programming, the club Underground, indeed many small venues and bars in Ibiza Town.
It seems there's a collective desire to "push things forward" as partyhard rapper (and recent visitor to the White Isle) Mike Skinner might put it.
Some of the best or most exciting results in entertainment can be achieved when consumers hear brand new music in a way which impresses itself deeply upon them, say with a massively powerful yet crystal clear sound rig for example. All three of these talented souls make a concerted effort to source and disseminate tracks that are forward thinking, yet eminently danceable.
Breaks, rock, techno and purest house can be heard, but the common thread is ageism. There’s a pronounced bias against the elderly and the clichéd.
The speedy nature of the process from creation to distribution of club music is at least partly responsible. Unlike in the industries surrounding other genres, this set up does not require that artists tour a record created months or even a year ago, and engage in promotion designed to appeal to as many nine year olds or New Musical Express readers as possible. Hype of all kinds is clearly important, but it’s two-edged as retro Oz rockers Jet opined recently:
Drummer Chris Cester: "The NME isn't really taken seriously by other forums. A lot of bands don't have the balls to admit this, but the NME actually go out of their way to write about bands who haven't sold one record. And we were one of those."
Jet’s sales surged after their danceable Iggy Poppy number 'Are You Gonna Be My Girl' was featured on an Apple iPod advertisement, not that Mr Cester sees a parallel between his scene and the rave one.
"For me, techno just never connected to my head in any way, shape, or form. It's just mindless! I'd rather beat my fucking head against a wall than listen to that music. Everything was just getting so efficient that even the musicians couldn't be fucked picking up instruments anymore and writing something from their heart, rather than just pushing a button. I hate that stuff. You get some superstar DJ who gets paid fucking 60 grand to fly out to fucking Ibiza and play some party for rich kids."
Scroll on for some comments from more modern guys who know a bit about pushing rich kids’ buttons in the Med:
No way he can sleep - Dan Ghenacia’s in demand
Owner of the modern electronic record label FreaK’n’Chic and hero of the French underground resistance, Monsieur Ghenacia has been installed as resident at We Love after impressing promoter Darren Hughes and everybody else who mattered at Space last year. “What makes you so knowledgeable about leading edge scene developments?” we asked him? “I party a lot,” he replied, via email.
(Read more about Dan Ghenacia)
I Wanna Be Made - Paul Woolford on the up
The frighteningly competent young man pictured here is Paul Woolford, also known as production whizz Bobby Peru. Wooly's impeccable credentials include being signed to Ralph Lawson’s 20:20 label, remixing for Damian Lazarus’s City Rockers and this summer he’ll be part of We Love’s full court press at Space on Sundays.
(Get the lowdown on Paul Woolford)
Gene genie – Jaime Fiorito was born to spin
When you’ve a dad as influential Jaime Fiorito’s, you could take the easy route into the industry. However ‘I’m Alfredo’s son, let me play’ is a line this young upstart is unlikely to use. His bookings at underground events around Europe have been gained the new-fashioned way – by constructing sets of only the freshest of cuts.