Okay so here's a question, what do you get when you put Jacob Van Hage, Adrian Lux, Deniz Koyu and trance giant Ferry Corsten together in one room? An explosive mix of boisterous beats, tenacious trills and vibrant vibrations, that's what! Warning: This is not your typical club event. This is no accident, no mother's meeting, the stellar line-up has been carefully selected by the Dutch superstar himself as he invites them to join him at the most awarded club on the Balearic Island.
I'll be honest, I was struggling to find the minerals to two-step my way to Space after a fun and frolic-filled caper at Ocean Beach earlier in the day (see Joanna's article for details) but I needn't have worried. The aptly titled night was so full on that as soon as I stepped in to Space, the vibe and energy was electric. Hangover, what hangover?
Deniz Koyu was igniting the party as he took to the decks on the stage in the main room at 1am. His smash Tung! was a staple hit of Summer 2013 but by no means is this international DJ a one-track-pony. As the tempo went from a canter to a gallop, the number of ravers on the dancefloor doubled every minute. The music was an electro extravaganza but hats off to the lighting geniuses who created such an impressive illumination. The elaborate production was in sync with the symphony perfectly. Without the strobes, the spotlights, the bright colours the night would have been such a different experience.
I've previously described Calvin Harris playing at Amnesia as a “festival feel” but with Corsten and co at Space, the sense was a lot more intimate albeit never less powerful.
Corsten joined Koyu for the first of many 15 minute back-to-back sets. What a treat! Koyu's acidic and vivid beats were complimented by Corsten's slinkier synths. They were the perfect partnership, kind of like an Ant and Dec of electro.
Corsten had no quibbles or qualms about holding the clubbers' attention on his own. And it's no wonder why he is repeatedly voted one of the top ten DJs in the world; he is a show to watch in himself. It's so refreshing to see such a successful DJ still hold so much passion and enthusiasm for his craft. He fist-pumped, nodded his head and whistled as the beat rose and dropped and zapped and popped. His set included very little lyrics but when Corsten treated us to a remix of Erick Morillo and Eddie Thoneick's Live Your Life the ravers clapped and sang in unison.
Next to step up were Adrian Lux and Jacob Van Hage who continued to keep the air alive with their sweet transitions and sour tunes. I thought I had nailed the “predicting when the ice cannon was about to shoot off”, but nope, it still managed to catch me off guard every time, spraying a whistling and cheering crowd with chilly smoke.
If that was even just a hint of what Ferry Corsten has up his sleeve for this season then it's set to be an explosive summer! Other hand-picked muso mates on the bill include Cosmic Gate, Aly & Fila, Gareth Emery, Audien, Bassjackers, Markus Schulz, Jacob van Hage, Rusko, John O'Callaghan just to, you know, name a few.
I have no doubt that Corsten will keep up the stamina every Friday for the next 15 weeks; sprinting ahead of the pack to deliver such an extravagant event that I guarantee you will be talking about for the rest of your holiday. I'll even bet you a drink on it. If an immersive experience and the ultimate concoction of house, trance and electro are up your street, I'll see you there. Oh and mine's a double vodka lemonade, no ice.
WORDS | Francesca Evans PHOTOGRAPHY | James Chapman
