Carl Cox raises the roof at his [UNVRS] premiere

An absolute behemoth of DJ culture and a true champion of the scene, Carl Cox needs no introduction. One of the most passionate, enduring, and beloved figures in electronic music, Cox has carved out a legacy as one of the most successful career DJs of all time.

Leaving behind his Melbourne home, he returns to Ibiza in 2025 for a summer-long residency at the mighty [UNVRS], bringing with him decades of experience, unstoppable energy, and a USB packed tighter than a peak-hour Ibiza dancefloor.

Having never witnessed the man in action, I jumped at the chance to cover the night. Joining Cox for a three-hour back-to-back was Nic Fanciulli, supported by Maceo Plex, Nicole Moudaber, and Ibiza native Anna Tur. Over in Wild Comet, the heat was on with house project Más Tiempo, the brainchild of UK Grime legends Skepta and Jammer.

Opening parties are always a different kind of beast, part showcase, part statement. This one made it loud and clear: Carl Cox’s [UNVRS] takeover meant business.

Accompanied by the Spotlight Social Media team, we made our way to the heart of [UNVRS], and by the looks of it, the entire island had the same idea. The place was buzzing.

We made it to the main room at 01:15 to find a pumping dancefloor, firmly under the control of Nicole Moudaber. She was already deep into a set of bouncy, UK-style house, including a remix of Florence & The Machine’s' You’ve Got the Love, backed by a slew of strobes and impressive visuals on the big screen, a moment that went down an absolute treat with the crowd. It was euphoric, familiar, and executed with class, setting the tone for the night.

After an hour of main room theatrics and reluctant to leave our spot on the dancefloor, we made our way over to Wild Comet to check out the shenanigans courtesy of Más Tiempo.

Upon entering, it was clear the duo had the room in a sweat-soaked groove, a sea of (handheld) fans furiously whipping back and forth in a desperate bid for punters to stay cool, with red lights pulsing up, down, and across the space. Out of nowhere, the duo dropped a house remix of Rebound X’s Rhythm ‘N’ Gash, catching the room completely off guard; then again, this was Skepta and Jammer going back to their roots. The crowd reaction was instant, hands in the air and gun fingers galore, sweat flying like a busted sprinkler.

After our Wild Comet madness, we went back into the main room to catch Maceo Plex dish out some serious dancefloor damage. The vibe had taken a different turn; it was unmistakably darker and grittier. No track embodied this shift better than Maceo’s rinse of dancefloor weapon Flight FM by Joy Orbison, a tune that has taken the underground scene by storm since bursting onto global UK bass and dubstep circuits early last year. With its deep growling basslines, intricate sound design, and punchy, transient kick drums, Flight FM commanded attention. Bass faces applied, and gun fingers locked and loaded once again, the crowd was in the zone.

Cox and Fanciulli made their much-anticipated appearance at 03:00. Where Maceo brought a darker vibe filled with depth and grit, Cox and Fanciulli brought unrelenting momentum, heads-down, no-frills, heavyweight house and techno.

Their chemistry behind the decks was undeniable: Cox’s signature energy and grin were on full display, beamed on the big screen behind the booth in black and white, while Fanciulli exuded an aura of cool and focus.

Three hours flew by. Anthems were dropped, banger after banger, including standout cuts from Fanciulli’s own catalogue, such as Set Me Free (feat. Robert Courtois), with its descending organ bassline, thumping kick drums, and sharp, percussive edges. Another standout rinse was this year’s release Hold Up, by William Kiss & Luke Alessi, a nod to classic '90s House with a raw, old-school rave sound, released on none other than Peggy Gou’s Gudu Records. It hit with nostalgic power, yet still felt right at home on the cutting edge of modern dancefloors. Hands shot into the air, it was clear the duo was having an absolute blast, feeding off the crowd’s reception.

The duo’s accompanying lighting display design was the final piece of the puzzle. Strobes fired relentlessly on the build-ups, ratcheting the tension with every flash. Epic laser sliced through the air, reaching the back of the room, while swirling, moving heads spiralled across the crowd in hypnotic motion. The entire space pulsed with light and sound. Kudos to the [UNVRS] lighting team for an impressive display; it elevated the experience to another level.

As the sun started to rise, we made our exit, still high from the evening’s energy. In all, our night at [UNVRS] was a masterclass in electronic music curation and execution.

From the sweat-drenched grooves of Skepta and Jammer’s Wild Comet set, through Maceo Plex’s dark, immersive journey, to the relentless powerhouse performance by Carl Cox and Nic Fanciulli, every moment was charged with energy and authenticity. Coupled with a stunning lighting display that transformed the space into a complete sensory experience, the event firmly stamped itself as a highlight of Ibiza’s 2025 season so far.

We’re excited to see what Carl Cox has in store throughout his residency. If this night was anything to go by, Ibiza is in for one hell of a summer. Check out below who Carl has invited to join him on the ride.