- As explored in a recent edition of RA's Ibiza weekly, the new partnership between Kehakuma and Elrow is among the biggest talking points of the 2014 season. On the one hand, it makes sense: Space (who run and host Kehakuma) and Elrow are both global dance brands in their prime. But in a way they couldn't be more different. Kehakuma tends to emphasise the music, showcasing deeper shades of house and techno within a stripped-back setting. Elrow, meanwhile, is the least stripped-back party on the planet, purposefully shifting the focus away from the DJ and onto circus-like atmosphere. The stars here are the actors, the sets and the costumes, not to mention the masses of blow-up toys.
Walking into the Discoteca close to midnight, my first impression was one of intense colour. Centred on an aeronautic theme, the room was awash with dancing air-traffic controllers, stilted air hostesses and suspended papier maché planes. On stage, one of the Elrow residents was pounding out buoyant tech house, making sure his energy levels matched those of the floor. I doubt Space has ever looked and felt so vibrant.
Feeling a little dazed after the first round of confetti, CO2 cannons and inflatable beer bottles, I headed to the Terrazza for the first glimpse of Kehakuma. It was fairly empty at first, but a combination of Jus-Ed's soulful grooves and his shouts of encouragement on the mic soon had the floor two-thirds full, leaving it primed for Mr. G. The UK veteran wasted little time in picking up the pace, leading with his own interpretation of Roland Clark's classic "President House." From there, he animatedly worked his way through slice after slice of warm, piercing tech house, each track imbued with the kind of timeless soul so often lacking in Ibiza. Nina Kraviz, in keeping with the night's theatrical motif, mimed the words to her own hits ("Desire," Alexxkidd's remix of "Pain In The Ass"), while cutting shapes to other people's moody, loopy techno. Safe to say, she had the room following her every move.
Back in the Discoteca, chaos ensued. Another round of confetti, another volley of rubber rings, this time coupled with an in-crowd performance led by a pilot sat on a toilet-seat throne. Every time you feel Elrow misses a trick with its choice of music, you find those thoughts overridden by just how much fun you're having. And now, of course, with Kehakuma but a 15-second walk away, dancing to top-notch house and techno is always an option. While I never got the sense that Kehakuma + Elrow was a cohesive enterprise—the two parties felt entirely separate at all times—together they provide two great and very different clubbing experiences under one roof.