Disappointing news met people at the door of Ushuaia Tower on Sunday evening: Sasha was ill and would not be performing. With no time to find a replacement, the supporting cast of Dimitri Nakov and Nick Curly saw their set times extended. Despite the no-show, the rooftop was as lively as ever, exuding its usual classy, relaxed vibe. A decent crowd congregated in front of the decks as Nakov began to hit his stride, spinning uplifting deep house in an attempt to peel the last of the Avicii voyeurs from their watching post (the Ushuaia Tower looks directly down onto the Ushuaia Beach Hotel, which hosts the Swede).
By the time Nick Curly assumed his position around 11.30 PM there was a strong dance floor presence, with the focus now trained firmly on the music. Tasked with pushing the party to its climax, the Cécille man laid down busy, rhythmic tech house, keeping fists pumping and bodies gyrating, before dipping into classic US sounds to close. The groovy thrust of Simon Baker's "Blue Lights" went down particularly well. All in all, Sasha's absence went by largely unnoticed, suggesting that Never Say Never has evolved into more than just his venture. It's now a quality party in its own right, offering Ibiza a distinctive and, rarest of all, intimate experience.
After four months of solid four-to-the-floor action, a date with Chic and Nile Rodgers was a welcome prospect. Following his inspirational talk at this year's IMS, Rodgers returned to the island, setting up in San Antonio's Ibiza Rocks Hotel. Wading through the thickset crowd, it was refreshing to see both young and old rubbing shoulders, even if everyone, without exception, appeared to be British. Opening with "Everybody Dance," before moving into a medley of Rodgers-penned classics—including Madonna's "Like a Virgin"—the US eight-piece had every bit of the hotel complex instantly breaking out into fits of exertion.
Carried by the powerhouse vocals of his two female accomplices, Rodgers dropped into "Spacer" by Sheila & Black Devotion. From there the band segued into jams by Sister Sledge, Duran Duran and David Bowie. As the opening bars of "Le Freak" sounded out, cries of "oh my god" could be heard spreading around the dance floor. While I can't claim to have been quite as excited, it did feel almost cathartic to engage in a proper collective singalong, so used have we all become to nodding our heads and bopping along in continuous, silent approval. Closing with an extended version of "Good Times"—a track that seemingly never loses its charm—hoards of fans joined Chic on stage for one last dance. In the context of Ibiza, there could be no better pre-club lubricant.
Speak to any of the more seasoned locals and they'll tell you that the fundamental difference between their Ibiza and the one we inhabit these days is the focus placed on the resident DJ. Between the '60s and mid '90s, before the idea of the superstar DJ really took off, partygoers would head out to Space or Amnesia to dance the night away to the club's in-house jock, who would spin long, meandering sets. Today, however, it's all about the cashed up, international icon. One party that is going some way to recapturing that spirit, however, is Fuse. Led by Enzo Siragusa, the likes of Rossko, Rich Nxt and Seb Zito are hardly household names, and yet their ability to consistently rock the Sankeys crowd has stood the London party in solid stead this season.
Gathering for their first all-resident affair in several weeks, Rossko opened up with plenty of punchy urgency, before delving into deeper, more ethereal territory as Siragusa's entrance approached. Siragusa immediately injected some bounce into the music, moving with dexterity between one low-slung, tumbling bassline and the next. For those yet to see him in action, do—he's a real talent. Classic samples from Marvin Gaye, Nina Simone and Donna Summer added flourishes of familiarity to his set. Playing to a Sankeys basement with just the right amount of people, it was one of the more enjoyable outings I've had this season. If you're yet to visit Fuse, don't bother waiting for your favourite guest to drop by—I guarantee the residents are just as good.
Elsewhere...
Tale of Us take up position on the Terrazza for the fourth time this year, joined on the night by fellow ENTER. regulars Magda and Maceo Plex.
The Diynamic duo Solomun and H.O.S.H. joined Pete Tong as secret guests last week for some spontaneous Friday fun.
Joseph "King" Capriati lays it down in the Main Room at Circoloco on Monday. Kevin Saunderson, Ryan Elliott and Just Be also performed. This week, Sasha drops by.
New generation Cocooner Ilario Alicante gets expressive in the Main Room in the early hours of Tuesday morning. This week, Dixon and Âme play their only Amnesia dates of 2013 in the Terrace, with Sven and Marcel Dettmann also featuring.
Given the amount of clubs he's graced with his presence this season, it's a miracle there are still booths untouched by the Desolat boss. Loco Dice tore a packed Terrazza apart on Tuesday night for the first time, while Carl Craig stood in for Coxy on his week off.
Cajmere confirmed the lyrics to this summer's smash hit are indeed about himself, as he performed alongside Sonny Fodera, Tom Demac and Jamie Jones.