Boorman's Picks: Top Five Ibiza Clubnights

Image: Mambo Ibiza

Our new Features Writer Mike Boorman has been going to Ibiza for over a decade, reporting there for websites like The Ransom Note, Data Transmission and Faith Fanzine.

There is an amusingly old-school look to the Ibiza line ups this year - in 15 years of analysing these things, 2014 represents the biggest unashamed nod to the past I've seen. I actually think it makes things more interesting because you don't have to look very hard to find some diversity.

Sure, you can find all your modern-day interpretations of deep house... Amine Edge & Dance are bringing CUFF to Thursdays at Sankeys, MK is popping up all over the place, and Circo Loco and Paradise are still heading up the carnage at DC10.

What sums it up for me is one line up in particular, involving CJ Mackintosh, Arthur Baker and Mousse T. Props to promoters Glitterbox for having the balls to pull that one off (at Booom Ibiza on Saturday 5th July), but they are by no means the only ones.

Skiddle Mix 016 - Todd Terry (Hard Times 20th Birthday) by Skiddle on Mixcloud

They have merely tapped into the theme of an Ibiza season that is welcoming back the likes of 
Joey Beltram, BT, Todd Terry a number of times (listen to his classic house mix for us above), Junior Sanchez and Giorgio Moroder, the continued presence of DJ E.A.S.E & Nightmares On Wax at Space and even a residency for Dane Bowers.

Whatever you are into though, Ibiza boasts a host of delights across the summer, and I for one see a bucket-load of parties I'd love to be at. Here are my top five picks for the summer:

We Love - Loco Dice Birthday Takeover @ Space, Sunday August 10th

Loco Dice's only Ibiza date of the summer has got to be big news. You couldn't avoid him last year, but now he's completely changed tack. 

It's not a bad idea to build up a bit of mystique again, if nothing else because this particular We Love will be insanely good. Clever man is Dice. As you can tell from this interview, the decision to be elusive this summer would not have been taken lightly.

Paradise Closing Party @ DC10, Wednesday September 24th

This is likely to be the most musically exciting night/day of music I think the island will muster this year. Jamie Jones, Ame & Dixon, Kink and Cajmere are all very hot right now, but all of them are great performers in their own right. 

Jamie Jones - Live @ Paradise Closing Party, DC10 - 25.09.2013 by Livesetsat on Mixcloud

You'll be reaching for Shazam one moment but then be throwing your hands in the air to some party classic the next. And most of it will have melody, which may tempt a lot of the DC10 punters to steer clear of the obligatory darker fates that sometimes befit those going a little too hard. 

ENTER @ Space, Thursday August 21st

Enter Thursdays at Space win the consistency vote for me this summer, by a short head from Carl Cox's Music Is The Revolution Tuesdays. Not one weak night. It's very hard to pick a winner, but on grounds of diversity, August 21st just nabs it.

Sven Vath, Richie Hawtin, Claude VonStroke, Maceo Plex and Dubfire... all serious luminaries. All kinds of sub genres catered for here, or you could just stay in the main room and let Hawtin and Vath blow your head off with techno all night - you can't really lose. 

@richiehawtin - Live @ ENTER.Sake, Space (Ibiza, Ibiza) Part 1 - 26-09-2013 by Technolivesets on Mixcloud

Keep an eye out on Tuesdays and Thursdays at Space for dual sets from people like Cox and Hawtin - one on the Terrace and one in the Discoteca. It's a nice touch, and as well as these two, DJs like Danny Tenaglia (who plays Cox's opening party on 24th June) have nailed it in Space with two wildly different sets in the past. 

Ants presents La Familia @ Ushuaia, Saturday August 30th

Ants is one of those nights that is worth going to even if you don't know what the line up is. Their debut at Ushuaia last year was most impressive (you can read my thoughts on when I went here) - they go that extra mile with production and concept, and the crowd is absolutely spot on.

Great combination of old and new with this one - I'd have given you very long odds on Ben Pearce ever appearing on the same bill as Timo Maas and Futureshock's Alex Tepper (with Joris Voorn and Nic Fanciulli heading it up), but Ants will pull this off in brilliant style, trust me.

Ibiza Rocks House @ Pacha, Monday July 7th

This is what I mean about unashamed diversity. The aforementioned Moroder, Basement Jaxx, Tony Humphries and Doorly... in Pacha. All of the Ibiza Rocks House Monday Pacha line ups have a touch of the insane about them (watch out also for Kevin Saunderson and Soul Clap on the same bill), but I applaud this completely.

There have been too many seasons in the past where promoters seem to have forgotten that people go to Ibiza because they're on holiday, and holidays should be fun, and, for me anyway, slightly ridiculous.

Mondays at Pacha have certainly got that covered - it's a brave opening gambit from Ibiza Rocks who are playing away in Pacha for the first time, but a stroke of genius in my opinion.

Fancy trying something else out in Ibiza? Head to our special section here.