Breaking the mould: Maceo Plex's Mosaic is bringing something different to Ibiza

Ibiza has become renowned for club nights featuring a full line-up of music that rarely strays from the tech house palette. To fans of this sound, the beats are hypnotic, and to the genre's detractors “it's just really fucking boring”. Well, those are the words of Maceo Plex, who is trying to introduce Ibiza to DJs you wouldn’t normally see playing its club circuit, and music you wouldn't normally hear on the White Isle.

This year, the Texas-born, Barcelona-based DJ has enlisted the likes of Moodymann, Young Marco, Palms Trax, Ben Klock and Jon Hopkins. Not exactly artists that fit the stereotypical Ibiza mould. But he doesn’t want them to bend their music style for the VIPs either. His night at Pacha, Mosaic, is about these DJs playing something new to Ibiza and in the process rediscovering the island’s roots.

With our heads a little heavy from a Cocoon session the night before, we traipse the short distance from the Pacha hotel to the legendary club for an opening night consisting of Joy Orbison, Italian trio Agents Of Time and of course Maceo himself all manning the Main Room. With that line-up, the second year of Mosaic was always going to start with a bang.

Already a regular in Ibiza, Maceo Plex would have had many, many suitors eyeing him up for a residency. But he chose Pacha because the club is happy to take a chance on some leftfield (by Ibiza’s standards) artists and the team behind the operation is clearly happy to show that off.

Pacha is of course its glitzy self during Mosaic opening. The multi-tiered VIP area flows like a grouping of rock pools throughout the night, dancers in their LED cages wear outfits that resemble a gothic carnivale and huge silver orbs hang from the ceiling. The stage is set and the quality didn’t let up.

Here are 10 tracks that sum up the night.

Joy Orbison, Main Room

Pacha first opened its doors 50 years ago in Barcelona. It came to Ibiza in 1973 at a time when it was embracing its hippie roots and is now established as the island’s oldest superclub. When you mention the White Isle, Pacha is one of the first words that come to mind; such is the strength of the twin cherry brand. With that though comes the sounds of David Guetta, Martin Garrix and Bob Sinclar who also hold residencies over the summer. So it's really fucking nice that within half an hour Joy Orbison is laying down this bubbling, no holds barred roller. Much to our delight, a crowd has formed quickly in the Main Room and is already easing themselves into the night.

With its woozy arp that sounds like the feeling of spinning in bed after too many beers, guttural alien drone and some spangly hats that go in and out of the tune at will, Rrose’s ‘The Stare’ isn’t really an Ibiza standard. But combined with the pulsating lights and funeral-cum-burlesque dressed dancers, it totally made sense. It was awesome to see Joy O not bend to the VIPs or the musical stereotypes of the island, and playing this track proved that not everybody was just out to get bowled over by some straightforward tech-house. Well, one girl left with her fingers in her ears but that was kind of fucking awesome. It can’t always just be ice cannons and table service.

Josh Cheon & Beziér, Prism Room

The Prism Room (aka the Funky Room) is one of Maceo Plex’s favourite spots in Pacha. He’s even favoured playing there over the Main Room on previous occasions. So despite its upstairs location, whoever he puts in the wooden farmhouse-style attic certainly isn’t being hidden away. Taking over are one half of the San Francisco crew Honey Soundsystem, Josh Cheon and Beziér aka Robert Yang (replete in the sickest pink jumpsuit ever) playing as Dark Entires. Their Italo-esque house jams offer a refreshing change in tone to the harder-edged Main Room. Unfortunately there aren't many people in Room 2 to enjoy it all. But the soundtrack most definitely isn't lacking. This track shreds.

Agents Of Time, Main Room

Having just been turned away from the VIP section because one of us was wearing shorts (schoolboy error, Dave) we head onto the main floor for Agents Of Time. Playing live on the looming turret-esque stage in the corner rather than the booth in among the crowd, a massive LED screen looks down on them along with a dancer on the level above. Surrounded by a sprawl of musical equipment, the three-piece from Bari, Italy has the audience in the palm of their hand with upbeat techno tunes and acid-infused basslines. ‘Lower World’ from their ‘Day One’ EP on the trio’s newly founded label Obscura, is a particular highlight, squelching its way into dancer’s hearts. And it’s always fun to see someone rock a TB-03.

Maceo Plex, Main Room

An early track in Maceo Plex's set and a signal as to how hard he'd be taking things on opening night, with the crowd absolutely lapping it up. Even 15 minutes into his set it's obvious how much of a rockstar he is. The Texan has complete focus of everyone, to the point that no one is in in the Prism room for much longer.

Maceo has a penchant for tracks with tripped-out vocals over the top of them. They nicely weave his set together, creating a theme that hot-wires together his set, one that's a bit harder and darker than usual. It’s an absolutely enormous track from Rekids boss Radio Slave. A slow-burner that opens up the set, the first 909 open hat poking through after an hour of more straightforward tracks to start the night. The club shows it’s appreciation as that staccato synth riff comes in and Maceo Plex appears fully in the flow.

Maceo Plex duly followed Radio Slave up with this beaut from 1993. With its organ stabs and jacking drums, the track has the crowd positively jumping. A bronzed duo in front of us begin grinding on each other with wild abandon and the fist-pumping Italians down the front start their chant of "Maceoooo". Meanwhile, Maceo Plex is going for it in the booth, all rolling shoulders and excited hand claps. He's so in the zone he takes awhile to even register his friend come into the booth. He's a master at connecting with his crowd.

Maceo Plex b2b Joy Orbison, Main Room

It’s 5.30am and someone has sparked up a joint in the club. The DJ booth and VIP areas are still swinging and the crowd is witnessing a Joy Orbison and Maceo Plex b2b unfurl into banging electro and ragged techno. Everything gets a little hazy when Maceo Plex drops this number, a bumping vocal track from Green Velvet that is just the kind of tune that keeps the dancefloor bouncing without needing to think too much.

It's just past six and it's clear the night isn't ready to end. The crowd is still up for it and Maceo Plex is really start to test us with some interesting tracks. The loping bassline of the Âme remix of Etienne Jaumet's 'Repeat After Me Again' comes at the perfect moment for the final push. It builds the tension back up and manages to squeeze a saxophone sample in there at the same time. Win-win.

After almost a full night of 4/4, Maceo drops this during his b2b and it's a true highlight. We’ve gone past the original closing hour of 6am and are headed for 7, Fred 4’s ‘Do it From The Back’ is a divine intervention that bangs as hard in the club tonight as it did on its release in 1995. After handing the headphones to Joy O, Maceo Plex turns to Mixmag and exclaims “nobody plays this stuff in Ibiza!” We are fucking glad he did.

Louis Anderson-Rich is Mixmag's Digital Intern. Follow him on Twitter here