Amazingly, despite the sun-kissed, optimistic glare of his Balearic-trance sound, this summer was the first time that German DJ and producer Roger Shah held a residency in Ibiza, at Gatecrasher.
“The big difference to playing something like Armada for Armin is that people come from all over the world to see you,” he recalls happily on the messages that flooded his Facebook all season.
Ironically, 2011 was also when Roger spread his wings, both musically and geographically - with an on-going world tour already covering Australia, Eastern Europe and the UK - for new album 'Openminded', the first under his own full name. “At home I listen to lots of different music so why produce one genre? That's the main idea behind the album,” he says.
Split between a stylistically-diverse club CD and another “showing my skills as a composer”, something that has seen Hollywood come knocking, the highlight was undoubtedly working with Sian of Kosheen - “my all-time favourite band” - who not only provided vocals for his tracks but also a huge new version of 'Hide U'.
“That's why you do an album, to show your diversity as an artist,” he exclaims proudly, the DJ diary already full till next summer. “Not too many people complained, so I'm happy!” JOE ROBERTS