Ibiza attracts the cream of the crop when it comes to DJs, promoters and record labels wanting to prove their credential or showcase their talents. This is the world stage for electronic music, and competition is tough.

Clubbers have an abundance of choice on any given night to shake their asses and spend their money at. There is so much electronic music talent crammed into 570 square metres only, so many can survive and even fewer can flourish. Even the most prestigious can fail.

It has often been said that the first year of any new venture on this island is difficult. There have been a few who disproved this theory last summer by making a spash in their debut season. Enter at Space, Music On at Amnesia and El Row at Privilege not only survied last year, but raise the bar.
Richie Hawtin, after many years dj’ing on the island, commenced his own new concept.  Innovative promotion and intimate rooms to compliment the main dancefloor combined with cool minimal stylings and some of the most underground music to be found made Enter a huge success.

Music On, presented by Marco Carola, was indeed all about the music. Carola playing his bouncy style of techno was joined by the likes of Josh Wink, Guy Gerber, Maetrik and Miss Kittin. The clubbers showed up in great numbers week after week and may even have drawn some away from Amnesia’s other legendary techno night Cocoon.

Where Enter and Music On championed the ‘’concept of the no concept’’, Barcelona’s El Row brought back a carnival atmosphere and remindes us all how much fun a party can be. The weekly themed transformation of Privilege’s newly renovated Vista Club brought colour and quirkiness. If something is worth doing, it’s worth over-doing. This philosophy proved successful, evident from the smiles on people’s faces leaving the club as they waded through the sea of confetti.

As for 2013, which of the new parties will finish the season with their heads held high and which will be with regrets? Here are a few that we think could be the ones to watch:

Wisdom of the Glove @ Pacha
Pacha has had some major changes since last summer. The owners opted a change of direction, out with the old, in with the new. A new managment team has been hired replacing some stalwarts of the business, long serving DJs shown the door and some fresh new faces brought in.
Among those new faces is Israeli born DJ Guy Gerber. Guy has been no stranger to the island but his own residency at Pacha is sure to be seen as a huge step up. A less commercial sound than the previous Wednesday night resident Erick Morillo is to be expected but on the back of the success of last year’s ‘’Fabric 64’’ and a new album on the way, it should be an interesting event this summer. Iria Urgell from Pacha is confident and told her father after doing the deal: ‘’We have the best DJ in the world.’’

Solomun + 1 @ Pacha
Another new arrival at Pacha sees the award winning producer Solomun taking over Sundays from the hugely successful Luciano and his Vagabundos. Solomun held a residency at Sankeys last year with Diynamic Neon Nights, given its popularity in a club not that is not as well established it may be assumed that he should continue in this vein. The concept of « + 1 » is an interesting one also where he want himself and his guest DJ to be involved in the whole party. The only doubt being how his fans view the change to a club that has normally been associated with a more commercial sound and a different crowd.

Bomba Ibiza
With the shake up at Pacha and all those people shown the door there was always going to be someone looking to give them a new home.  Their new home, as it happens isn’t very far from their old one. Guiseppe Cipriani has teamed up with Pacha old boys Danny Whittle and Mark Netto. They have taken over ‘’Penelope’’, a club just a few hundred metres down the road. The venue has seen limited success in the past but a sustained presence may not be far off. Fellow Pacha exiles Luciano and his Vagabundo, Defected Records and Erick Morillo will be among those playing on their custom made Pioneer soundsytem.

Hypercolour @ Sankeys
Not one of the biggest record labels in the world but with releases from some cool names over the past few years. Jamie Jones, Groove Armada and Maya Jane Coles to name but a few. Details of their events have not yet been released but with many DJs tied down to exclusive contacts much will depend on who they will have lined up.

2013 looks like a promising party summer on the White Isle but only time will tell….