Coxy's crackers: 11 times Carl Cox proved he's the king

It wouldn't be Christmas at Mixmag without Carl Cox on hand to spread the festive cheer. He got well into the spirit last year, sitting himself in front of a Crimbo tree for his very own royal speech, looking back on all the hot dance music topics, from fabric's closure to his Space residency ending.

We haven't got him delivering a message again, but through fear of being accused of ruining your Christmas Day, we've rounded up his finest moments of 2017 as a substitute. He told us he'd be slowing down this year, but he's still managed to smash it in Ibiza, play at Burning Man and fire out some wisdom. Classic Coxy.

"I’ve got a zest for life and that’s what makes me who I am," Coxy said earlier this month. He was straight to the point in an interview with The Weekly Review, saying the only drug he needs is music. He added: “I’ve always said music is my drug. I’ve always been clean living. If I had been taking drugs, I wouldn’t be here today. I’d be in a mental institution. Or dead. I was lucky enough to say no in my early days and to get enough sleep." Young DJs - there are some words of wisdom right there.

We love a present, but something nostalgic from Coxy is extra special. That's why his delivery of two mixes from 2004 were welcomed with open, unblocked ears. One is from now-closed Glasgow club The Arches and the other Seoul, South Korea. Hope you like your music at a relentless pace.

Coxy's been in the game long enough to say exactly what he wants, being honest about stuff never in fear of losing a few gigs. Discussing his choice of tracks for his gigs, he told inthemix that "playing the Beatport top 20 is too easy." Whether that was a sly dig at certain DJs or not, it's refreshing to have someone speaking their mind. We reckon a few people might have started digging that little bit deeper after reading it, too...

Watching the world's biggest DJs with views of the Statue Of Liberty in the background? Yeah, go on then. This all came about through US production company RPM, which decided to throw a fuck-off party on the 172-acre island not far from Manhattan. The vid above will give you a taste of what Coxy served up.

No Space Ibiza this year meant no regular Carl Cox residency in Ibiza for the first time in 16 years. Unsurprisingly, ravers of the White Isle were scratching their heads in confusion and uncertainty before his Pure parties at Privilege were announced. Coxy soon put those worries to bed, telling us he was heading to the mammoth club to "rip it up like I used to." Full of confidence, that guy.

He said he was gonna rip it up, he did just that. A "legendary Balearic party" we called it. A party attended by all the important Ibiza heads. One that was powered by tunes such as Julio Bashmore's remix of 'Into The Valley' by Classix and Rowee's 'Earth To You'. He might not have a weekly party anymore, but he's still capable of remaining completely relevant.

An old Ibiza head going at it with two of the island's young guns. What more could you want? Well, those at Benimussa Park back in July were probably gagging for a whole lot more because it was that bloody good. Tunes by Rampa, Philip Straub and Alden Tyrell were all dropped at the brilliant open-air session. We'll play it cool on describing the party; that's right here for you.

We know how much you lot love Burning Man and Coxy so this combination is a winner, right? If that's not enough to sell it to you, it was hosted on John Digweed's Transitions radio show, too. Listen above for heavy tech straight from the Nevada desert.

If you said you weren't surprised that these two made a track together, you're lying. A collaboration between rave royalty and disco icon was totally unexpected. We know Nile has worked with Daft Punk and Disclosure in the past, but 'Beat The Track' is way deeper and darker than any of those hook-ups. Drums pulsate and Nile's guitar riffs weave in and out mischievously.

Who else to cut the ribbon with Space owner Pepe Rosello other than the man who made the club his home from home? After its closure last year, it's only right there's a place to house everything that made Space so special. The San Antonio museum, Space Warehouse, is filled with memorabilia including old furnishings, T-shirts, photos and loads more.

Balance is key for DJs when on tour. There's so many temptations around that it's easy to fall into the party lifestyle and forget about keeping yourself healthy as well. The documentary Why We DJ - Slaves To The Rhythm covers this, featuring Coxy alongside Seth Troxler, Luciano and loads more. Mental health is important and this is a must-watch.