Carl Cox. The Ibiza Legacy Lives On.
It was the news that stunned Ibiza Clubland when it was announced early last year. The return of Carl Cox to a 14-week Sunday residency in Ibiza at the island’s brand new club UNVRS. It was as if Mo Salah had signed for Man Utd, such was the disbelief in certain circles, none more so than those who had supported Cox during the infamous war between his good friend Pepe Rosello and Abel Matutes over ownership rights to Space Ibiza. Matute’s business partner, Yann Pissenem, had pulled a rabbit out of his top hat, ensuring UNVRS would host the return of electronic royalty to Ibiza. It was a masterstroke that very few saw coming and shifted people’s perception of the new club, where the usual suspects were lining up to criticise.
It was a brave decision by Cox to sign with Pissenems’ entertainment agency, TNL; from an integrity perspective, he had more to lose than gain in that deal. It was the culmination of a 5-year plan by Yann Pissenem to convince Cox that UNVRS was going to be a game changer in the industry and that he needed to be part of that development rather than being apart from it. Nobody understands Ibiza and the industry better than Carl Cox, and he leveraged decades of experience to recognise that UNVRS was the direction the industry was moving in. It was the intelligent move to make, and a Royal seal of approval for UNVRS.
Last Sunday, Cox closed a landmark Ibiza residency. A highlight of that season was when he gently placed a stylus on a Technics turntable at UNVRS and searched through his vinyl record box for the next tune. This classic DJ technique predated the digital era, much like a Jedi Knight using an old lightsaber against a technologically advanced cyborg. It was emotional to hear Pete Tong’s velvet tone introduce Carl Cox’s vinyl set at UNVRS for the BBC Radio 1 Essential Mix, recorded live the previous week. Tong will always be regarded as the voice of the electronic X generation, and his BBC Ibiza Weekender in August was an essential platform that lent Ibiza its musical integrity and credibility. It was also significant that during last Sunday’s closing party, Cox shared the stage with Nick Fanciulli. The same partnership was present for a momentous moment in Ibiza clubbing history, the final party at Space in 2016. It was as if Cox was honouring his Space heritage and subtly making the point that without Space, Ibiza would not be where it is today.
Cox has grounded the UNVRS energy, which understandably aligns with modern trends and showmanship in the entertainment industry. Anyma has been red hot during the season, and Guetta delivered in his usual professional performance, which has made him the top dog on the island for the last two decades and more. They were the three big stars for UNVRS this summer as the club delivered on its vision to revolutionise the clubbing genre. The only criticism about the club so far is the opinion that the experience feels more like a concert than a club, but I think UNVRS is neither. It is the sum of many parts utilising elements from the past, present and future.
Autumnal years.
As the black and white “CARL IS BACK” graphics appeared on the screens and the dancers returned to the podiums rather than being suspended on wires, one got the impression that UNVRS was paying respect to Privilege and KU’s iconic history. This is why Carl Cox is so important to UNVRS and why the club will set the trends for the future. It has definitely been a game-changer, and it will become increasingly difficult to compete against it.
For my generation, having Cox playing there is enough. For Cox, it will ensure stability and an opportunity to build on his legacy while continuing to perform at the top level. Thanks to the financial security that UNVRS provides, it will allow Cox greater freedom as he enters the autumnal years of his career.
As the curtain came down on Cox’s debut season at UNVRS, one could sense in his body language and energy that he was at home in the new digital environment, and that his decision to play there had been vindicated.
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