Knight's Toolroom ship sets sail
Mark Knight's Toolroom sets sail into Armin's Armada night at Amnesia.
From Dave Spoon's '06 electro detonator 'At Night' to last season's Balearic bliss-out 'Colombian Soul', Toolroom have been responsible for more Ibiza anthems than most in recent years but this season they're pitching their biggest flag on the White Isle yet - through their first Ibiza label residency.
No stranger to Ibizan floors, label boss Mark Knight has played three of the island's most iconic nights in We Love... at Space, Pacha's flagship Pure Pacha and Cream's Thursday nighter. But now he's taken the leap and placed his ever-expanding Toolroom brand on the biggest platform the global dance community can offer.
"For those summer months Ibiza is very much the focal point of the whole scene," says Knight. "So many people are coming together from across the world. If what you're pushing does well in Ibiza then that will resonate throughout the globe across the year. As a label, it's a key strategic position to hold."
Teaming up with Armin Van Buuren's established Armada bastion, Knight's Toolroom take over the refurbed terrace on 1st and 8th July, 5th, 12th and 26th August and 9th September. Label favourites Tocadisco, Richard Dinsdale and Martijn Ten Velden will all join Mark in Ibiza.
Mark claims the seeds for Toolroom sailing into Armada were sown when Armin was all over 'Colombian Soul', produced by Mark and D.Ramirez.
"Once we bumped into each other and built a rapport - both business and personal, it kind of felt like a natural thing to do."
Whilst many might place Armada's epic trance sweeps in a different remit from Toolroom's funk-ticked, oft-acid dripped electronic grooves, in reality the sounds are closer now than ever before.
"There's a point where the two sounds meet very clearly," believes Knight. "There's very much a connection between the bigger main room stuff we push and the slower more groove filled work that Armada delve into. If people come from one room to another, the flow of music will work and they won't feel too alienated in either room."
As for this season's Toolroom anthems, Mark and Funkagenda's deep electro grooved 'Man With The Red Face' cover is already causing waves and the pair haven't wasted any time with a follow-up.
"We've been using the old Carrie Lucas sample that Armand Van Helden used in 'You Don't Know Me' but given it a really cool techie backing," lends Mark. "It's a real techie groove but drops into the original disco sample before thumping back in. It's not cheesy, there's real clever elements to the groove but it's got that cheeky hook that will smash the summer floor. It's called 'Done or Dusted.'"
IBIZA DISCO DIARY: AMNESIAMONDAY: COCOON TUESDAY: ARMADA WEDNESDAY: MADE IN ITALY THURSDAY: CREAM FRIDAY: MANUMISSION SATURDAY: PEOPLE FROM IBIZA SUNDAY: JUICY |