There's one reason the team and I managed to go from 7 PM Sunday night (Space closing) until 1 AM Tuesday morning with only a few power naps, and that was the constant, contagious energy that flowed from soul to soul as we wandered amid various closing parties. And it was with Space exhilaration lingering strong, that we made our way to Amnesia on Monday night, ready to witness why Cocoon remains a highlight for so many people, each and every season.
It was only right the likes of Sonja Moonear and a live set from Henrik Schwarz warmed up for the one man that built the four-circled empire. Moonear brought her usual unique, floaty sound while Schwarz reminded us just how much talent is behind decent producing. Cocoon didn't need to change its much-loved formular for the closing - quality tracks still pumped through the Amnesia walls, techno lovers came out in force and I left with at least 10 absolutely game-changing tracks. Job done so far. In the main room, Adam Beyer could have been the young grasshopper to Sven Väth. 'Ghost' by Gardens of God was his chosen weapon as he went in full pelt with no nonsense techno, exactly the kind of tune Väth nurtured the Cocoon crowd with. Meanwhile on the terrace, Sven was showcasing his own track, 'Robot', this time with a Kölsch remix twist - giving the crowd even more reason to chant his name.
Cocoon was out to prove that in this, its last session, of 2016, it remained top dog after 17 years in the business and remained impressive as ever. After a Sven-inspired sit down on the floor of the terrace, DJ Rolando's (AKA The Aztec Mystic) track 'Jaguar' caused major uproar. It was a favourite that Sven hadn't played in a long time, and successfully marched the crowd back to the late '90s in just one swift swap of a record. It was never going to be a simple ending, pride was steaming from Väth's entire aura, and with both hands in the air, Larry Heard Pres. Mr. White's 'You Rock Me' finished the night. With a light-hearted feeling, a familiar pink teddy bear had been lifted above a certain head and the night ended with a sense of continuation in the air.
No Cocoon closing really ends when it's supposed to - mysterious bands were handed out throughout the night that lead techno-craving ravers to the legendary Benimussa Park. So after a well-needed but brief rest it was straight back on the road for more action. On arrival, Väth was warming the crowd up with down-tempo, universal sounds, while sporting a multi-coloured, mirrored umbrella and white tribal face paint, and simulatenously holding none other than his son Tiga in his arms. “Today is about Africa”, Sven announced, a strong look of pride etched across his face. And he went on to bless our ears with sounds most of us never thought were possible.
There's a touching story behind this African theme and it's based on friendship. Sharing music is a vital part of Sven's career and a friend of his provided him with some unique African disco records, making it one of the most standout afters to date. This was a historical moment, in which cultures combined and in the process created the perfect celebration. It was the 17th year of Cocoon Ibiza and every single person in that park was together - with Sven and his family, with people of every colour, with every individual sound. Techno has a fairly a serious label, so there was nothing better than seeing Sven rifle through what sounded like records he'd collected at a young age, from a record shack in the Sahara, while on acid. At the end, he delivered a heartfelt speech, jumped into the crowd, and surfed up and down the desperate hands of fans while his entire family beamed with joy.
"We share, we dance, we love together."
WORDS | Ruby Munslow
