Stepping through the realm of consciousness following life after death, it was time to explore the odyssey of the Afterlife with the Berlin-based sound-scape project of Tale of Us.
Anticipations were running high during the first week of July and none more so than on the dance floors of the world’s most awarded super-club, Space Ibiza. Having seen the departure of techno titan, Richie Hawtin, and the symbolic black dot of his much beloved residency, ENTER., there was a void that then needed filling on Thursday nights – step forward Tale of Us.
Formerly residents at DC10 Ibiza with their dark and mysterious four week Life & Death concept, the compelling pairing of Karm and Matteo Milleri are certainly no strangers to the dark spotlight thus making them the perfect residential candidates to replace Richie Hawtin.
As you step foot into this odyssey defined by illustrious soundscapes and relentless rhythms, the landscape of the Afterlife takes you on an intimate roller-coaster journey to resurgence through the power of rebellious techno music.
Speaking of landscapes, the globe’s most famous clubbing fortress displayed just how adroitly equipped and demiurgic they could be as they changed up their usual format. Closing off access to the dance floor of the Discoteca, the Covered Terrace was utilised for main room proceedings with the decks unusually set up on the opposite side of the dance floor. It was also decorated appropriately with an iconic white manikin hanging upside down from the ceiling leaving revellers hypnotised by its presence. In addition to this, the Sunset Terrace opened shop at 9pm whilst the inclusion of the Chamber was formed as a boxed off dance floor on the right-hand side of the Discoteca with a strictly no frills or exaggeration and techno-focused policy.
As the clubbing nation gathered inside Space Ibiza, the excitement and intrigue began to increase in the build up to the evening’s main attraction, Tale of Us. Taking complete advantage of the anagogic and murky atmosphere present, we had arrived not long after Italian brothers, Alessandro and Federico Fognini, had taken to the decks. Globally known as Mind Against, these Italian natives engaged the crowd from with an igniting performance from the before flirting with psychedelic hooks of the 1980s. With such emotion being driven into the very veins of the Covered Terrace, it came as no surprise that the creative inclusions of “Avalon” and “Elysium” were scorching crowd pleasers all-round.
Heavily influenced by the likes of Edvard Munch, Gustav Mahler and Metallica, Plangent Records boss, Recondite, stepped up to the decks in the Covered Terrace much to the delight of the Afterlife faithful. With an impressive library of experimental carefully crafted output, the Berlin-based artist was progressive in his creation and captivating in his presence. Mesmerised by his mind-blowing selections, Recondite treated us to some of his Innervisions’ releases including “Osa” as well as his recent EP release for Hotflush, “Warg”.
Changing up our experience in levels of intimacy, we entered the caliginous and obscure atmosphere presented to us by the brand new Space Ibiza concept of the Chamber. With the Covered Terrace jam-packed and the Sunset Terrace busier than usual, this left the Chamber pretty empty but this wasn’t necessarily a bad thing. If anything, it made for a more interactive rendezvous between the performer and the crowd and allowed us to get up close and personal with the back-to-back pairing of Konstantin and Sa Pa.
Participating in an all-night escapade of dark, dingy and emotive distinctions, Konstantin and Sa Pa had an audience of 20 or so clubbing fanatics magnetised to the mysterious floor of the Chamber. Also known as Herr Koreander and Kettenkarussell, German-born Konstantin ventured down unexplored avenues taking revellers on a deep, dubby and emotive journey. This combined with the fearsome bass and cerebral sound of Sa Pa drenched with distant techno ambience-layered rhythms displayed just how much variance the Afterlife brand had to showcase.
Returning back to the Covered Terrace, the dance floor flooded with sweaty bodies all sporting the traditional techno colours – all black everything. The atmosphere in the air had reached an all-time peak and the Berlin-based main event pairing of Tale of Us had only just taken to the decks. Exceeding all expectations within meagre minutes, they reached down into the minds and souls of those standing before them illustrating their sheer intensity and vehemence with a tenebrous work in of “North Star” and a momentum-building belter with Guy J’s remix of “Overture” by Twice As Nice. Transitioning through the magical melodic gears, this Italian pairing reeled us in with “Nana” by Acid Sundays resident, Acid Pauli.
Having connected the lost souls of the most famous dance floor in the world by utilising the power of relentless and rebellious techno music, Tale of Us have certainly delivered in serving up the ultimate Afterlife dose of aural pleasure.
Photo Credit By: Julian Farina and Alex Caballero