Defected is as much a fixture of the Ibiza summer as are sun loungers, overpriced cocktails and day-long recovery sessions at Salinas. Accordingly their annual Eivissa mix is something of an institution, marking the legendary UK house label's distinctive view on the sound of each season. Eivissa 08 is mixed by Simon Dunmore, head honcho of Defected and this year's vibe is a return to uplifting vocal sounds.
Custom built for poolside lounging or getting through those pre-party hours, Eivissa 08 offers more than 40 tracks of pumping house tunes that run the gamut from Fedde Le Grand to DJ Gregory. In true Defected style the apparently eclectic artists are brought together to form a smooth, harmonious mix - each complementing rather than clashing with the others.
Among the tracks which set the tone are DJ Spen's Sexy Dancer and Arabian Nightmare; Julian Jabre with Talking Walls and War and Osunlade's My Reflection and Momma's Groove. While cuts like Kings Of Tomorrow Finally (the jazzy sax-and-piano ridden Usual Suspects Remix) and Wahoo Make 'Em Shake, It will transport you straight back to the middle of Pacha's heaving dancefloor.
On the downside there are a fair few tracks here which we feel we've heard before (The Shapeshifters ' Chime sounds suspiciously like their breakthrough hit Lola's Theme) which argues against this being the "underground" sound of the summer. Also, we're a little curious as to how they can present the definitive collection of summer anthems before the summer even begins… but perhaps we're best leaving that to the canny minds at Defected. If they play it the hits will come.
All in all, if you're looking for a summer starter, or something to bring back happy memories when the holidays over this will work nicely.
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