A few weeks back, we broke down We Love…’s September madness in order to give everyone a closer look at one of the biggest closing months of any party around. Now, each week this month we get the chance to bring that print to life, and come to life it did. It was another absolutely stellar Sunday this week, proving once again why the institution remains at the top of their game year after year.
Early on, longtime We Love… resident and favorite Jem Haynes, who recently released his first compilation, Colour Series Vol. 1, warmed things up nicely in the Discoteca. Haynes came out in full force, dropping dark little numbers like his remix of Sam Chorlton’s ‘Dusavik,’ heading to funkier territory with tracks like the Small Town Collective remix of he and Mike Peters’ ‘Dark Days.’ And in true Haynes style, the Colour Series boss headed over to groovier space with tracks like Samu.l’s ‘Have It Like That,’ keeping the early doors eager and happy.
Though it wouldn’t be We Love… without some of their trademark cozy room funk, now would it? Over in the Sunset Terrace, presented by Mr. Doris’ After Dark, was Norman Jay, who laid down the coolest of grooves to a well up for it and packed room, with timeless hits like Aretha Franklin’s 1968 classic ‘Think,’ the entire room erupting as the anthem hit its chorus, all belting out ‘Freedom!’ in unison, Mr. Doris himself singing right along. Shivers were down everyone’s spine. As nice as it was, Technasia’s rough and ready techno and tech house was beckoning from right next door. It was time to get our sweat on, but not before taking one last moment to soak it all in, because let’s face it – where else in the world can you go straight from soul classics to big room techno in seconds? This is what it’s all about.
Even though I was somewhat reticent to leave the comfort of the Sunset Terrace, it only took me but a moment to get right into the vibe, as the electricity in the Discoteca pulled me in quickly. I’d heard from a few mates before being able to get a listen for myself that Technasia was ripping it to shreds, but in this game, a first hand experience is always necessary before passing judgment. They were spot on. The French DJ and producer had the massive Discoteca crowd in the palm of his hand, and he knew it. Unleashing bomb after bomb, the Sino records boss simply wouldn’t stop, crushing us over and over with snappy hip shakers like ‘Ue Suala’ by Gel Abril, keeping every happy clubber moving right along with the DJ himself, Technasia dancing like he was having the time of his life – and for good reason.
Steering clear of some of the more elaborate effects that other parties at Space bring, We Love… kept the focus squarely where it should be on Sunday night – the music – and it paid off in full, as the crowd was one of the most friendly and positive I’ve seen all season. Technasia continued with bangers like ‘The Underground’ by Celeda, its lyrics reminding everyone just how good this really is. Not to be outdone, over in the Main Terrace, Detroit legend Derrick May was laying it down fast and proper. So after a quick break to cool off, we caught up with the master in action.
Derrick took over in the Main Terrace after fellow Detroit native and partner in crime on the latest We Love… compilation, ‘We Love… Detroit’, Jimmy Edgar, who began with a Paul Ritch style builder before keeping things close to the sleeve, unleashing torrents of unreleased material on the willing We Love… crowd. Edgar cut loose with nothing but his trademark bass driven techno, and one can only hope he’ll be more of a fixture next season.
May kept things rolling along perfectly with dark, warehouse ready synth driven bombs like ‘I Know Where Your Mind Is’ by Federico Gandin, heading to more upbeat territory with ‘Vital Sound’ by Jovonn. From there, May expertly cut to grooves like ‘Night Long’ by London FM & Irregular Synth, keeping the tempo high and the beats sweet. I’ll admit, living in Ibiza, one can feel spoiled, and perhaps jaded from time to time. But this is why when presented with the opportunity to see someone like Derrick May step up to the decks, the island heads are always out in full force. To watch May work is nothing but a pleasure, but to hear him steer things, well, wherever he wants to, with the greatest of ease, is something to be relished in full, and the crowd couldn’t have been happier to follow along. Not wanting to miss the return of former We Love… resident Claude VonStroke, we made our way back into the Discoteca to get deep into the bass.
The dirtybird boss picked up right where Technasia left off, starting his set with a much more tribal feel than normal, keeping the tech house groove alive with shakers like ‘Change It’ by Fisher & Fiebak, though he wouldn’t stay there for long. Jacking the energy right up, Claude moved to heavy hitters like Jimmy Edgar’s massive tune, ‘Strike,’ which has been getting proper rotation this season by every jock worth his salt, setting the San Francisco native up perfectly for his eventual transition into heavier territory with tracks like Doorly’s Club Mix of ’Jack Ya Body’ by Steve Silk Hurley, unleashing VonStroke to bring the bass hard and big for the rest of the night. Dirtybird was in the house!
Another smashing session from We Love…, no doubt. I, for one, will be counting the days until next Sunday. And if you’re lucky enough to be island bound, do yourself a favor and grab tickets below to next week’s fiesta, featuring an extra special performance, as Heidi is now playing a one-off back-to-back set with Scuba on the terrace, along with sets by Steve Bug, Duke Dumont, Kevin Saunderson, James Zabiela, Simian Mobile Disco, Boddika, Special Request Live and many more!
Listen to We Love… at Space Ibiza on Pulse Radio.