Armin van Buuren is officially back to take over another dance-filled season with his smashing residency. The international icon of trance made his grand return for summer 2019 with an electrifying opening party at super-club Hï Ibiza. Here's how it went down.
Joined by fellow party residents Sunnery James and Ryan Marciano, the team made their debut alongside special guests Markus Schulz, Estiva, Roger Sanchez b2b Kristen Knight and WhiteBeats. I know, we couldn't believe the line-up either.
A personal bucket-list moment for me was to be dancing under the influence of house legend Roger Sanchez. This was made even more memorable by being joined on the decks for a back to back with his girlfriend and fellow mix master, Kristen Knight.
Both known in the scene for their technical ability across four decks, they keep the mixes going from dusk until dawn.
Even more prominent than their talent was their utter passion for the music. Their smiles and enthusiasm for every beat and every sample infected the crowd who could not help but feel the same.
The music, the energy, the beat drops - all made the hairs on the back of my neck stand up. Judging by the looks on the faces of the adorning dancers surrounding me, everyone felt the same connection.
Close your eyes and relive the moment with You Won't Regret by Del-30, fresh from the mix.
They handed over the decks to dynamic DJ duo Sunnery James and Ryan Marciano who took the reins on the ever-growing crowd. They inflicted their distinct house sound upon us all.
As they threw fresh r&b/urban influences into the mix, even the most reserved let go and lost themselves in the rhythm.
The Club Room lends itself perfectly for the creation of an intimate, house party but with a sound system of a high-scale production that emphasises every beat.
Here is what I mean: GotSome's Gurls and Boys layers old school Trax samples with thumping, upbeat drums. This one sent a sea the of hands in the air. Loco.
Trance - "A state of hypnotism and heightened consciousness."
The echoing voice of the host himself filled the Theatre, inviting the audience of ravers to join him in a state of trance.
On cue with every synthetic beat, lights flickered, and hands punched the air in sync. Within minutes, Armin had the crowd heaving and united as one. No wonder he is often referred to as the "king of trance."
As the euphoric mist cleared the air, the heavy pounds of distorted electronic bass led the dancers to another dimension of electronic music.
Fluctuating tempos kept us on our toes, as we never knew what was coming next. In the space of minutes, the rave could be in full swing with the crowd throwing themselves around the dance floor.
Then with the wave of a hand, Buuren could halt them to complete silence whilst the music took over. Ah, the power of trance.
With a career span like Armin's, we were treated to a timeline of his most memorable tracks throughout the mix, from Blah Blah Blah to the genre-defining Just As You Are – a modern classic of the Dutch superstar's that reminisces original trance roots.
The three-hour set showed no signs of slowing down Armin nor did the transfixed audience. A pioneer of passion, he wore a glowing smirk on his face like it was the first time he had ever played.
Drawing his sensational opening performance to a close, he ensured that the entire trance-infused crowd did not raise their arms for the final progression to the beat drop. His set left nothing but smiles all around - the love and adoration for the genre were palpable.
The party still went on…
Markus Schulz led the remaining loyal dancers to sunrise. Vibrations of pulsating beats intertwined with remixes of old and new, leaving us walking out on a high.
Every Wednesday from now until 11 September you can join Armin van Buuren and Sunnery James & Ryan Marciano running the dancefloors at Hï with an array of top guests.
Check our party calendar below for more information on line-ups, dates and tickets.
