The great Kerri Chandler famously once said, "All you need is a basement, a red light and a feelin'."
For some, these factors might be considered clubbing's most basic elements, but in truth, you need little more. The more you tamper with this formula, the more you risk upsetting a delicate balance.
It's a principle that Ewan McVicar and his new Hï Ibiza residency Club Knuckles subscribe to.
Taking over the Club Room for a whopping 23 consecutive weeks, Club Knuckles opened adjacent to CAMELPHAT's new concept Summer Of Love on Friday 1 May.
While it might not technically be a basement, for all intents and purposes, the stripped-back, box-like nature of the Club Room means it could easily pass for one. As for the red light - check. And "a feelin'"? That was there in abundance.
Throw in some conservative use of dry ice and you have perfection. Less is often more.
Ewan McVicar's Club Knuckles delivers knockout blow on Ibiza debut
It might only be the first weekend in May, but despite being early-season, you wouldn't have noticed. The tide of bodies making their way along the Playa d'en Bossa strip towards the direction of Hï Ibiza suggests the crowds have arrived early.
Let's get the disappointment out of the way early. Avalon Emerson, probably the DJ we were most gassed about seeing, won't be making it as originally intended. In Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs, there is a more than adequate last-minute replacement to step into her shoes.
Unusually tasked with the opening set, TEED ends on his ANOTR collab, Sound Of You. And we're off to a fine start.
Up next is a lesser-known quantity in Marie Montexier. Was she always in this slot? Or had she benefited from Avalon Emerson's curtailment? Whichever the case may be, she rose to the occasion. Playing on vinyl, the Berlin-based DJ was here to put in a shift.
At its core, the art of DJing is building tension and then releasing it.
Who better to convey this than two Detroit originators, Kevin Saunderson and Kenny Larkin? The latter's Tension Mix of Future is one of many astute selections from Marie, who is now fanning herself with another vinyl. That reminds us of another vital club ingredient: sweat.
Curiosity gets the better of us and it's time to poke our heads next door to see what's happening in a swelling Theatre. Mita Gami is in the midst of lathering the masses for the imminent arrival of CAMELPHAT. As impressive as it is, the music on offer in the Club Room soon draws us back.
We are quickly rewarded for our decision, as Maya Jane Coles' cult track What They Say gets a spin. It's the one we instantly recognise in a string of exemplary picks, each one better than the last. Just when we think we're due a dud, Marie cues up another to keep us moving.
The next vinyl pulled from its sleeve is a very special one. Giving a lot of the youngsters present perhaps their first "Ibiza moment", The Aztec Mystic's Knight of the Jaguar on Underground Resistance is a track we could never get bored of hearing. Pure euphoria.
Marie Montexier ended to a more than worthy applause. Without hyperbole, it's a very early contender for the best set of the summer. It will take some effort to equal it.
Rather than being an overspill of The Theatre, we can tell the attendees are largely here for Ewan and his brand of purist clubbing, too. How do we know? Because when Dave and Mike assume their position in the main room's booth, there isn't an exodus from room two.
In fact, there isn't as much as a flinch.
Whether they were here with the intention of seeing the Scot from the start or whether they had seen enough early on to convince them to stay, the patrons of the Club Room refused to be seduced by the blockbuster names taking centre stage just yards away.
Just as CAMELPHAT were hitting play on their own opener, Ewan slams down Acid ripper Invasive Overdrive Track. We're happy with our decision to stay put. The temptation to stray has vanished. We're locked in for the long haul. Take it away, Ewan. The floor is yours.
"All you need is a basement, a red light and a feelin'."
It's a code that's universally applicable, whether you are in Glasgow's underground heartland (or Ayr's, in Ewan's case) or the Balearic hedonism of Ibiza.
Haunted by the ghost of the beloved Space Terrace, it could be said that Hï Ibiza's Club Room struggled to find its identity initially. But in the post-pandemic era, it has really found its groove. Now it helps the club cater to a dual audience on most, if not all, of its weekly sessions.
Whether it hosts Paco Osuna's slammed Now Here, Indira Paganotto's hard-hitting ARTCORE, Miss Monique's green frequency or Black Coffee's new ally Skepta and his Más Tiempo posse, the Club Room has proven to be the ideal counter-balance to the spectacle of The Theatre.
Now we can add Club Knuckles to the mix.
Over the next five months, we'll be back for more. We suggest you join us to sweat one out under Ewan McVicar's clenched fist.
Ewan McVicar's Club Knuckles packs a punch! Coming up, Ewan is joined by Chaos In the CBD, Erol Alkan, HAAi, Jasper James, Krystal Klear, LaLa, Roman Flügel, Sally C, DJ Seinfeld, Skream, Young Marco and (we hope) a rescheduled date for Avalon Emerson.
And if he wants to invite Marie Montexier back, we'll be very okay with that!
For tickets to any of the nine remaining Fridays alongside CAMELPHAT (8 to 29 May and 4 September to 2 October), please head below. For tickets to the Fridays shared with Dom Dolla in peak season, please visit this page.
