I'm always concious when reviewing a night that I look like one of those idiots who go out to a club only to be glued to their phone for hours on end. In my defence, staring at my iPhone is unfortunately just an unavoidable part of the job, but nonetheless I am well aware that I look like i'm spending all night trying to catch that perfect 10 seconds of Tale Of Us to update my Snapchat story with. However last night I learnt that staring at a 4 inch screen mid-dance floor isn't actually that bad, because last night, after an unfortunate scuffle between said phone and a tiled floor (in which the floor won), I found myself in Space making notes with Spa's finest 'I Love Ibiza' pen and Disney themed notepad - cue A LOT of strange looks and hilarious comments.
But enough about my souvenir purchases, because this wasn't just any old night in Space, this was the closing of one of the biggest parties of the summer, Carl Cox, Music Is Revolution. One of the most likeable characters in this world we call dance music, Coxy has once again given us a season we'll remember for years to come; with a whopping 14 parties - his longest season to date, a handful of sell out nights, a ten hour set, and even a takeover from yours truly (team Spotlight), this really has been a great summer for the British legend.
Joining Coxy for his grand finale was a whole line-up of headline worthy talent, which meant big names were on early doors, something that is no doubt going to become the norm over the next week as we enter the thick of closings. By 11pm, a time that last week was a perfectly acceptable hour to be starting to think about what to pre-drink, both beach-party queen tINI and Dirtybird's DJ Sneak were already in full swing at their respective decks, meaning a relay between the disco filtered beats of the Sunset Terrace and the deeper, dirtier Terrace was required.
Following tINI it was the turn of the allusive Loco Dice. Once a regular fixture and fitting on the island, his self prescribed hiatus this year meant that last night was just his second set of the season, unmissable by any standards. It was a slow burner from the German stalwart, expertly leading the crowd on a journey of stripped back tech house, steadily building the anticipation in the room as the time closed in on Cox o'clock. The crowd in the already busy room was beginning to thicken, the sea of heads stretching back through the doors. Icing off his deliciously crafted set with Doc Martin's Tribal Dreams Mix of So Many Dreams, Dice was joined at the decks by the man of the hour himself. "Make some noise for Loco Dice in the house!", bellowed Cox to the screaming crowds as he prepared to take the reigns.
With no hesitation in making his presence known, Cox dived strait in with some deeper, bass heavy beats. This full throttle approach was clearly a winner with the Discoteca masses, with everyone in the crowd working up a sweat as they kept up with Cox's musical work out. As usual, he ensured his fans were every much a part of his set as he was himself, at one point calling out his token "Oh yes, oh yes!", to a chorus of excited cheers. A large white sheet was passed over the front section of the room, creating waves of colour as the lights bounced off it and hands below danced and jumped. With the crowd sufficiently pumped, Cox relaxed into a lighter, more funk laden direction for the remainder of his solo flight, the silky sounds of Janelle Krolls vocals weaving their way around the room, as he dropped Dennis Ferrer's Mind Ur Step.
With temperatures soaring in the Discoteca, the Terrace offered a welcome salvation, with Circus master Yousef directing proceedings in his blue and green flooded arena. Tech beats came thick and fast, as he dropped tracks like Kydus' Free Spirit, fresh off the mixing deck. A more relaxed vibe than the main room, this was a crowd settled into a well trodden rhythm, and it took a mere matter of moments to find yourself falling into step.
Highlight of the night had to be Dice heading back to the decks to join Coxy in a seamless back to back to bring in our Wednesday morning. The pair bounced off each other, volleying hard hitting tech with bottom heavy bass. Like with any great closing party, this was a marathon not a sprint, and as the sun began to creep into life, those left found their place to see the morning in right through until midday. An amazing start to closings, and one that's certainly whet our appetites for the fortnight ahead.
WORDS | Joanna Wright PHOTOGRAPHY | Space Ibiza
