Written by Jack Walton and Colette Louise Noble, main photo by Pacha

Solomun fans could be forgiven for turning up to Pacha slightly disappointed to find out that everyone’s favourite Croatian was struggling with illness and had to do a shortened 3-5 set.

That left Italian duo Mind Against to step up to the plate and serve Solomun up as the meat in their sandwich.

If there was a blueprint for ‘perfect warm up’ then Mind Against played straight off it with a deep, driving, set that seemed to seamlessly and barely noticably notch up the energy level, joule by joule coming to a peak with Bicep’s monster remix of Isaac Tichauer’s Higher Level before handing over.

Solomun came on and seemed to draw what inspiration he could from the crowd although the effects of the stomach bug were noticeable half way through as he looked like Rocky in the late rounds, towel around neck, giving everything back to those who have supported this great residency now in its fifth year.

Illness couldn’t take anything away from the music as Solomun did what he does best and tore Pacha down, especially when dropping Margot’s, Voice Chord. Where other nights lean on the glitz, glamour and glory of lasers, smoke and cannons, Sunday nights in Ibiza’s oldest club feel purely about the music and the music only. Nothing needs dressing up. No gimmicks. There was an excited anticipation in the air by the time Solomun bravely passed the reins back to Mind Against for part 2 to see where the Berlin-based pair would take it.

7am close was the official party line but by the time they were finally dragged off at 7:45am, Mind Against had grabbed Pacha and the crowd by the scruff of the neck and locked them in for the duration with bombs like & Me’s Cape Coast and Trentemøller’s Moan. A particular nostalgic highlight in the closing exchanges was a reminder of 2002’s trance glory days with a remix of Marco V’s classic, Simulated.

What started as an evening of sympathy to Solomun and how it might affect the evening ended up being a classic. It was, indeed, Mind Against matter.

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