One of House music's most respected labels, Cécille is an imprint that’s never been about chasing trends or flooding the release schedule. Only a select few producers make the cut - and that's exactly why it has amassed such a loyal following over the years.
Brought to you by Nick Curly, few people have watched Ibiza evolve quite like the Mannheim-born powerhouse. Now bringing that same ethos to the dancefloor with an Ibiza party series, there's arguably no better place for Cécille to come to life than on the White Isle.
We caught up with the boss to talk about Cécille's return ahead of the second party at Playa Soleil.
Over the course of our conversation, he relives some of his favourite Ibiza memories, tells us why he's feeling more inspired by House music than ever, his enduring connection to Ibiza and the passion that continues to drive him after all these years.
Cécille's Ibiza season so far
At the start of the summer, Cécille hosted a one-off party at Akasha during International Music Summit (IMS). Tell us about that.
"It was a special one, because it was in collaboration with Beatport after we won the award for Best Label during IMS. It was a Cécille collaboration, but our main showcases are taking place here at Playa Soleil over four dates."
You've already had your first party at Playa Soleil. How did it go?
"It was a great start, although it was a hectic week.
It was OFFWEEK in Barcelona, so we had our Wednesday Cécille party there, my 8Bit showcase on Thursday, then I came to Ibiza on Friday for the Cécille opening before heading straight back to Barcelona for shows on Saturday and Sunday.
OFFWEEK is always one of the toughest weeks of the year because everyone is spread between Barcelona and Ibiza, but despite all the travelling it was a really positive way to kick things off.
Tonight is only our second event, so we're just getting started."
What made Playa Soleil the right home for Cécille? How does it compare to the old Bora Bora?
"I've been coming to Ibiza for many years, long before Playa Soleil existed. This was Bora Bora, and it was such a legendary place. It was the only free daytime party on the island where everyone would end up before heading to the clubs.
Back then, there was no Ushuaïa and we just booked a cheap hotel nearby where we'd stay. We'd drop our bags, head straight to Bora Bora to soak up that first Ibiza feeling, then go out later that night. That's one of the reasons we chose Playa Soleil. It still has a bit of everything."
Halcyon days - the old Bora Bora
"There's that luxury beach club atmosphere, an amazing restaurant, a beautiful terrace overlooking the sea where we start the day, then we move indoors into the club at night.
Surprisingly, a lot of people still don't realise there's such a great club hidden here, so we're working hard to introduce more people to it."
With Cuartero, Joey Daniel, Paul Woolford, S.A.M and more, today's line-up is one of the strongest we've seen all summer. How did you put it together?
"Most of the artists are part of the Cécille family through releases on the label, but we also invite artists we really respect who bring something different. Paul Woolford is a perfect example. He's a true UK legend and adds another dimension to the line-up.
We also have S.A.M, who has a remix coming on Cécille soon. He's an incredible producer.
We know there's already a great audience on the island, but there are also people discovering Cécille for the first time, so it's important to showcase both established artists and exciting new talent."
Ibiza memories
What's your most vivid Ibiza memory?
"The Bora Bora days will always stay with me.
I first came to Ibiza when I was 17, not as a DJ but simply as someone who loved electronic music. At the time, I was working as an engineer for Mercedes, but after discovering Ibiza I was so obsessed with the island that I almost quit my job just to move here and sell tickets on the street.
"Around ten years later I came back as a DJ.
During the same week I was booked for SupermartXé and then got a last-minute call to play Space after another promoter pulled out. That night went so well they offered us a residency. We launched Kehakuma there, which became one of my proudest achievements.
We were bringing artists like Seth Troxler and Jamie Jones before they became huge names. Space is Hï Ibiza now, but those memories will stay with me forever."
Is there one track that instantly takes you back to Ibiza?
"For me it's Right On by Silicon Soul. I actually remixed it years ago, but the original is still one of the ultimate Ibiza records. There are plenty of others like Harry Romero's Tania, but if I had to choose one track that represents Ibiza for me, it would be Right On."
The intricacies of running a label
After so many years in the industry, what still excites you about making music and running labels?
"For me it's really about the relaunch of Cécille.
We took almost a six-year break because the music wasn't feeling right. Everything shifted towards harder Techno and melodic House, then the pandemic happened. It just didn't feel like the right time. What's exciting now is seeing a whole new generation discovering the label."
"So many of the producers we work with today are young enough to be my sons, but they genuinely love the music Cécille has always stood for.
The biggest difference for me is the quality of music coming through. There was a period where I'd listen to hundreds of demos and nothing really stood out. Now I'm hearing incredible records from a new generation of producers, and that's inspiring.
Seeing that sound come back has been incredibly rewarding."
What do you look for when signing music to Cécille?
"It's difficult to describe, because we're not chasing one specific sound.
Back in the early days it was always about groove. A track needed that endless groove that you could listen to for 15 minutes without getting bored. Today we're a bit more open. We've signed records recently that are completely different to what we were releasing even two years ago.
As long as the music has something special, we're interested."
Are there any Cécille releases that especially stand out for you?
"Honestly, every release.
Every artist who's released on Cécille or 8bit has helped build the labels into what they are today. I'm grateful every time someone sends us music and trusts us with their work. That's never something I take for granted."
How does 8bit differ from Cécille?
"I run 8bit with a different partner and it's actually an older label than Cécille. The two labels complement each other really well now. Some artists even release on both, and they're both in a really healthy place."
Could a third label be on the horizon?
"Hopefully. I don't want to say too much just yet, but there are definitely some plans in the works."
Are their any particular artists coming through, people should be paying more attention to?
"Julius Strieder is definitely one. The Shokë guys from Italy are incredible producers who are making amazing music at the moment. Nautica from Manchester are another act people should keep an eye on."
"Reboot has been around for years but is making some of the best music of his career right now.
There are honestly so many names because I'm really happy to see groove-led house music making such a strong comeback."
How involved are you in A&R? Are you constantly searching for music?
"Completely. Me and my partners are always listening to demos. Finding new music is still one of the biggest parts of what we do."
Do you think there's still room for independent labels to break new artists?
"Absolutely. There are still so many great demos coming through. Around ninety per cent might not be right for us, but the remaining ten per cent is such a strong pool of talent, I think there's more than enough room for independent labels to keep discovering and developing new artists."
The future of Cécille on Ibiza
What does the long-term future for Cécille on Ibiza look like? Could we see more dates in 2027?
"That's definitely the dream.
This year we're doing four parties, but we'd love to build towards a proper residency and eventually become a weekly party. It's something we're building slowly over time and hopefully we can keep growing year after year."
Cécille continues at Playa Soleil with two more parties left this summer. It returns on Friday 14 August and Friday 21 August, with AMÉMÉ, Fletch, Fleur Shore, Jay de Lys and Londonground confirmed to be joining Nick Curly at the next one.
Tickets for both parties are on sale now and available to buy below or by visiting our party calendar.
PHOTOGRAPHY | by La Skimal
