‘Es Vive/Base Bar’: as sweet as the happy hour

What ever happened to subculture? Does it still exist or it all has been pushed under some underground banner that mainstream hasn’t yet assimilated into its infernal attempt to buy up and swallow it all up in the name of King Profit? Or, it is question of timing? Look at the ‘indie’-rockers of the Franz Ferdinand-ilk for instance, as soon as they appear they are scooped by…

Fatboy Slim recently said, “In Britain we had ten glory years and now people are a little bit jaded. As the momentum has died down, it's great to go somewhere dance music is new and revolutionary. When you visit China or Serbia it's like 1988 again and everybody is completely overexcited.”

If that’s the case then the good people flocking to Ibiza should be told about it. Because there is a triple-set that demonstrates otherwise. First, the locales: Es Vive and Base Bar are two of Ibiza’s coolest hangouts – the former a stylish hotel and the latter a buzzing bar in Ibiza Town harbour. Hed Kandi reproduce the ambience of both venues through a special edition 3 CD box-set which guarantees excessively cool poolside listening and a scorching selection of summer anthems.

The album is compiled across 3 themed discs, moving from Morning chillout through Afternoon lounging into Evening pre-clubbing. A perfect musical journey designed to suit every mood and atmosphere, culminating in a dash for the nearest dancefloor. Es Vive’s poolside parties are the only way to catch the vibe for a night of serious partying – Hed Kandi have been hosting these legendary get-togethers for the past five years. The opulent, glamorous location partnered with a cool soundtrack make it the perfect way to wind up for the night ahead.

The Base Bar in Ibiza is the hangout for a pre-party drink. The finest funky house music fills the summer air, from the bar onto the cobbled pavements where clubbers are put in the perfect mood for a glitzy night. The array of luxury drinks, sexy people and a cool evening breeze concoct the perfect blend for a fine evening. Es Vive/Base Bar Ibiza 2005 is the ideal soundtrack for those who wish to re-live a holiday experience in the comfort of their own home.

This is the fifth instalment in the hed kandi Ibiza series ‘Es Vive/Base Bar 2005’. The three CDs cover Balearic anthems like Saint Etienne’s cover of Neil Young’s ‘Only Love Can Break Your Heart’, Nate James’s future soul classic ‘Universal’, eighties club smash ‘Walking On Sunshine’ by Rockers Revenge and plenty of hed kandi’s trademark chillout and funky house.

8/10