Business as usual: In its 18th season, Cocoon Ibiza shows no sign of slowing down

Dorian Paic, Club Room

Dorian Paic's been closely affiliated to Cocoon for a long time and it's easy to see why Sven rates his prowess as a selector. His selections are dark, hard and spanky, in contrast to the less pacy Terrace during the first half of DJ Koze's set. The Club Room's nowhere near full to capacity just yet, but those who are in there are getting fully involved. Recently released on powerhouse label Innervisions, Rampa's 'Bimma' is a true headspinner, ram-packed with dazzling synths, subtle cricket-like clicks and a trippy repetitive vocal. Another example of why Innervisions has the respect it has, 'Bimma' is used to perfection by Dorian, preceding a selection of heavy-hitting artillery (see below for what we mean by that).

Dorian Paic, Club Room

So utterly brilliant we Shazam'd it four times to ensure it was the right track ID. This is the exact artillery we mention above, one with bold, bruising bass kicks and scratchy snares that give you the utmost satisfaction. It's intense heads-down tech and one that puts you in that 'zone'. The type of tune that means you don't say anything for the entire six minutes 'cause it's just so damn good. Nice one, Shazam.

Sven Väth, Terrace

Only a few hours had passed since Gerd Janson knocked this one out at the second Circoloco party at DC-10. Out a few months ago on Janson's Running Back label, the fact it's been played twice in one night kind of outlines the impact it'll have on the island this year. The Terrace is absolutely rammed at this point with Sven's set in full swing and everyone's eyes are firmly fixated on the Cocoon bossman. Such is the effect, people are even hugging each other beneath the Cocoon rings spinning with light hanging above the dancefloor. Those hugs are soon torn apart when the electrifying fizz of 'Not Also You' comes driving through the soundsystem. Expect to see these included in a few more of our Ibiza reviews this season.

DJ Koze, Terrace

It'd be rude not to include one of your own pieces of work in your set, wouldn't it? As if the German DJ hadn't provided enough special moments while opening the Terrace, he goes one step further by dropping this remix from last July. Trippy atmospherics dominate the track and the Amnesia production team is on hand to match the mood with the release of smoke across the dancefloor. The glitchy vocal provides the set-up for a proper head spin and as soon as the beat comes into play again, the club's famous ice cannon is triggered to snap everyone back into life. Talk about 'Energy Flow'.

DJ Koze, Terrace

Think what you like about DJ Sneak's attitude towards certain things, but there's no denying his ability to craft a fine production. Koze's been on fire all night, but this has to be the standout. Feisty bass kicks bang from the off and raspy percussion and funky horns soon come into play, causing arms all across the dancefloor to be swinging over heads. It's a track bursting with energy and one perfect for a middle-of-the-night pick-me-up. File under: vintage banger.

DJ Koze, Terrace

"Feel the same thing, yes I do..." goes the vocal over and over on this. We're not entirely sure what it relates to, but we're pretty certain it's good and that's exactly what we're feeling now. Green lights swirl through the room as the playful synth jabs reverberate and percussion claps at machine-gun pace. Radio Slave has produced one helluva trippy and hypnotic swinger and DJ Koze uses it at a prime time, the last 30 minutes of his set, to give us all a supercharged workout.

Sven Väth, Terrace

DJ Koze's set is coming to an end and the bespectacled face of Sven Väth appears in the DJ booth. It's a hero's welcome for the Cocoon boss. He's not even started to play but cheers erupt and hands clap in anticipation for the Papa's return. He's the main man in Amnesia and it's clear he's the reason why the majority of people are here. Instead of going in with tough techno right away, he goes for an edit of a cheeky Angolan number to ignite smiles on the faces off all around. Unexpected, but it is a party and parties call for the most floor-filling of tunes. This is certainly one of those. Cue: snake hips.

Sven Väth, Terrace

The Papa's been playing for almost an hour now and after the hip-shaking opener, he's moving through a flurry of full-steam tech stompers. The ice cannons are in full use and the atmosphere's buzzing. After all, it is Cocoon's 18th year in Ibiza and that's a milestone that deserves the most celebratory of celebrations. There's no need for Shazam on this one as a Mixmag compadre knows exactly what it is - a collision of two office favourites, Italojohnson and Floorplan. A five-star slammer, it's the type of techno that's prime for igniting big rooms like Amnesia's Terrace into a full-blown madness.

Ilario Alicante, Club Room

The passing of Robert Miles was deeply upsetting for dance music fans worldwide. There's no doubt his hit 'Children' would have soundtracked dancefloors all over the globe the weekend after his death and there's a high chance it'll get a rinsing in Ibiza this summer. Ilario Alicante gets in there early to cause a real emotional moment. As soon as those delicate piano chords sneak in the room almost falls silent, strobes beaming down on a sea of bodies holding phones in the air to get it all on camera. Lights flash red, purple, blue and yellow, before the ice cannon erupts as the track bursts into life. For a tune that struck up so many images of Ibiza as a kid, hearing it in the place itself and seeing the magic it stirs up is surreal.

Nina Kraviz, Club Room

Nina Kraviz is hands down one of the biggest DJs on the planet right now and there's not many better to be in charge of closing the Club Room tonight after Ilario Alicante's emotional ode to the late Robert Miles. 4.30am is her allocated start time, but as we look up into the booth as her set time rolls around, she's still getting a few things into order and we're made to wait a little longer. Rather than getting impatient, blazing red strobes and the ice cannons act as a distraction for a few more minutes before she starts to roll out mischievous acidy cuts and full-blown techno hitters. It doesn't take long for her to pull for Dave Clarke's 'The Storm', a wildly intense techno smack to the face with warped and freakish vocals. We already knew you were capable of causing devastation on the dancefloor, Nina, but that was something else.

Dave Turner is Mixmag's Digital News Editor, follow him on Twitter