Grown organically in Mexican coastal resort town, Playa del Carmen, The BPM Festival is a winter playground that acts as a global gathering for the most ardent of house and techno zealots. You've got 10 days to sweat over 375+ artists, and by The BPM crew's own admission, it'll be one magical journey.
This year's adventure is kicking off again this weekend, and 2017 will mark The BPM Festival's impressive 10th anniversary. Seventy thousand fans hailing from 72 countries will be making the descent for its biggest celebration to date, and among them are live debuts, new headliners, surprise pop-up parties, unexpected B2B sets and long awaited reunions.
Your options are outrageously endless, so for that reason we've narrowed it down and unashamedly shone the light on our Balearic isle with a selection of parties and DJs who've made an impact in Ibiza in the last season and beyond.
Get all your information over on BPM's official website and if you're sitting at home feeling sorry for yourselves, increase the heartache and stream it all with BE-AT.TV.
Who: Knee Deep In Sound with Hot Since 82, Doc Martin, Guti (Live), Martin Buttrich and Matthias Tanzmann
Where: Martina Beach Club
When: Friday 6 January, 12:00 – 21:00
Alongside Luciano, Nic Fanciulli and MK, Hot Since 82 was drafted in to host a series of parties for Pacha's homeground underground fiesta, Insane. Knee Deep In Ibiza largely took its name from Hot Since 82's own imprint, Knee Deep In Sound. The invitation to bring his label back to BPM is a cracking way for the Yorkshireman to begin 2017.
Who: Pacha Insane & Fact with Andre Buljat, Anna Tur, Dennis Ferrer, DJ T, Ryan Crosson and Steve Bug
Where: Wah Wah Beach Bar
When: Friday 6 January, 12:00 – 21:00
Pacha's homegrown beast, Insane, is getting caught up and twisted with Barcelona-based dance music brand, FACT. Between them, they've got eight years in the bag of throwing the kind of titillating parties that you hoped might spin on eternity. In Mexico, you've got nine hours to roast through and in paradise that might just feel like eternity.
Who: ANTS with Andrea Oliva, David Squillace, Francisco Allendes, Joris Voorn, Matthias Tanzmann and Secondcity
Where: Blue Parrot Beach Club
When: Friday 6 January, 22:00 – 6:00
You've seen them firmly affixed to Ushuaïa's walls and standing on those podiums like the most desirable hybrid creature to exist since that blue special of The X Files. Spearheaded by Andrea Oliva, the ANTS mob has burrowed into underground scenes in Dubai, Italy, Belgium and England since the close of season 2016. Mexico is its first destination in 2017 and as it's already well acquainted with the South American festival, expect excellent things.
Who: Materia with Marco Bailey, Black Asteroid, Alex Bau, Carlo Lio and Dany Rodriguez
Where: Salsanera Main Floor
When: Friday 6 January 22:00 – 6:00
Belgian bastion, Marco Bailey, landed on Ibiza with his first summer-long Ibiza residency. Translated to 'matter' in English, Materia, occupied Vista Club's space with some of the filthiest, hypnotic techno to hit our shores. We're internally egging him on for Ibiza round two, but while nothing is yet confirmed for Ibiza 2017, let's get in about it Mexico style.
Who: tINI And The Gang with Bill Patrick, Dyed Soundorom, Vlada
Where: Canibal Royal
When: Saturday 7 January, 12:00 – 21:00
Ibiza favourite, tINI, knows her way around a good beach and an even better beat. She first showcased her gang at BPM in 2013 and its success sealed it as a permanent fixture. She loves the 10-day session for the constant parade of good energy, and she once advised to stay outdoors and if you get the chance, venture into the jungle for the cenotes.
Who: Music On Jungle with Marco Carola, Paco Osuna, Joey Daniel, Apollonia and Leon
Where: Jungle
When: Sunday 8 January, 22:00 – 6:00
Whether or not he's the pillar of your techno kingdom, Marco Carola commands what's become techno's most fiercely loyal clubbing cult in Ibiza – Music On. The serial globetrotter, workaholic and self-confessed perfectionist has toyed with BPM heads for a number of years now, and with the growth of his empire showing no sign of waning, this one will be killer.
Who: Music On Day with Marco Carola and Neverdogs
Where: Martina Beach Club
When: Monday 9 January, 12:00 – 21:00
He gave us two closing sessions at the end of season 2016 and his beat-based generosity keeps rolling through. He is of course known for marathon sessions – he came close to beating his own 24-hour PB at Sunwaves 2016 – so beasting on for another few hours after a jungle takeover is merely his manner of operation. Watch the mighty master at work and see how long you can slam it for.
Who: Diynamic In The Jungle with Solomun, Adriatique, Kollektiv Turmstasse, Stimming, Magdalena, Lehar and Musumeci
Where: The Jungle
When: Tuesday 10 January, 22:00 – 6:00
The Diynamic crew congregated at DC-10 in 2016 for a one-off special to celebrate its 10th anniversary. Not yet six months on, we can only assume that they're still buzzing off the milestone and we´re anticipating a mesmeric takeover in what'll be the label's fourth BPM trip.
Who: We Are The Night with Nic Fanciulli B2B very special guest, Butch, David Squillace, George Fitzgerald and Hernan Cayetano
Where: Blue Parrot Beach Club
When: Tuesday 10 January, 22:00 – 6:00
Balearic mainstay, Nic Fanciulli, came at us last year with spanking new residency, We Are The Night. Launching in Mexico after stopovers in Miami, Barcelona and New York, Fanciulli is bringing a solid line-up of names Ibiza clubbers will have firmly tracked in their favourites.
Who: Paradise with Jamie Jones, wAFF, Stacey Pullen, Nicole Moudaber, Patrick Topping, Richy Ahmed, Nathan Barato, Danny Tenaglia, Skream, Lee Foss, Jackmaster, Andrea Oliva and Detlef
Where: The Jungle
When: Thursday 12 January, 20:00 – 6:00
Jamie Jones' curated line-ups were loaded with cream in 2016 – man, who can't he get to play for his flamboyant Paradise parties? In our BPM rundown, he boasts the biggest line-up which attests to how his passion translates in peer approval. Paradise in an actual paradise - what more do you need you greedy buggers?
Who: [a:rpia:r] with Rhadoo, Petre Inspirescu, Raresh
Where: Salon Salsanera Main Floor
When: Thursday 12 January, 22:00 – 6:00
Ibiza's elusive hangout spot, Underground, goes about its business with very little promotion, because that's what works. Over the course of 2016, Rhadoo returned weekly and on occasion, not just as a solo entity, but with friends of the label. To quote [a:rpia:r], it measures success on the “pure feeling and sensation on the dancefloor” and that should be at the core of any gathering where music comes first.
Who: Solomun +1 with Solomun and Butch
Where: Martina Beach Club
When: Friday 13 January, 12:00 – 21:00
There was no doubt that Solomun +1 would dominate Sundays at Pacha in 2016 and his fourth consecutive season floored us as anticipated. He began last year's season with Butch at his side and the German producer is back as his partner in electronica crime at Martina Beach Club.
Who: Warriors with Steve Lawler, Cassy, Guti (Live), Kan.E, Sean Miller
Where: Blue Parrot Beach Club
When: Friday 13 January, 22:00 – 6:00
Lawler was once dubbed the 'King of Space' and in more recent years he's earned the title 'King of the Basement' for his Warriors residency at Sankeys Ibiza. To our distant memories, bodies soaked with perspiration rolled out of Sankeys for 15 weeks solid in 2016. With a humbled crew of some dance music's hardest grafters, at BPM you can expect their love for quality music to light your paths to thrillville.
Who: RUMORS with Guy Gerber, Behrouz, Acid Mondays and Cassy
Where: Martina Beach Club
When: Saturday 14 January, 12:00 – 21:00
Revered maverick of underground dance music, Guy Gerber, stalks clubbers at ground level to keep them on their toes. He has a penchant for daytime parties and his Ibiza residency relocated to Pacha's luxury resort and outdoor venue, Destino. He's keeping it sun-filled at BPM with his gig at Martina Beach Club, so dig yourself a good spot and watch this character at work in the blaze.
Who: elrow Psychedelic Trip with Technasia, Santé, Sidney Charles, De La Swing and George Privatti
Where: Blue Parrot Beach Club
When: Sunday 15 January, 22:00 – 6:00
On closing duties for the whole shebang are the lunatics that comprise elrow. Who could be better placed to wave you cheerio than a bunch of mental hippies on stilts wielding nothing but peace signs and hallucinatory props? Not much. You're going to leave cheesing out your overactive minds. International gunners and heroic residents will ensure mayhem.
WORDS l Aimee Lawrence