Magna Carta is a natural haven for house heads in Ibiza, the UK imprint now in its second year of throwing weekly parties on the island, playing host to a roster of artists making waves in the underground house and techno scenes.
With no gimmicks or showiness, Saturday evenings at Sankeys are purely about the music. For the seventh event, Max Chapman is up first, playing out house cuts to a rammed basement which greets you with a pulsating floor as you enter. The strong start is then followed by No Artificial Colours. The pair from London previously putting out music on Kerri Chandler's Madtech label has built them a reputation that followed them to the club. Now their third night for Magna Carta this season, it's plain to see that they've settled in well, gracing the decks with confidence as they deliver tough, choppy tech house beats.
Dale Howard wastes no time to keep things going; just as the screen on the back wall changes to read his name, the kick drums seem to instantly get more oomph. He has his work cut out for him as acclaimed Noir also begins his set over in the Lab where Reverse is encamped, so it was bound to be a tricky task keeping people in the room. Weaving your way through the crowd to stand near the front, you can feel the deep, rolling beats to your core.
When Leftwing & Kody take over, the vibrating floor makes a return, the pair dropping upfront innovative house cuts, including some of their most recent stint of releases. Partakers on the dance floor make their appreciation known with whistles and cheers, responding to a bass line making a return or a particularly inviting change-up. Towards the end of their set people have filtered out of the room, but it makes no difference to the energy or pace. There's more space to break out into creative moves, and double-fist pumps are had here and there from the duo themselves. Right up until the end the crowd is engaged and even then it feels like no one is quite ready to call it a night...
WORDS | Emma Gillett PHOTOGRAPHY | Magna Carta
