- As the summer gradually creeps in to August and the Ibizan season's inevitable conclusion is now in sight, Sven Väth's notorious Monday night shindig rolls on, with its popularity on the island reaching epic proportions. The revelers turned up in droves for this one, (my feet were probably off the floor longer than they were on it) showing scant regard for the state of their bank balances. It's easy to forget Cocoon was once considered one of Ibiza's most underground parties. Recession? Not here.
Brimming with energy, skill and confidence behind the decks, the night belonged to Dutch techno wizard Joris Voorn. Finishing around the 3 AM mark, the adulation received for his set was as close to pandemonium as I've ever witnessed in Amnesia's famed main room. Having missed his "where you there?" set at the Space opening party, I'm damn glad I witnessed him here. Joris whipped the crowd in to a frenzy with every enthusiastic twiddle of the MIDI controllers, playing a flawless live set. Ubiquitous summer smash "Sweep the Floor" went down a treat, but it was the intense atmosphere created by set finisher, Voorn's remix of Robert Babicz's "Dark Flower," which sent the heaving crowd into overdrive. While Voorn's stock has risen unprecedentedly over the years, the night felt like the moment when all his promise seemed to come to fruition, the moment when he rubberstamped his position at the top of the techno ladder. And there was still a set from Sven to come? Music to the ears indeed.
It was time, however, for a quick bop in to the confusingly named terrace—a space about four times larger than the main room. Turkish starlet Onur Özer was serving up a treat with Sven's fellow Cocoon-er and Harry Hill lookalike Tobi Neumann. It was tougher in sound than the main room, but the crowd seemed to lapping it up. I've seen both individually however, and had yet to hear a set from the ringmaster himself this summer, so I opted instead for the Papa back in the main room. To be honest, though, I was a bit disappointed. He's usually an animated figure behind the decks, but from where I was standing, Sven looked exhausted. I'd heard only good things about his sets at Matter and Cocoon In The Park, but despite the crowd's enthusiasm, I just couldn't get into it. Len Faki's "Death by House"? As Bruno would say: Sooooo 2008. As for Sven playing an edit of The B-52's "Love Shack," if I wanted to hear that I'd rob my sister's iPod. (It's also the kind of thing which is probably right up Bruno's street.) And with Luciano playing a bootleg of Lumidee's "Never Leave You" this season? Has the whole world gone mad?
But it wasn't all bad. And it rarely is when a man with his finger as firmly on the pulse of electronic music is playing. Redemption duly arrived courtesy of Peter Dundov's "Sparkling Stars," which brilliantly set the wheels in motion for another of those ever-welcome ice blasts. As the night eventually left us in another blur, I just had to forgive Sven. It'd be hard not to—he's provided me with some great nights over the years. Just don't play "Love Shack" ever again.