In Ibiza ants are tricky to get away from, quickly surrounding any food left out to our extreme annoyance. There are different type of Ants here, mind, living in their colony over at Ushuaïa. And these ones we're all over like a rash. Members will tell you it's a party worth your time. The average holidaymaker wants to cram in as much as possible during their visit, and party under the stars. This does the job well. Over the weekend, Ants’ reign at Ushuaïa came to a close with a fantastic line-up once more.
Uner gave a selection of tech house with such warmth yet bump to keep us around the circular booth on our toes, it will probably stay with us for the remainder of the year. The Catalonian’s name is amongst several on gold plaques outside the hotel, honoured for performing at Ants and he fed us the energy to prove it. Next up was one member of Gorgon City, otherwise known as Foamo, who continued to fuel the last of Saturday’s daylight. At the end he played the vocal from Jennifer Hudson on Go All Night, one of the many hits of their acclaimed debut album, before a cowbell intermission, followed with eternally loved track I Feel Love by Donna Summer. That’s how you close a set. The music stopped to hear a plane whoosh over at the same time. Double whammy.
The main stage then lit up and we came forth to the hands of Kölsch in control. Given the two stages situation it was a bit of a race there, all lining up to crawl over like a scene from A Bug’s Life. The last time I did this at Ushuaïa on Ants’ watch a year ago, similarly he was the designated stage opener. Not much had changed; he was wearing the same hat. The production design was different though, almost eerie, as he dropped his 2013 single All That Matters from the enclosure with lasers beaming out we all made sure to embrace it and vibrate to the giftings.
Ants’ sovereign DJ Andrea Oliva residing all summer took to decks at half 10 and certainly made his last set a momentous one. Running the acapella of Music Is The Answer over a loop of classic number in this corner of the globe, Oxia Domino. When the bassline entered the picture and it was met with the sparkling lightshow, confetti poured everywhere and massive ants on stage appearing to move – senses were close to bursting with all that was going on.
Utilising a track revived this summer Fatima Yamaha - What's A Girl To Do, he mixed it with a stomping 4/4 beat. Dennis Ferrer’s mix of The Cure And The Cause originally by Fish Go Deep has also had plenty of love showed to it this summer by multiple DJs, and it was time for it to ignite frenzy on Ushuaïa soil after the congas rolled in and the first synth hits. Andrea was swigging wine, as we and the group behind the decks all took in the last moments, dancing along to Prince - Let's Go Crazy (Special Dance Mix). A sit-down was initiated, a new experience for some (girl nearby: “I don't get it"). They frequently fail but in this case the majority inside the venue laid low and jumped up appropriately at the bass drum.
Acknowledging who played before him with Kölsch’s blissful piano keys on Der Alte, Ants in Ibiza for 2015 came to a close. One last time we heard the voice sample telling us that music is the answer, a slogan they’ve taken under their wing, changing it to the puntastic 'antswer'. Inspired. With the equation of music choices like that mixed up a treat, it’s an impression convincingly made, with no wondering what the question is. Keep on grooving.
PHOTO | Uniting with the bugs one last time / writer is creepy
WORDS | Emma Gillett PHOTOGRAPHY | Ushuaïa
