Darude

Ibiza 2012 Special

What is your favourite memory of Ibiza 2012?

“Musically any one of my sets at Colors at Es Paradis in July, but especially this one night after spinning with Matt Darey, we sat down on a street corner where he showcased his just fresh-out-of-the-oven tomorrow-to-be-sent-to-the-label album on his laptop! That was true digital age Ibiza sh*t right there! Personally, my fave moments were me playing with my son at the pool every day and the little bugger learned to swim while we were at it!”

Tune of the summer?

“Really not fair to name just one…Gareth Emery – Saga, Enmass – CQ (Boyan & Boyer Remix), VADA – Neon Lights (Kryder Remix), Tom Fall – iRok, Ashley Wallbridge feat. Audrey Gallagher – Bang The Drum (Omnia Remix).”

Most overplayed record of the summer?

“Mad respect to anyone whose record is overplayed, it means it’s good one way or another! ps. It’s not the artist’s/producer’s fault if everyone plays their record!”

Favourite resident DJ on the island?

“I had the pleasure of working with a long-time British Ibiza resident at Itica, Jason Spencer. Top bloke, always a smile on his face, always very helpful and of course a solid DJ with great variety.”

Why is Ibiza still the best party location in the world?

“Everyone going there lives and breathes music and the locals (to a reasonable point) support and accept it. Of course the awesome climate and beautiful landscape doesn’t hurt, either!”

Ibiza is now split straight down the middle with serious DJs spinning quality house and techno on one side, and DJs playing the big room bangers on the other. Discuss…

“It’s all good. It’s easy to start a debate with that question setting, but as I’m very serious about my DJing (but I believe I don’t play serious “quality house and techno”), I really don’t think not much needs to be discussed about it. People who know and love their big room bangers gravitate to the clubs and DJs playing that, the serious house heads to their own faves, simple as that. That’s the beauty of Ibiza for me; anything goes.”

What new party caused the biggest splash in their debut summer this year? And why?

“Alex Kunnari’s Colors @ Es Paradis on Tuesdays brought some much needed trance to San Antonio and I guess also some healthy friendly competition between Eden and Es Paradis (though Judge Jules’ Judgement Sundays, which sound wise is the closest, is of course on Sundays) and I was really happy to be a part of it. As a clubber I loved the ASOT Mondays at Privilege, but it’s not a new party, just moved to Privilege.”

Favourite restaurant and beach in Ibiza?

“Cafe Mambo is a long time sunset favourite and Sa Capella is awesome for finer dining and different atmosphere. LOVED Cala Bassa, went there a couple of days in a row. Got chairs & umbrellas in a great spot, heard the DJ  as well, but not too loud, ate some yummy fruit and dinner right there on the beach, enjoyed sangria. Amazing.”

Do you think the 123 Rocktronic Festival that featured the likes of Lenny Kravitz, Elton John, Sting, David Guetta and Tiesto this year is an important addition to the Ibiza summer, or do you think it is a case of one too many party on an already bulging season?

“I don’t mind that kind of a big festival, but I don’t know if it’ll bring that much value to a trip to Ibiza, I think more of clubs and beach bars when I think of Ibiza.”

What is the one record that will always remind you of Ibiza…?

“Underworld – ‘Born Slippy’. My first time in Ibiza and first time performing there was after Underworld at MTV Ibiza 2000 party, a huge outdoor event and I was in the crowd in awe, getting all kinds of goosebumps and heart murmurs while they played it live and I knew I’ll be on that stage soon.”

Best venue in Ibiza and why?

“Probably Privilege. It’s just massive. And the sound is good and the video screen is ridiculous.”

A lot of money has been spent on the island in recent years improving things, what do you think is the biggest improvement on the island?

“Hmmm, can’t really say, I don’t have that much insight. What it is not is the current Las Vegas look of the club area in Playa d’en Bossa, me no likee. What is in Vegas should stay in Vegas…”

What nationality are the craziest people on the dancefloor?

“FINNS, of course! Less drugs, more vodka, less nit-picking, more JUST FEELING IT!”

Breakthrough artist of 2012?

“My Finnish fellow producers Maison & Dragen. Crazy good big room house sound!”

If you had to pick one person to go out clubbing with in Ibiza, who would it be?

“My wife. Because we have a very similar taste in music and DJs and unfortunately we don’t get to go out clubbing that much these days.”

And finally, tell us about your first trip to the white isle…

“I have very fond memories from summer 2000, especially from the MTV Ibiza 2000 party: The night of my show Paul van Dyk was playing a DJ set on the other stage an hour or two before my set time. I was in the backstage area when I heard something familiar, the first beats of Sandstorm mixing in. I practically ran to the stage, but there were so many people and the area was quite big, so I actually missed seeing the whole thing, but more importantly I heard the crowd go f*****ing bananas when the track took off. I got to the stage as he was mixing out of the track and got to meet him the first time, and was greeted with a wide friendly smile. Another night that same trip I was at Amnesia, where Paul played the track again. Mind you, this was my first time in Ibiza, my first proper huge foreign gig outside Scandinavia, and I was going nuts about everything anyway, and then I heard him play my track to the jam-packed place, probably 5000 people there, and they went mental! I was upstairs in the VIP and I ran down to the floor to “feel it”, and it was incredible to see the reaction! At times you couldn’t hear the track from people screaming so loud. I cried happy tears and selfishly jumped up and down to my own track with the rest of the people. Mindblowing. Ibiza left a huge mark!”