71 47
COCOON FRANKFURT, GERMANY
CAPACITY: 1200
cocoon.net
SOLOMUN and Adriano Trollio’s five-year-old Diynamic imprint is leading Germany’s deep house insurgence from the front, so it’s no wonder their club, pitched off a backstreet of Hamburg’s red light district, is doing the same for its night circuit. The perfect home for the label’s grimy gems, its understated interior and small warehouse vibe has brought a touch of class to a city with a large gay population more in touch with soul-infused house music than austere techno minimalism. Welcoming Nina Kraviz, H.O.S.H and Lovebirds during March, its anti-camera policy might give this club a hint of Panorama Bar exclusivity, but Ego’s sense of identity is entirely its own.
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BORNin 2004 and opened with Matthias Martinsohn, Sven Väth’s ultra-futuristic bolthole venue in the city where he first rose to club infamy is a combination of freaky factors that obviously complement each other well. On the one hand, there’s a restaurant and large lounge area, which don’t seem very techno, but are obviously inspired by Sven’s Ibiza jaunts. And even rave fiends get hungry (sometimes). On the other, there’s an endless stream of the best DJs in electronic music, from the deepest of underground artists to more commercial house promotions. Then there’s the Steve Dash-created soundsystem and stunning interior design over three floors, which draws from nature for inspiration. As the name of the club suggests (also the title of Sven’s label and booking agency), it’s full of organic imagery, with pods that resemble butterfly pupas strewn around the fused, enveloping membrane walls (there are even several VIP ‘cocoons’ built into them). Don’t take our word for how jaw-dropping it is, though. “This club is really great, fantastic!” says Skrillex.
IT would be wrong, criminal even, for the birthplace of house music not to have a presence in this poll. But, perhaps surprisingly, last year, Chicago’s involvement was none other than a spiritual one as house music’s venues from across the UK, Europe and South America dominated the higher echelons of these pages. Though, with US electronic music undergoing a mass renaissance, one venue in the Windy City — Spybar — is poised perfectly to reap the benefits of the inevitably heightened interest in deep, dirty underground sounds after plugging away for over a decade without sacrificing its musical integrity. Eats Everything, Maceo Plex and Items & Things just paid a visit, so you get the idea.
68 67
USHUAÏA IBIZA, SPAIN
CAPACITY: 5000
ushuaiabeachhotel.com
SPYBAR CHICAGO, IL, USA
CAPACITY: 300
spybarchicago.com
RE-ENTRY
A predominantly Muslim country might not seem a likely place to find one of the world’s top clubs, but then Sharm El Sheikh’s proximity to Dahab, the Egyptian equivalent of Goa, shows the more liberal outlook of the South-eastern Sinai peninsula, a popular diving spot for tourists. Space Ibiza’s first franchise, the Sharm edition features three familiarly named rooms. But come to Egypt, and you can see the Red Sea and mountains from The Discoteca, while The Terrace features a 12-metre pool and waterfall. Add some top visiting DJ talent and you’ve got the perfect recipe to shake it in Sharm El Sheikh.
NEW ENTRY
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STARTING out its life as a modest beach bar under a canopy where the likes of Luciano and Carl Craig would play b2b unannounced, Ushuaïa clearly had ideas above its station from the outset. Today, presiding over the shoreline of Playa Den Bossa, attached to a newly-built deluxe five-star hotel with two swimming pools, a gym and a spa and housing 5000 sun-kissed ravers each day, clearly it’s fulfilling its unchecked ambition; its regular events — featuring the likes of Swedish House Mafia, Pete Tong and Defected — as gargantuan as the poolside arena that stages them.
044
www.djmag.com ZOUK KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA
CAPACITY: 2000
zoukclub.com.my
01 69
NEW ENTRY
CAPACITY: 500
mein-ego.com
30
SPACE SHARM SHARM EL SHEIKH, EGYPT
CAPACITY: 5000
spacesharm.com
EGO
HAMBURG, GERMANY
SPAWNED in the image of its 21-year-old Singaporean brother of the same name in 2004, Kuala Lumpur’s Zouk carries all the flashing lights and day-glo paraphernalia expected of the superclub brand still ruling Asia. Armed to the teeth with LED displays and plasma screens, this five-room complex has been decimated by Sven Väth, Gareth Emery and Seth Troxler in recent months, ensuring that Malaysian minds get opened as well as truly lost.
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