12 times dance music made us glad to be alive in 2016

In terms of natural beauty, Iceland is by far the most breathtaking place I’ve visited. It’s not an overly bright and colourful country; even in summer it’s cast in a soft wintery hue with a landscape covered in charcoal soil. But it still manages to be dazzling, punctuated by jagged igneous rocks that are an awe-inspiring reminder of volcanic power. Icelanders told me of the intrinsic connection they have with the land, and this was apparent when I travelled to Taktfakt festival on Lake Kleifarvatn last June for a 12-hour techno rave. The bar was a net, keeping drinks chilled in the icy water; the dancefloor was a cave, with the music inside dark and uncompromising to match. As the party drew to a close in the early hours, the sun still hanging in the sky in the unending twilight of Icelandic summer, a camp fire was lit at the centre of the beach and dancers huddled round it for warmth and company, blissfully enjoying the soundtrack of rolling techno everybody was there to hear. That soul-sustaining feeling of oneness that dance music strives for was achieved. Patrick Hinton, Digital Staff Writer

Thousands of people pass through the hallowed doors of Space Ibiza each summer, but it's not often that one can say they've dined on the Terrace with founder Pepe Rosello and friends of the club like Pete Tong, Carl Cox, Nicole Moudaber and Erick Morillo. That's exactly the scenario I found myself in during the celebratory opening week in late May, as we gathered in honour of Pepe Rosello, who took control of Space Ibiza and shaped the iconic club into the 27-year long legend its has become. "You know, a flight attendant once told me that the most common reason for missed flights in Ibiza is because of late nights at Space," Pete Tong laughed, embracing Carl Cox while paying homage to Rosello, a cheerful elderly man dressed sharply, clutching a glass award engraved 'IMS Legends Award'. "And I don't doubt it at all." The night continued on with stories not meant to be shared beyond the four walls of the Terrace, much laughter and emotional speeches exchanged between Carl and Pepe, a man Coxy called a part of "his own family" and who he credited much of the success of his own career to. Space Ibiza's doors may have come to a final close in 2016, but the lasting impact and unforgettable memories will forever remain. Valerie Lee, US Digital Editor