- For many, myself included, Fuse's departure from Sankeys to Space felt like one of the more interesting moves in Ibiza this year. Like Sankeys, the London outfit launched its island campaign in 2011, and the two have risen in tandem since then, enjoying the same purple patches and suffering the same lows. Fuse's party count grew every year, from just three in 2011 to 16 in 2013. Last summer, they took on their biggest run yet—19 weeks—and it proved a step too far. Numbers dipped and their relationship with the club grew tense. Whether they jumped or were pushed is not known, but in early May Fuse announced three Terrace shows at Space.
Their new home suits them. Aesthetically, the Terrace is a nicer room than the Basement: bigger and less oppressive, it makes the room feel open and inviting. The soundsystem, too, is an improvement. You'd hear stories of Enzo Siragusa having to personally tweak the Sankeys PA before every gig, but I can't imagine there'll be any need to fiddle with Space's custom-built Funktion 1. Behind the booth, neat and incredibly realistic visuals covered the back wall, showing a Fuse balloon crinkling and unfurling in HD clarity. Aside from that, though, the room was bare—no dancers, no decorations and no distractions.
Fuse's USP has always been the music. As it stands, it's one of very few nights in Ibiza that doesn't bother with any of the extras. They often don't even book guests, though they do for the Space residency. Longtime affiliate Julian Perez was one of two invitees when I was there, taking the first of the peak-time slots. He's a nifty mixer and his stormy tech house grooves soon had the floor shaking its collective hip. By this point the Terrace was lively and nearly busy, which isn't always the case the Tuesday after Sónar. All around me, tanned Europeans mimicked Perez's percussion with their hands.
Livio & Roby took over 90 minutes later and kept the pace for a good hour, before dropping off. When you're listening to the kind of repetitive, rolling music that defines Fuse, there's a fine line between what is boring and what isn't. Too often the Romanian duo lent towards the latter. Enzo Siragusa and Seb Zito gave the atmosphere a much-needed shot in the arm when they hit the decks, taking turns to drop cut after cut of warm, dubby techno and house. There were vocals and faint piano lines, and plenty of personality. Many will criticise Fuse for reducing its presence in Ibiza. After all, visibility is everything on the island. But with Siragusa's profile steadily on the rise, and an international reputation that precedes them, playing the slow game might just work.
Photo credit: Tasya Menaker