Last summer, Scotland’s Andy Styles beat hundreds of entrants to win Café Mambo’s DJ competition winning an infamous sunset DJ slot at the iconic venue in San Antonio. It would prove to be a busy summer on the island for Andy, also playing at the likes of Ibiza Rocks Bar, the Pukka Up boat party and the world famous club Amnesia. Uneek Ibiza sat down with him to discuss last summer, all things Ibiza and his plans for summer 2015.
Hi Andy, how are you and what have you been up to?
Hi! Im good. I have recently been playing in my local nightclub Lourenzos in Dunfermline and DJing with the global sports brand Reebok. I have also been learning music production over the last few months. This is something I will be concentrating on this year.
Great stuff! You won the Café Mambo sunset DJ competition last summer, that must of been amazing! Tell us how it all went.
Winning the Café Mambo Sunset DJ Competition was a big achievement for me. It was great to be noticed and considered good enough to play at the iconic venue. I have spent many nights at Café Mambo so I knew the music policy quite well. This made the track selection a lot easier. I was flown back out to Ibiza on an all expenses paid trip. A driver with a Hummer was waiting for me at the airport and I stayed the week in a really nice apartment on the Sunset Strip. My sunset set at Café Mambo went really well. Setting the atmosphere as the sun went down was an amazing experience. I also played daytime sets from 1pm to 6pm throughout the week which was great. Performing at Café Mambo was a dream come true.
Brilliant! At Mambo you played a lovely chilled set for the sunset, what other styles can we expect from you in DJ sets?
Deep/Tech/UK Bass House. I really enjoy these sets. My biggest influences are Duke Dumont, Hot Since 82, Mark Knight, My Digital Enemy, Chris Lorenzo, Low Steppa etc. Loads of great tracks out at the moment. I am also a big fan of Eric Prydz, EDX, Calvin Harris etc so I play Progressive House/EDM too. I am quite versatile!
Cool! Aside from playing at Mambo, 2014 was a busy year for you on the island, tell us about your other gigs in Ibiza.
I played at Amnesia for the first time. It was amazing to play at my favourite global club. I remember being there in 2013 and thinking to myself “I would LOVE to play here”. Fast forward one year and I am on the line up alongside Chase & Status, SHOWTEK & Sunnery James & Ryan Marciano. I should make wishes more often! Ibiza Rocks Bar was great fun. We did the Calvin Harris @ Cream Pre-Party there. Pukka Up Boat Party was a blast. We had so much fun doing this. They sure know how to throw boat parties. Great experience. I also had some brilliant nights at HUSH, Kilties & Highlander in the West End. The home crowd party here a lot so it can get a bit wild.
Sounds like a great summer. Let’s talk about your Ibiza history. When did you first visit the island? What were you initial thoughts?
I first visited Ibiza 3 years ago. I had already visited Ayia Napa, Zante & Corfu so I really wanted to try Ibiza. I had heard so many good things about it. People would talk about the superstar DJs, massive clubs & the incredible sunsets. I just had to see this for myself. I found the music in Ibiza wasn’t as commercial (at the time) as the other clubbing destinations. I found that very appealing and instantly connected with the place.
What is it about Ibiza you love?
I fell in love with Ibiza the day I set foot on the island. The people, the music, the overall experience. There is no other place like it. Ibiza is the best place in the world.
We completely agree! What’s your favourite part of the island?
Es Vedra. It’s absolutely breath taking and one of my favourite spots on the island. This has to be one of the most magical places in Ibiza. There is something special about this vast rock in the sea that has to be experienced. Given the opportunity, everyone who visits Ibiza should catch at least one sunset at Es Vedra.
Stunning isn’t it! What are some of your favourite Ibiza tunes of all time?
Last year’s favourites include Duke Dumont feat. Jax Jones `I Got U`, Oliver $ & Jimi Jules ‘Pushing On’, Patrick Topping ‘Forget’ & Shiba San`OKAY`. 2014 was a great year for music. A lot of good stuff out there. My favourite classic Ibiza tune of all time is Chicane `Saltwater`. I played the `Mothership Mix` during the sunset at Café Mambo. It’s a nice chillout/downtempo version. Very fitting. I have always wanted to do that.
Great tracks! What other DJs and events do you like to check out when in Ibiza?
I always go to see Mark Knight & the Toolroom guys wherever they are playing. Toolroom Knights at Booom Ibiza last year was amazing. The music was really good. The Defected nights are excellent too. They always put on a good night. I also like to check out Carl Cox at Space and see my favourite girls Nervo play at Ushuaia. Special guests at Café Mambo are a must – Duke Dumont, Fatboy Slim, Hannah Wants, MK, Pete Tong etc. Perfect place to be before heading out of town to the big clubs. And last but not least, Cream at Amnesia. With heavyweights like Calvin Harris, Martin Garrix, Laidback Luke & Steve Angello, the place is always packed.
Indeed all great events mate! How do you think Ibiza has evolved over the years?
Deep house & techno is taking over. EDM appears to be slowing down? Or is it just me? Plenty of underground events to choose from which is good. Overall I think it is good to have a balance of commercial and underground. Something for everyone. As long as Ibiza doesn’t lose its identity, its Balearic roots, I am fine with that.
And finally, what does Ibiza 2015 hold for you? Can we expect to see you back DJing on the White Isle?
I am looking forward to Ibiza 2015. I really miss the place. Its going to be great seeing everyone again. I will be back on the Sunset Strip at Café Mambo, Savannah & Mint Lounge as well as Play 2 Club, Highlander & Kilties in the West End. A few gigs are still to be confirmed so I will know in the next few months. I would really like to play Pacha, Space, DC10 & Sankeys at some point…Maybe one day!
Check out Andy’s social media pages for more;
www.soundcloud.com/