Traditional music
The traditions of Formentera and Ibiza are so similar that one could almost speak of Siamese Pityuses cultures. Thus, the Ball Pagès is a pillar of the identity of both Formentera and Ibiza. An emblematic dance, the Ball Pagès sees in its choreography all in repeated circular movements, the man turning around his partner playing castanyoles (castanets of about 15 cm in length) while she moves forward in small steps, staring at the ground. In addition to the choreographic splendor, the Ball Pagès are distinguished by the splendor of the traditional clothes worn. The men are usually dressed in white and black, with a wide belt around their waist and a red cap on their head. The women, on the other hand, wear long dresses, their hair covered with a veil, and wear their emprendadas, a set of gold, silver or coral necklaces. Theemprendada accompanies the life of the young girls, from the first communion to puberty, the mother enriching it year after year with new jewels. True family treasures, these necklaces are passed on from generation to generation. The music accompanying the Ball Pagès is generally based on repetitive rhythms whose intensity goes up and down.
In Ibiza, this traditional dance is very well preserved. For example, it can be seen every Thursday night at Sant Miquel, the oldest ball on the island, active since 1965. Otherwise, this dance is still very often performed, especially during major festivities such as the patron saint's day. Starting with those of Sant Francesc de S'Estany, honoring San Francisco de Paula, Santa Eulària Des Riu, the patronal feast of the island's second largest city, Sant Mateu D'Aubarca, honoring the apostle Matthew, Sant Miquel de Balansat, dedicated to St. Michael the Archangel, or Santa Gertrudis de Fruitera, which includes many cultural and recreational events.
The Primer Domingo de Mayo in Santa Eulària is one of the most popular festivals in Ibiza, with parades of floats and dancers in folk costumes. The Pagès de Sant Mateu d'Albarca Wine Festival, held in mid-December, offers the opportunity to taste the wines of the region, accompanied by traditional music and dance. And all year round, Can Casanova, a small bar-grocery in the center of Sant Llorenç, organizes every Saturday afternoon a baile tradicional where local Ibizans dress up in their best costumes and perform traditional dances of the island until the sun goes down.
Cantades and caramelles complete the musical folklore of the island The cantades, narrative songs with rhymes, elaborated according to the cantar redoblat technique, are also practiced during festive days, among neighbors and family, usually in a private setting. The cantades, which sing of love and personal stories, are still practiced by a few enthusiasts and/or during various local festivities. The caramelles de Nadal, on the other hand, are typical religious songs from Ibiza and Formentera, which are sung in churches at Christmas mass and Easter Sunday. Castanets, espasi - a typical Balearic instrument in the shape of a sword - flute and drums give rhythm to the music. These traditional compositions were declared "property of cultural interest" in 2005.
Less common, and also less visible, is a last tradition of the island called the glosa, short compositions of four octosyllabic verses, sung with a simple and lively melody, and that some compare to the current rap.
For a beautiful panorama of local folklore, let's not forget to mention the Mare Nostrum Festival, which offers a weekend to return to tradition with, among other things, some dance and castanet performances.
Popular music
Small by its size, Ibiza is also small by its musical scene which, except clubbing, is rather modest. Among the entities to be remembered, let us quote Uc, legendary group which gave a second folk life to traditional songs of Ibiza fallen into oblivion, giving them a folk style. Very active in the 1970s and 1980s, the group has not released anything for some years. In the same spirit, but more recently, in the 2000s, Projecte Mut also considered mixing folk-rock with traditional repertoire and instruments. The last Ibizan band to be mentioned is Pota Lait, which had some success at one point for its mix of rock, folk, hip-hop, reggae and country.
If you want to hear something other than electronic music in Ibiza, it is advisable to go to the Sueños De Libertad festival, one of Ibiza's major cultural events, which includes concerts by well-known national and international artists.
Electronic music
As the world knows, electronic music and (by extension) clubbing are national sports in Ibiza. And if superstars like David Guetta make a lot of noise and local clubbing has become an industry in need of a soul, you can still find good DJs like Black Coffee at Hi Ibiza (which replaced the iconic Space), Maceo Plex at Amnesia, Carl Cox at Pacha, DJ Harvey at Pikes Ibiza or Paul Oakenfold... everywhere. Note that the latter, historical actor of the sound of Ibiza, has widely popularized in the United Kingdom the balearic beat, a kind of house music born in the Amnesia in the 1980s / 1990s in the hands of DJ Alfredo and mix of electronic music and psychedelic pop. Very serene and soaring, this music carries in it the DNA of the great years of Ibiza. An excellent compilation is to be recommended for the curious or amateurs of the genre: Ritmo Fantasía: Balearic Spanish Synth-Pop, Boogie and House (1982-1992). Released in 2021 on the always very good Soundway label, the album perfectly documents the birth of this Iberian aesthetic. Besides clubbing, local electronic music has also produced things that are a bit more refined - and less known - such as Vacabou, a very airy trip-hop duo reminiscent of Air.
