Given the wealth of parties on offer in Ibiza, you might think it a waste of time to venture further afield for your clubbing fix. However, with its intimate, blue-lit interiors and cosy feel, Tipic on the nearby island of Formentera offers clubbers a refreshing alternative. The most popular event is a Cocoon residency on Thursdays, an event which has so far seen Ricardo Villalobos, Sven Väth and Adam Beyer all grace the stage at the 500-capacity club.
Next up was Cassy. Cutting the picture of concentration behind the decks, the UK-born DJ kicked-off with deeper selections to suit the early, preparatory mood. Once the venue was nicely filled, she took it to the revellers, lending her selections a high-tempo, party swing. The increasingly ubiquitous "Get Ready" by Jay Lumen, for example, worked wonders. Seeing out her extended set in a flurry of jazzy, soulful house, the party carried a really inclusive, laid-back vibe, with Cassy happy to stay behind after her set to pose for photos with fans.
Whatever your opinions on Ushuaia and ANTS, the party has proven something of a phenomenon in its debut year. Their smart, pervasive promo campaign has reinvented the Ibiza PR wheel, proving just how vital having a viable brand and concept is to your success on the island. A refocusing on the importance of the resident DJ has also been key, allowing the party to cultivate a following based as much on the party, as the pull of international guests. Safe to say, it's bustling on a weekly basis. Last Saturday, with a bill made up entirely of residents, was no exception.
Closing out the central stage was Andrea Oliva, who used the last hour of his set to move through a selection of popular tracks. For the nth time this season, Ten Walls' "Gotham" reared its head, while Ibiza's other hit, Paul Woolford's "Untitled," came by minutes later, almost as if on cue. Come 10 PM, the action shifted to the main stage, with UNER taking to the decks amidst a blur of Hollywood-style fireworks, trapeze artists and visuals. His set proved as high-octane and crowd pleasing as one would expect, with the fresh sounds of Cajmere's "Bigger Than Prince" rubbing shoulders with classics like Laurent Garnier's "Man With The Red Face." When you stand back and try and take it all in, the scale of the ANTS machine really is something to behold.
When Sankeys announced they would be running a seven-day roster of residencies this year, there was the fear that 2012's lynchpins–Diynamic Neon and VIVa Warriors– would have their exclusive appeal diluted. In fact, the opposite occurred, with the club's staunch following far more inclined to side with tried and tested formulas. Steve Lawler's VIVa Warriors, in particular, has gone from strength to strength, regularly drawing 2000-plus people on Sundays. Last week, Just Be joined regulars Lawler and Darius Syrossian.
On warm-up duty, Philip Bader span considered tech house to ease us in, handing over to Darius Syrossian within the hour. Syrossian, whose tight mixing skills and low-slung style have made him a firm favourite with the young Warriors crowd, went straight in at the deep end, opening with his own "Who's The Douche?" on Hot Creations. Donning a full Native-American headdress (as is custom, I was told), the UK DJ worked the crowd with funky, vocal-laden selections. Lawler followed with a slightly techier, more incisive edge, sending the Basement into a frenzy with his and Detlef's 2013 rework of LNR classic "Work It To The Bone." Despite being one of their quieter parties numbers-wise, from the energizing vibe inside the place, you would never have guessed it.
Elsewhere...
Chicago's premier house gangster DJ Sneak joined Hector, Nightmares On Wax and Loco Dice on Thursday.
Carl Cox turns up at ENTER. for a sneaky shot or two on Tuesday. The big man had just come straight from the third and final Boiler Room Ibiza.
Martin Buttrich, Davide Squillace and Matthias Tanzmann took it in turns to rock out the Main Room at the third of four Movement Torino showcases at DC-10. This Saturday, Apollonia.
In what was said to have gone down as one of the most memorable Cocoon's in recent years, Richie Hawtin, Adam Beyer and Sven Väth all put in show-stopping performances. Here, Ellen Allien gets into the swing of things during her warm-up set in the Main Room.
Solomun strikes one of his classic DJ poses during the Hamburg label's weekly shindig in Playa d'en Bossa on Tuesday.